About The Still Space
The Still Space is a contemplative mindfulness game that teaches players to notice experiences coming and going while exploring the awareness of those experiences. Its prompts move from everyday noticing towards a quieter reflection. You may hear a sound, notice a thought, or feel the chair beneath you. None of these experiences has to disappear before you can take part.
The game uses language associated with nonduality, a contemplative perspective, rather than presenting a scientific test of identity or consciousness. You do not need to agree with every phrase. Older children may benefit from an adult who can keep the discussion concrete. Teens and adults can treat the prompts as questions, pause freely, and return to the room whenever inward attention feels uncomfortable.
How to play The Still Space
Choose a comfortable seat and start with eyes open. Notice the room, the surface supporting you, and a sound that is easy to hear. Read the first prompt slowly. There is no need for a special posture, a silent environment, or an attempt to create a different state of consciousness.
As the prompts continue, identify an experience you can recognise directly. This might be a passing thought about lunch or a small movement in your hands. Keep the example ordinary. When the wording becomes abstract, return to a simple sentence such as "I notice a sound" rather than forcing an explanation.
Try a short pause without aiming for emptiness. Thoughts and feelings can continue during the pause. The word still refers to the invitation to notice, not a requirement to freeze the body or silence the mind. You can disagree with a statement, skip a prompt, or stop the sequence altogether.
Finish by looking around and reconnecting with an everyday activity. Move comfortably, name where you are, and choose what to do next. You do not need to report an insight. When the activity leaves you feeling detached, confused, or unsettled, stop and speak with a trusted person instead of going deeper.
Benefits of practising with The Still Space
- Patient observation: The slower prompts create an opportunity to notice an ordinary experience before adding an explanation, judgement, or immediate reaction to it.
- Room for uncertainty: Treating the prompts as questions allows a player to say "I do not know" without failing a quiz or needing a spiritual answer.
- Distinguishing experiences: Recognising a thought, sound, and physical sensation as different events gives a discussion about awareness some concrete starting points.
- Respect for personal choice: Keeping eyes open, shortening a pause, and declining an abstract prompt make consent part of the activity itself.
- Thoughtful discussion: Older learners can compare what they observed with how they interpreted it, without assuming that everyone should describe awareness in the same way.
Who this game may suit
- Older children aged nine and above who are curious and comfortable with reflection.
- Teens who enjoy open-ended questions more than points, speed, or competition.
- Adults exploring contemplative practice without seeking a particular spiritual experience.
- Families able to discuss philosophical language without presenting it as an obligation.
- Facilitators willing to provide an equally valued outward-looking alternative to the exercise.
Variations and adaptations
Younger children
For children within the recommended age range, stay with sounds and visible details before introducing abstract language. Say, "A sound happens, and you notice it." Do not ask them to prove who they really are. For younger children below the suggested age, choose a concrete game such as sensory noticing instead of simplifying a philosophical claim into something they must repeat.
Teens and adults
Read a prompt and distinguish direct observation from interpretation. For example, hearing a sound is an observation; deciding what awareness ultimately is adds a philosophical view. You can explore both while keeping them separate. Limit the reflection to a comfortable interval, and finish with an ordinary action rather than seeking a dramatic insight or a special meditative state.
Classroom or group
Explain that the session offers a contemplative perspective, not a belief students must adopt. Provide an alternative such as describing three objects or listening to a familiar sound. Avoid asking learners to announce their identity, spiritual beliefs, or inner experience. Discuss how questions can be explored respectfully, and accept disagreement without using it as a measure of attention.
For parents and teachers
Introduce The Still Space only when the learner is interested and has enough support to ask questions. Say, "You can explore this idea without needing to believe it." Avoid statements that deny a child's body, personality, relationships, or genuine feelings. Do not describe distress as an illusion or insist that awareness makes a problem unimportant. Never use stillness as punishment or demand silence as proof of success. A child who becomes frightened, detached, or confused should stop, reconnect with familiar surroundings, and receive reassurance. Choose a different activity rather than interpreting discomfort as a necessary stage of spiritual progress.
Why this approach is used
The Still Space is best described through its educational intention: noticing an experience and exploring the fact that it is noticed. Its nondual framing is a contemplative perspective, not a finding that this game can verify. No research citation has been added to imply that the prompts establish a theory of consciousness or deliver a clinical outcome. Terms such as observer awareness may resemble language used elsewhere, but resemblance is not evidence that the activities are equivalent. Keep the reflection grounded in direct observation, permit different interpretations, and value a comfortable stopping point over completing every prompt.
Read our related guide for The Still Space.
Frequently asked questions
What age is The Still Space suitable for?
The Still Space is recommended for ages 9+. The interface offers Little (5-8), Older (9-12), and Teen+ modes. These controls change presentation; they do not override the guidance for this particular game. Younger players should have a parent or teacher nearby.
What does The Still Space teach?
It practises contemplative awareness. It is especially suited to a voluntary introduction to contemplative awareness. Use a short round without pressure, then discuss what was noticed rather than treating completion as a measure of personal progress.
Is The Still Space free, and do I need to download anything?
Yes, it is free to play in your browser. There is no app to download. It works on phones, tablets and computers; use a modern browser and turn on the optional voice guide or sound in the game settings if you wish.
Can it replace therapy or medical care?
No. Mindfulness games are a supportive everyday practice, not a treatment. If a child or adult is struggling with ongoing anxiety, low mood, anger or sleep problems, speak with a doctor, counsellor or other qualified professional.
Do I need to stop thinking to find the still space?
No. The game invites noticing, and thoughts can remain part of what you notice. Trying to force silence can turn the exercise into another task to get right. Use a simple sound or point of contact as an anchor when that feels easier. You may end the practice without reaching a special state or having anything unusual to report.
Is the game teaching a scientific fact or a spiritual belief?
It offers a contemplative perspective associated with nonduality. That perspective is not presented here as a scientific proof about what a person ultimately is. Players can explore a prompt, interpret it differently, or disagree. In a school or family setting, make that choice explicit and provide a practical alternative for anyone who does not wish to use philosophical language.