Question 1

What is LingerBreath?

Accepted Answer

LingerBreath is a contemplative web app that asks you to read and type the Tao Te Ching one chapter at a time. The page breathes on a 15-second cycle; you type along, and each correct keystroke reveals the next character in ink.

Question 2

Is LingerBreath free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Free, no account required, no ads, no cookies, no fingerprinting. Your progress is saved only in your own browser's localStorage. The site does load Cloudflare's cookieless Web Analytics beacon for anonymous page-view counts; see the about page for the full disclosure.

Question 3

Which translation of the Tao Te Ching does LingerBreath use?

Accepted Answer

James Legge's 1891 translation, published in Sacred Books of the East, volume 39. This is public domain.

Question 4

Why slow typing?

Accepted Answer

The premise is that pressing each key, paced by the breath, becomes its own form of attention — closer to copying out a sutra by brush than to reading on a phone. The hypothesis is that the typing rhythm makes the text speak differently than it does when you scan it.

Question 5

What is the 4-4-6 breath option?

Accepted Answer

The default is a 15-second even inhale/exhale sine. The optional 4-4-6 pattern — 4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds hold (kumbhaka), 6 seconds exhale — borrows from pranayama and box-breathing traditions. The longer exhale and brief hold engage the parasympathetic nervous system more directly than even breathing, which can deepen the contemplative state. Both options share the same room animation; choose whichever your body settles into.