25 Minute Meditation Timer
A 25-minute meditation — the classic single zazen round, and a natural step between 20 and 30 minutes. Free, in your browser, no sign-up — press start and the bells handle the rest.
About this timer
Twenty-five minutes is the classic length of a single zazen round in many Zen lineages — one unbroken sit, framed by a bell at each end. It is also the natural next step for practitioners comfortable at 20 minutes who are not yet ready for 30: a real increase, but a gentle one. This page opens with a single 25-minute sit already on the dial.
The length has a second life outside the zendo: it is a full focus-block's worth of time, which makes it a natural fit for a work-break sit — one block of the afternoon given to practice instead of another task. A sit of this size marks a clean boundary in the day, something shorter resets can't quite do.
Sat in the Zen manner, the round is deliberately plain: settle the posture before the first bell, keep the eyes softly lowered or closed, and stay with the breath or with open awareness until the closing bell — no phases, no checkpoints. If you are stepping up from 20 minutes, hold 25 daily for a few weeks before moving on; the step to 30 is easier from a settled 25 than from an occasional one.
Suggested timer setup
- Duration
- 25 minutes total
- Segments
- One 25-minute meditation segment — already set when you open this page
- Bells
- One bell to begin and one to end; a deep Tibetan bowl echoes the temple bell that frames a zazen round
For two rounds with kinhin walking between them, add a short segment in the settings — the timer supports up to 10 segments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 25 minutes a traditional Zen sitting length?
Many Zen lineages structure zazen in rounds of roughly 25 to 40 minutes, with 25 a common length for a single round — long enough for genuine settling, short enough to sit with full commitment. Rounds are framed by a bell at each end and often separated by kinhin, a slow walking meditation.
Is 25 minutes a good step between 20 and 30?
Yes — it is the natural bridge. The added five minutes extend the settled portion of the sit without the jump feeling abrupt, and holding 25 daily for a few weeks makes the later move to 30 far smoother. Timefully saves your setup in the browser, so the new length is set once and kept.
Can I use a 25-minute meditation as a work break?
Yes — 25 minutes is a full focus-block's length, which makes it easy to place in a working day: one block given to practice instead of another task. The timer runs in any browser tab with no sign-up, and you can lower the bell volume in the settings if you are sitting near colleagues.
How do I sit two 25-minute rounds with walking in between?
Set three segments: a 25-minute meditation, a 5-to-10-minute segment for kinhin walking, and a second 25-minute meditation. The timer supports up to 10 segments with a bell at each transition, so the whole sequence runs without touching the screen.