Jamie Murphy is the co-founder and lead developer of StillMind, bringing over a decade of experience building thoughtful technology that puts human wellbeing first.
After years of working in high-pressure tech environments, Jamie discovered meditation as a way to manage burnout and anxiety. Frustrated by meditation apps that felt more like productivity tools than genuine support systems—complete with guilt-inducing streak counters and generic advice—Jamie recognized an opportunity to build something different.
Why StillMind Exists
StillMind was born from a simple observation: most meditation apps are designed to maximize engagement metrics, not support authentic practice. Jamie’s technical background in privacy-focused development and encryption led to StillMind’s core philosophy: your meditation practice should be truly private, personalized to your actual needs, and free from the gamification that turns mindfulness into just another task.
Technical Philosophy
As a developer, Jamie focuses on building technology that respects its users. This means end-to-end encryption for journal entries, AI that runs personalization locally when possible, and interfaces that encourage genuine practice rather than compulsive app checking. Every technical decision at StillMind is filtered through the question: “Does this support real meditation, or just our metrics?”
Beyond the Code
When not developing StillMind, Jamie maintains a daily meditation practice (imperfectly, with plenty of missed days—because that’s real life), contributes to open-source privacy tools, and advocates for ethical tech design that prioritizes user autonomy over engagement optimization.
Writing by Jamie Murphy
- techniques
Interval meditation bells: matching rhythm to technique
Most timer guides tell you intervals exist. This one matches bell rhythm to practice: Mahasi noting, Sōtō kinhin, Plum Village, and modern type-switching.
- philosophy
How to restart meditation when you've already quit
Restart is harder than start. The all-or-nothing trap, the version of practice that broke you, and how to come back without falling into the same loop.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for loneliness: why journaling after changes everything
The loneliness after a breakup and the loneliness in a crowded room are different problems. Here's how meditation plus journaling addresses yours specifically.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for Overthinking: What Your Brain Actually Needs
Overthinking isn't a discipline problem. It's your brain processing a backlog it never got time to finish. Here's why the loop happens, and what actually helps.
- techniques
Why a meditation timer works (it's not about the time)
You don't need a timer to meditate. So why does every session feel different with one? The psychology behind the button you press without thinking about.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for students: dorms, exams, and the 2am spiral
Generic meditation advice tells students to find a quiet place. Dorms don't have one. Here's meditation built for roommates, finals week, and 2am spirals.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation that works for ADHD brains: the neuroscience
ADHD attention has its own architecture. Here's the neuroscience of meditation guidance that fits ADHD brains: what works and why.
- journaling
Meditation journaling guide: turn sessions into patterns
Your sessions feel disconnected. Journaling connects them. The science, methods, and structured approach that turns isolated sits into lasting insight.
- emotional-fitness
The Wrong Breathing Exercise Makes Anxiety Worse
Energizing breathwork during a panic attack? Calming techniques during shutdown? Your nervous system state determines which breathing exercise helps or hurts.
- research
Meditation Statistics 2026: What the Data Actually Says
Meditation statistics for 2026: 60.5M Americans meditate, clinical evidence by condition, AI trends, and global figures. Every source verified and cited.
- app-insights
Meditation timer vs guided meditation: when each works
Meditation timer or guided meditation? The choice depends on what your session needs, not where you are in practice. Here's how to pick with confidence.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for anger: the step most guides skip
Anger meditation usually jumps straight to 'breathe and let go.' There's a step before that, rooted in psychology and 3,000 years of practice.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for therapists: why knowing makes it harder
You teach regulation all day and doomscroll all night. Meditation for therapists that accounts for clinical brain, ventral vagal fatigue, and the guilt.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for caregivers: when self-care is one more task
Meditation for caregiver burnout starts with why you feel nothing. The nervous system science behind shutdown, and three practices that work in a hallway.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for parents: what actually works when nothing's quiet
Parenting and meditation feel like a contradiction. Here's how to keep a real practice alive through every phase, from newborn nights to toddler chaos.
- app-insights
Meditation timer and journal: why they belong together
You meditate with one app and journal in another. By the time you switch apps, the insight is already gone. Integration isn't a feature — it's the whole point.
