This article walks you through running a meditation session in Sanctuary: setting your duration, choosing an ambient sound, configuring interval bells, starting the timer, and completing the post-session check-in so your session is saved to your progress.
The meditation timer in Sanctuary is built for traders, not yogis. It is intentionally minimal. You set a duration, pick a sound environment, and sit with your breath for however long you have. Even five minutes before a session changes the quality of your decision-making in measurable ways. The goal is not perfection. It is consistency.
Step 1: Set Your Session Intention (Optional)
Before configuring the timer, look at the Today I Will field in the top-right corner of Sanctuary. This is an optional one to two line prompt where you can write a brief intention for your trading session, such as a risk commitment, a behavioural goal, or the word "calm" or "focused." Type your intention and press Save, or skip it entirely. It does not affect the meditation session itself, but traders who use it find it helps set a clear mental frame before the market opens.
Step 2: Choose Your Duration
The Meditation Session panel in the center shows duration controls with five preset buttons: 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 1 hour. The selected preset is highlighted in purple, with 10 minutes as the default.
To set a custom time, click the time display and enter a duration between 1 minute and 2 hours. Sanctuary remembers your last-used duration for convenience.
Recommended durations:
- 1 to 5 minutes: Quick reset between trades when time is limited
- 10 minutes: Default; ideal for pre-market routines and post-session wind-downs
- 15 to 30 minutes: For deeper pre-market prep or recovery after a tough week
- 1 hour: Rest day reset or weekend prep before a new trading week
Step 3: Configure Interval Bells
The Interval Bells toggle is below the duration selector. When on, a soft bell sounds at set intervals to gently refocus your attention without interrupting your session.
Use the Interval Bells dropdown to select the interval: 1 min, 2 min, or 5 min. For sessions under 10 minutes, 1 or 2 minutes works best; for longer sessions, choose 5 or 10 minutes for more quiet time.
If you prefer silence without interruption, leave interval bells toggled off. The session will run as a clean countdown with no sound cues mid-session.
Step 4: Choose an Ambient Sound
The Ambient Sound dropdown lets you select a background soundscape for your session. Click the dropdown to see all available options.
Available soundscapes:
- None: Complete silence. Best for experienced meditators or very short resets
- Gentle Rain: Steady rain. One of the most commonly used options for general focus and calm
- Ocean Waves: Slower rhythm. Works well for longer sessions and deeper unwinding
- Forest Ambience: Light nature sounds. Good for a grounded, alert state before trading
- Fireplace: Warm and steady crackling. Useful for end-of-day wind-down sessions
- White Noise: Neutral masking sound. Good for blocking out office or home background noise
When you hover over each ambient sound option in the dropdown, you can listen to a preview of what it will sound like. This lets you test different soundscapes before committing to one for your session.
After selecting a sound, use the volume slider at the bottom of the panel to set the level. The sound plays as soon as you start the session.
Step 5: Start the Session
Press the Start button. The Meditation Session panel transitions into a minimal fullscreen timer view: a large circular progress ring with the countdown in the center, surrounded by the background image. Three controls appear at the bottom of the timer: restart, pause, and volume. Nothing else is visible.
A gentle bell or chime sounds at the start of the session to mark the beginning. The timer then begins counting down.
Stay with the session. If your mind wanders, that is normal. The interval bell, if enabled, will bring your focus back gently. Your only task is to sit with whatever the session brings up, observe it, and let it pass.
Ending a Session Early
If you need to stop before the timer runs out, click the X button in the top-right corner of the timer. A confirmation dialog appears asking whether you want to end the session or keep going.
If you choose End session, the session will not be counted or saved to your progress. Your streak will not advance for this session. If you choose Keep going, the timer resumes from where it was.
To earn the session credit and protect your streak, complete the full duration you set. Partial sessions do not count.
Step 6: Complete the Post-Session Check-In
When the timer reaches zero, a gentle bell or chime sounds to mark the end of the session, and the Session complete modal appears automatically. This is your post-session check-in. It takes less than a minute.
Streak Callout
If you have an active streak, the modal shows how many consecutive days you have meditated, updating immediately after saving a session.
Optional Reflection
Below the streak callout is a free text field: What did you notice during the session? You can add brief notes, which save to your session log and appear in the Reflection column for tracking mental state patterns over time.
Saving the Session
Click Save and Exit to save your session, mood, and reflection. This updates your log, streak, and weekly minutes. To start another session immediately, click Start Another Session. The current session saves first, then the timer resets.
Clicking Skip closes the modal without saving mood or reflection. The session counts, but those fields remain empty in your log.
Viewing Your Session History
After completing a meditation session, it is logged automatically. You can see all your previous sessions by clicking View Sessions in the Your Progress panel on the right side of Sanctuary. This opens your complete meditation history showing dates, durations, moods, and any reflections you recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my streak break if I miss one day?
Yes. Missing a day (no session before 11:59pm) resets your current streak to zero. Your longest streak remains displayed separately.
Can I change the ambient sound after the session starts?
You can mute sound using the volume control during the session. To switch sounds, end the session and restart with a new choice. Ending early means the session will not save.
What happens if my connection drops during a session?
The timer runs locally and does not need internet once loaded. If disconnected, the timer continues, and your session saves when connection returns and you complete the post-session modal.
Can I meditate more than once per day?
Yes, you can have multiple sessions daily. Each logs separately, and your streak counts any day with at least one completed session.
Are there bells at the start and end of a session?
Yes. A gentle bell or chime sounds when you press Start to mark the beginning of the session, and another bell sounds when the timer reaches zero to mark the end. Interval bells, if enabled, will also sound at your chosen intervals during the session.
Can I preview ambient sounds before choosing one?
Yes. When you hover over each ambient sound option in the dropdown menu, you can listen to a preview of what it will sound like before selecting it for your session.
Where can I see all my past meditation sessions?
Click View Sessions in the Your Progress panel to see your complete meditation history, including dates, durations, moods, and reflections.
Related Questions
- How do I start a meditation in Sanctuary?
- How do I set a custom meditation duration?
- What ambient sounds are available in Sanctuary?
- What are interval bells and how do I set them?
- What happens when I end a meditation session early?
- How do I save my meditation session?
- What is the session complete modal in Sanctuary?
- How do I log my mood after a meditation?
- Does Sanctuary remember my last settings?
- How long should I meditate before trading?
- Will stopping a session early break my streak?
- Can I run multiple meditation sessions in one day?
- Can I preview ambient sounds before selecting them?
- Are there bells at the start and end of meditation sessions?
- Where can I view my meditation history?
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