Simple. Silent. Precise.
A Zen Timer as Minimal as the Practice Itself
Zazen asks you to sit with nothing extra. Your timer should do the same. Timefully provides a clean bell to begin, silence during your sit, and a gentle bell to end. Nothing more.
What Is Zazen?
Zazen (“seated meditation”) is the core practice of Zen Buddhism. In the Soto tradition, practitioners sit in shikantaza — “just sitting” — with attention to posture and breath, letting thoughts arise and pass without engagement. In the Rinzai tradition, practitioners may work with koans (paradoxical questions) during their sits.
Standard Zazen rounds at a zendo are typically 25 or 40 minutes, separated by kinhin (slow walking meditation). A home practice usually includes one or two rounds. The bell (keisu) marks the beginning and end of each period.
Set Up Your Home Zazen Practice
Whether you sit one round or two, Timefully's segments let you replicate the structure of a zendo session at home.
- First sit: 25 or 40 minutes of Zazen
- Kinhin interval: 5–10 minutes of walking meditation
- Second sit: another 25 or 40 minutes (optional)
- Bell: choose a deep singing bowl or gong tone
- Save as a preset for daily one-tap practice
Single Round (25 min)
Double Round with Kinhin
Why Zen Practitioners Choose Timefully
Traditional bell (keisu)
Start and end each round with a resonant bell tone. Choose from singing bowls and gongs that echo the sound of a zendo.
Round-based structure
Configure 25- or 40-minute Zazen rounds. Use the segment structure for sitting, kinhin (walking meditation), and another sit.
Complete silence
No guided audio, no music. Between the opening and closing bells, the timer is completely silent — just like a zendo.
Track your sits
See your daily practice history, total sitting hours, and consistency streak. Zazen thrives on regularity.
Precise timing
Down-to-the-second accuracy for each round. The timer counts silently — you focus entirely on posture and breath.
Offline practice
No internet required. Put your phone in airplane mode, set the timer, and sit. Nothing between you and shikantaza.
Trusted by Zen Practitioners
“I sit at home between my weekly visits to the zendo. Timefully's bell sounds are the closest I've found to our actual keisu. It makes the home practice feel more real.”
“I use the three-segment setup for a 25-min sit, 10-min kinhin, 25-min sit. The bells mark each transition beautifully. It's like having a jikido in my pocket.”
“Clean and minimal — exactly the aesthetic Zen asks for. No flashy animations, no gamification. Just a timer and a bell.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a standard Zazen session?
Traditional Zazen rounds are 25 or 40 minutes. Many practitioners sit one or two rounds separated by kinhin (walking meditation). Timefully lets you configure multi-segment sessions to replicate zendo structure.
What bell sounds work best for Zen meditation?
A deep singing bowl or gong tone is traditional. Timefully includes several resonant bowl sounds that echo the keisu bell used in Zen temples.
Can I set up kinhin intervals between sits?
Yes. Use Timefully's segment feature to alternate between Zazen sitting periods and kinhin walking meditation intervals, with transition bells marking each phase.
Sit. Breathe. Begin.
Download free on iOS or Android, or try the online Zen timer right now — no sign-up required.
Explore More Meditation Styles
Timefully supports every meditation tradition. Find the timer that fits your practice.