- scripts
10-Minute Meditation Scripts: Go Deeper in Less Time
Five scripts that use 10 minutes fully: breath journey, deep body scan, emotional check-in, focus builder, and self-compassion. The sweet spot duration.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for grief: why calming techniques backfire
Grief isn't just sadness — it's a nervous system state that shifts between numbness, rage, and tears. Here's how to meditate for where you actually are.
- scripts
Group Meditation Scripts: Lead Any Room With Confidence
Five group scripts with facilitator notes: opening circles, team resets, classroom calm-downs, retreat sessions, and 3-minute meeting openers. Any setting.
- scripts
Self-Compassion Meditation Scripts That Actually Work
Four scripts for the hardest meditation there is: being kind to yourself. Self-compassion break, inner critic dialogue, loving-kindness, and body compassion.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Stress: Beyond 'Just Relax'
Deadline pressure, relationship tension, and total overwhelm need different scripts. Four stress meditation scripts targeted to what's actually bothering you.
- scripts
Morning Meditation Scripts That Set Up Your Whole Day
Four morning scripts from energizing 5-minute wake-ups to 10-minute calm-before-the-storm sessions. Catch your nervous system before the day takes over.
- techniques
Body Scan Meditation: How to Actually Do It Right
Body scan meditation works — when it's taught properly. MBSR origins, the science on pain and sleep, three ways to practice, and when to skip it entirely.
- techniques
Yoga Nidra & NSDR: The Complete Guide to Deep Rest
What yoga nidra and non-sleep deep rest actually do to your brain, when they work better than meditation, and how to practice both. Science-backed guide.
- techniques
Why Most Affirmations Fail (And How Meditation Fixes It)
Repeating affirmations you don't believe creates resistance. Meditation settles your nervous system first so affirmations actually land. Here's the science.
- techniques
Intention Setting Meditation: A Practice for Clarity
Intention setting isn't goal-setting or manifestation — it's about choosing how you show up. A practical guide to morning and evening intention meditation.
- techniques
Manifestation Meditation: What It Is and How It Works
Manifestation meditation isn't magic — it's focused visualization within a meditation framework. Here's the science, the technique, and how to make it yours.
- emotional-fitness
Burnout Is Not Stress: Why Meditation Fails and What Works
Burnout isn't stress — it's your nervous system shutting down. Learn why generic meditation makes burnout worse and the 3-phase recovery that actually works.
- techniques
The Largest Wellbeing Study Ever Says: Don't Skip Savasana
New research reveals combining movement with mindfulness produces the strongest wellbeing benefits. Here's why athletes and yogis knew this for centuries.
- techniques
Friday Evening Meditation: Your 48-Hour Reset Starts Here
Your weekend starts the moment you stop running on autopilot. This simple Friday evening meditation helps you consciously reclaim your next 48 hours.
- emotional-fitness
5-Minute Nervous System Reset: 6 Techniques That Work Fast
Need to calm down fast? These 6 science-backed nervous system reset techniques work in under 5 minutes. Immediate stress relief you can use anywhere, anytime.
- philosophy
Why You Can't Meditate Without Your App (And How to Fix It)
243-day streak but can't sit in silence? You're not broken—you've been trained wrong. Here's the week-by-week path from app dependency to real meditation skills.
- emotional-fitness
Co-Regulation: Why You Can't Regulate Alone
Your nervous system wasn't designed to regulate in isolation. Learn how co-regulation through relationships and connection builds lasting emotional resilience.
- emotional-fitness
How to Build Stress Resilience: A Daily Practice Framework
Build lasting stress resilience with this daily practice framework. Morning routines, micro-practices, and evening recovery to strengthen your nervous system.
- emotional-fitness
Nervous System Regulation at Work: Stay Calm Under Pressure
High-pressure job? Learn discrete nervous system regulation techniques for your desk, meetings, and stressful workplace situations. Stay calm under pressure.
- emotional-fitness
Nervous System Regulation: The Complete Guide [Science-Backed Techniques]
Learn to regulate your nervous system like you train your body. Science-backed techniques for emotional resilience and stress capacity. Updated for 2026.
- emotional-fitness
Polyvagal Theory Explained Simply: Your 3 Nervous System States
Polyvagal theory explained: understand your 3 nervous system states, why you react the way you do, and practical ways to shift states for better stress response.
- emotional-fitness
Somatic Exercises for Anxiety: 10 Body-Based Techniques [Step-by-Step]
Somatic exercises for anxiety that work with your body to release stress. Learn 10 body-based techniques with step-by-step instructions for immediate relief.
