| # | Event | Offset | Local time | Chimes | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{ r.idx }} | {{ r.label }} | {{ r.offsetDisplay }} | {{ r.local }} | {{ r.chimes }} | |
| No events. Adjust settings above. | |||||
| Field | Value | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| {{ r.label }} | {{ r.value }} | |
| No stats to show. | ||
Meditation timing is really about protecting attention from clock-watching. A good timer gives you a clear beginning, optional interval cues, and a definite end so you can stay with the sit instead of bargaining with the remaining minutes. This package does that while also exposing the cue schedule in a way that is easy to inspect, export, and repeat.
The timer supports both fixed-length and open-ended sessions. You can set a short countdown before the first bell, choose how many chimes sound at the start, interval marks, and finish, and shape the cue style with volume, tone frequency, tone length, bell gap, vibration, wake-lock requests, and a visual flash. Presets cover quick short sits, a 25-minute zazen-style session, a 30-minute session, and an open-ended mode with interval bells only.
That makes the tool useful for more than solitary practice. One person can run a ten-minute quiet sit with no interval cues. A group leader can preview a 25-minute schedule with five-minute interval bells before a session starts. Someone using a device on silent can rely more on vibration and visual flash than on audio volume. The schedule and metrics tabs make those choices visible before the sit begins.
The package also keeps planning separate from execution. Before you start, it builds a preview schedule with offsets and local times. During a live run, it tracks elapsed time, remaining time, next event, total events, total chimes, and cue state. Exports are available for the schedule, metrics, and JSON state, so the timer can be reused as a repeatable practice template rather than an ad hoc stopwatch.
The main caution is practical rather than spiritual. This is a browser-based timer, not a dedicated meditation device. Long sessions can still be affected by device sleep settings, browser throttling, muted audio, or unsupported wake-lock and vibration behavior. The cues support the practice, but they do not guarantee that every environment will deliver them the same way.
The first decision is whether the session should be fixed or open-ended. Fixed sessions are better when you want a clear container and a planned finish time. Open-ended sessions are better when you want periodic bells without committing to a final cutoff. In the package, open-ended mode simply removes the end event while still allowing interval cues.
The next decision is the cue structure. A short countdown helps you settle physically before the first bell. Start bells establish the opening, interval bells punctuate the middle, and end bells close the session. If your goal is a quiet uninterrupted sit, keep the interval value at zero. If your goal is a structured practice with checkpoints, use interval cues sparingly enough that they support attention rather than pull you out of it.
Advanced options should be chosen for the environment, not for novelty. Lower audio volume and shorter tones are often enough for solo home practice. Group practice or noisier spaces may need stronger bell counts or longer tones. Vibration is useful on supported devices when sound is not appropriate. Visual flash helps when the device is within sight, but it is not a substitute for audio in every setting.
The schedule tab is the planning view. It tells you exactly when each cue will fire relative to the start and what the local wall-clock time will be. The metrics tab is the monitoring view. It shows status, preset, elapsed time, remaining time, next event, total events, and total chimes. The JSON tab is the reproducibility view for saving the full session configuration and generated schedule together.
If the session matters more than the gadget, preview once before starting. Check that the preset, session length, interval, and chime counts reflect the practice you actually want. That one check prevents most timer mistakes, especially when moving between a short silent sit and a longer bell-guided session.
The timer state revolves around a planned start moment and a schedule of cue events. When you start a session, the package records the countdown-adjusted start time, builds an event list, and then drives the run with animation-frame updates rather than a simple one-second interval. That gives the interface a smoother elapsed-time model while still formatting the visible clock as minutes and seconds.
Each event is defined by an offset in seconds and a chime count. The start event sits at offset zero if start bells are enabled. Interval events repeat every configured interval until they would cross the end of a fixed-length session. End events occur exactly at the session length when an end bell count is present. In open-ended mode, the preview schedule still caps interval generation at three hours and sixty interval events so the schedule remains bounded.
Here I is the interval length in seconds, E is elapsed time since the first bell, S is the fixed session length in seconds, and P is the progress percentage shown when a fixed session exists. Open-ended runs do not compute a bounded completion percentage, but they still maintain elapsed time, next event, and total fired cues.
Audio, haptic, and visual cues are all configurable layers on the same event. Bell playback uses the browser audio context with a sine oscillator, a configurable frequency, duration, and gap between repeated bells. Vibration uses the device vibration API when available. Visual flash toggles a cue state for a configured number of milliseconds and records the last cue label and count. Wake lock is requested only when you enable it and only if the browser supports screen wake locks.
The outputs are purpose-built. The schedule tab lists event number, label, offset, local time, and chime count, and it can be copied or exported as CSV or DOCX. The metrics tab packages session status, preset, planned finish time, interval, next event, total events, total chimes, and cue-related flags. The JSON payload records both inputs and computed state, including the generated schedule. That makes it possible to repeat the same sit later without rebuilding the session by hand.
| Preset | Length | Interval behavior | Intended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 min | 10 minutes | No interval bells | Short quiet sits |
| 15 min | 15 minutes | No interval bells | Moderate solo sessions |
| 20 min | 20 minutes | No interval bells | Longer uninterrupted practice |
| Zazen 25 | 25 minutes | 5-minute interval bells | Structured bell-guided sitting |
| 30 min | 30 minutes | 10-minute interval bells | Longer fixed practice blocks |
| Open-ended | 0 minutes | 5-minute interval bells, no end bell | Unbounded practice with periodic cues |
| Surface | What it shows | Exports available |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule | Each cue with offset, local time, and chime count | CSV copy, CSV download, DOCX export |
| Metrics | Status, timing summary, next event, total events, total chimes | CSV copy, CSV download, DOCX export |
| JSON | Inputs, computed state, and full generated schedule | Clipboard copy and JSON download |
| Live cue state | Visual pulse, last cue label, and last cue count during a run | Included in the JSON payload |
The most important live outputs are status, remaining time, and next event. In a fixed session, progress percentage and remaining time tell you where you are in the sit. In an open-ended session, elapsed time and next event matter more because there is no final completion percentage to anchor the run.
The schedule preview should be read as a commitment to cue structure. If the offsets or local times look wrong before you start, the session inputs are wrong. Once the run begins, the metrics tab becomes the better guide because it reflects actual state rather than the preview alone.
If the cues feel too intrusive or too weak, adjust the chime counts and advanced cue settings rather than changing the whole session shape first. That keeps the practice structure stable while you tune the delivery method to the environment.
A practitioner chooses the 10-minute preset, keeps interval bells off, and uses only start and end bells. The preview schedule stays minimal, the live display counts down clearly, and the practice is framed without mid-session interruption.
Using the Zazen 25 preset, the package inserts five-minute interval cues between the opening and closing bells. The schedule view shows every offset in advance, which is useful for anyone leading a group or checking whether the interval spacing matches the intended rhythm.
A user wants periodic reminders without a forced stop, so they choose the open-ended preset, enable vibration, lower the audio volume, and keep the visual flash on. The session runs without an end event, but the interval cues and metrics still provide structure and a reusable JSON record of the setup.
It removes the fixed end event while keeping interval scheduling active, so the session can continue until you stop it manually.
No. The package requests a wake lock only when you enable it and only if the browser supports that feature.
Because the schedule shows exactly when cues will fire. It is the fastest way to catch a wrong session length, interval, or bell count before the sit begins.
No. It only structures timing and cues. The timer supports the practice but does not measure the quality of attention or stillness.