- emotional-fitness
Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic: Key Differences Explained
Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system: key differences at a glance, when each activates, signs of imbalance, and 6 practical ways to restore balance.
- emotional-fitness
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: 7 Natural Ways to Activate Your Calm Response
Learn 7 natural ways to stimulate your vagus nerve and activate your calm response. Simple, device-free techniques backed by research you can use anywhere.
- emotional-fitness
Window of Tolerance: Expand Your Stress Capacity [With Examples]
Your window of tolerance determines how much stress you can handle. Learn what affects it, signs you're outside it, and proven techniques to expand it in 2026.
- ai-meditation
Meta AI vs Calm vs Headspace: AI Meditation Comparison (2026)
I tested Meta AI, Calm, Headspace, and StillMind side-by-side. Here's how their AI meditation features actually compare.
- philosophy
Why I Think Meditation Apps Get It Wrong
Most apps create dependency, not competence. Here's why constant guidance teaches you to lean on the app instead of actually meditating.
- philosophy
Why Silence Isn't the Point of Meditation
Your racing mind isn't failure. It's your brain processing its backlog. Here's why the noise before silence is the actual practice.
- scripts
5-Minute Meditation Scripts That Actually Work
Short on time? These 5-minute meditation scripts fit real life. Science-backed formats for stress, focus, and calm when every minute counts. Ready to use today.
- scripts
AI Meditation Scripts: The Future of Personalized Guidance
How AI adds real-time personalization to meditation, giving you the best of both scripted wisdom and adaptive guidance. The future of meditation scripts is here.
- ai-meditation
The Anatomy of Effective Meditation Guidance
What makes meditation guidance actually work? Voice, pacing, language patterns, silence—and why personalization is the missing piece most apps ignore.
- scripts
How to Structure a Meditation Script (Complete Guide)
Learn the proven three-act structure for meditation scripts: opening, body, and closing. Plus timing, pacing, and why rigid scripts sometimes fail.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Anxiety: What Actually Works
Evidence-based meditation for anxiety: body scans, breathing patterns, and grounding. Plus why generic scripts often make anxiety worse.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Couples: Build Deeper Connection
Couples meditation builds intimacy and reduces conflict. Practical scripts for partners: synchronized breathing, gratitude practices, and conflict resolution.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Emotions: Anger, Sadness & Grief
Different emotions need different meditation approaches. Practical scripts for anger, sadness, grief, overwhelm, and anxiety that actually work.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Kids: What Parents Need to Know
Kids aren't small adults - they need different meditation. Age-by-age guide for 5-8, 9-12, and teens, plus what actually works for wiggly, distracted kids.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts for Sleep: What Actually Works
What makes sleep meditation scripts effective. Body relaxation, visualization, and the sleep effort paradox explained. Plus scripts you can try tonight.
- scripts
Meditation Scripts: The Complete Guide (2026)
Everything about meditation scripts: how to write them, types for anxiety, sleep, and kids, plus how AI is enhancing guided meditation.
- scripts
Why Meditation Scripts Fail (Even the Good Ones)
Tried guided meditation scripts and felt nothing? The problem isn't you - it's the format. Why static scripts fail and what actually works instead.
- techniques
New Year Meditation: A 4-Week January Guide to Reflection and Intention-Setting
Skip vague resolutions. This 4-week January meditation practice helps you process the year that was and set intentions you'll actually keep.
- techniques
Meditation Techniques Explained: Which One to Use When
Stressed? Racing thoughts? Need gratitude or focus? Here's which meditation technique actually works for each situation—your complete guide to 13 methods.
- emotional-fitness
Meditation for Sleep: What Actually Helps You Rest
Racing thoughts at 2am? Body won't relax? Here's what sleep meditation does for your brain, which techniques work best, and how to find what helps you.
- journaling
Ancient Meditation Journaling: 2,500 Years of Practice
Meditation journaling isn't a trend. For 2,500 years, contemplatives have written after sitting. Here's what ancient wisdom teaches modern practice.
- journaling
Best Meditation Journal Apps (2026): 5 Tested & Compared
5 meditation journal apps tested for 2+ weeks each. Compare StillMind, Day One, Insight Timer, Calm, and Sattva on privacy, voice notes, features, and pricing.
- journaling
Journaling After Meditation: The Missing Step
You meditate. You finish. You move on. But that 10-minute window after practice? That's where insights crystallize. Here's exactly what to do.
- journaling
7 Meditation Journal Prompts That Reveal Patterns
Generic prompts get generic answers. These 7 questions are diagnostic tools that surface patterns in your practice you'd otherwise miss.
- journaling
Meditation Journal vs Regular Journal
You can journal about meditation in any notebook. But you'll miss patterns, progress, and insights that only practice-specific tracking reveals.
- journaling
Meditation Journaling Science: Your Brain on Reflection
Meditation changes your brain. Journaling changes your brain. Together? The neuroscience explains why reflection after practice is powerful.
- journaling
Voice Journaling After Meditation
You're not a writer. Typing breaks your flow. The insight fades before you finish the sentence. Voice journaling solves all three problems.
- journaling
Why Meditation Teachers Recommend Journaling
Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein—every teacher says the same thing. Here's why journaling deepens practice and exactly how to begin.
- ai-meditation
5 Real AI Meditation Use Cases That Actually Work
Not sure if AI meditation fits your life? Here are 5 specific, messy real-life situations where it's better than browsing a library of 500 sessions.
- ai-meditation
AI Meditation for Beginners: How to Start
Never tried AI meditation? This complete beginner's guide walks you through your first session, what to expect, and how to build a consistent practice.
- ai-meditation
How AI Meditation Works: Benefits, Science & Getting Started
AI meditation sounds futuristic until you try it. Here's how it works, what the research says, and whether it's actually better than a regular app.
- ai-meditation
Meta AI vs Calm vs Headspace: Honest Comparison (2026)
How does Meta AI compare to Calm and Headspace for meditation? After testing all three, here's what actually works — and what falls short.
- ai-meditation
Best AI Meditation Apps (2026): 5 Tested, Honest Ratings
I tested 5 AI meditation apps for real personalisation. Only 2 actually generate custom sessions. The rest are glorified playlists with an AI label slapped on.
- app-insights
Best Meditation Timer Apps (2026): 12 Tested, 5 Worth It
Subscription traps, terrible bells, and bloated UIs. After testing 12 meditation timer apps, here's what separated the 5 worth downloading from the rest.
- app-insights
Best Meditation Timer for ADHD: Racing Thoughts Solution
Compare meditation timers for ADHD: voice notes for racing thoughts, interval bells, simple interfaces. Research-backed recommendations.
- techniques
How to Use a Meditation Timer (2026 Guide)
Learn to use a meditation timer effectively: setting duration, interval bells, building consistency. Step-by-step guide for beginners to advanced practitioners.
- ai-meditation
Is AI Meditation Private? Security & Privacy Guide
Where does your 3 AM anxiety data go? Everything you need to know about AI meditation privacy, encryption, and data security.
- techniques
Meditation + Movement: Hybrid Practices
Traditional seated meditation feels impossible? Welcome to the biggest mindfulness shift: combining movement with meditation for people who can't sit still.
- philosophy
Why Meditation Failed You (And Why That's Not Your Fault)
I tried meditation for 10 years before building StillMind. Every app treated me the same. Here's why generic meditation fails and why AI changes it.
- techniques
UAP Disclosure Anxiety: Why 'Calm Down' Doesn't Work
Congressional UAP hearings and official reports trigger real anxiety. Generic meditation doesn't address reality-questioning dread. Here's what actually helps.
- emotional-fitness
Why Generic Pain Meditation Fails for Fibromyalgia
Generic pain meditation tells you to 'breathe through it.' But fibromyalgia at 2am needs different guidance. Here's what actually helps.
- ai-meditation
Meditation for Your Exact Need, Not Generic Categories
Generic stress meditation doesn't cut it for a specific work deadline. AI changes how personalised your practice can be, adapting to exactly what you're facing.
- techniques
The 4-Minute Gap Between Meetings: Your Meditation Window
47 browser tabs open, three meetings ahead, and exactly 4 minutes of breathing room. Here's why that tiny window matters.
- app-insights
When You Break Your Meditation Streak (And Why It's OK)
You meditated 47 days straight. Then life happened. Your streak reset to zero. Sound familiar? There's a better way to measure what actually matters.
- journaling
Capture Insights During Meditation Without Breaking Flow
You're three minutes into meditation when a perfect idea arrives. Do you break your flow to write it down, or let it slip away? There's a third option.