Zero objectives. Zero performance metrics.
Pure regulation.
Digital Immersion Protocols for Cognitive Recovery
Beyond meditation. Beyond escapism.
A structured method to lower cortisol and restore focus using high-fidelity virtual environments (stress drops 40–50% in first session)
Mairsis transforms the world's most immersive software into tools for mental stillness
Stop Trying to "Fix" Your Exhaustion.
Traditional stress relief demands effort: explaining your feelings, sitting in uncomfortable silence, or forcing positivity. For the modern professional, these are just new tasks on an endless to-do list.
True recovery needs "Passive Active Flow" - mind occupied but unchallenged. Mairsis replaces wellness work with automatic digital signals that interrupt stress without effort.
Engineered for Cognitive Restoration
Science confirms low-demand, rhythmic environments stabilize attention faster than silence. Mairsis designs protocols using specific game worlds as regulated mental spaces.
We remove modern gaming chaos no stories, objectives, or progress tracking.
You enter a curated digital space designed to hold attention just enough to stop thought spirals without performance demands.
The Mairsis Protocol:
Pillars of Regulation.
Effective stress recovery needs different tools for different states. Mairsis turns therapeutic gaming into 6 precise modes, so you always match the right digital session to your current level of overload
We Build the Ritual.
You Just Enter the World.
Engineered to guide your body and mind out of stress and into a reliable, repeatable state of relaxation.
For that you'll need:
1. The Immersion
(The Feeling)
2. The Setup
(The Expertise)
3. The Protocol
(The Plan)
Repurposing the World's Most Powerful Tech
Billions of dollars are spent creating digital worlds designed to addict you. We have reverse-engineered them to restore you. Mairsis strips away the skinner boxes, loot loops, and dopamine traps to reveal the architectural beauty underneath.
Environments naturally hold attention, controllers feel familiar and safe without "gamer" culture baggage. No skill needed - if you can hold a controller, you can run the protocol.
The Stress Protocol
A 20-30 minute guided session in a calm exploration world that reduces acute stress by occupying your attention with low-demand interaction
no relaxation instructions
no performance metrics, just a structured shift.
Grounded in research.
Studies in cognitive science and game research show that non-competitive, exploratory digital environments are associated with reduced stress, improved mood, and attentional regulation.Mairsis protocols are designed around these findings, not trends.
Why this is structured
Calm comes from precise instructions, not more information - Mairsis protocols are limited, designed, and must be followed exactly as written.
Nothing extra.
Nothing to optimize.
Stress is just the beginning.
Overwhelm
Anxiety
Numbness
Sadness
Anger
Each state requires a different interaction, pace, and constraint.
Stress is just the beginning.
Overwhelm
Anxiety
Numbness
Sadness
Anger
Each state requires a different interaction, pace, and constraint.
Thank you
Stress doesn’t need effort.
For the next 20 - 30 minutes, just follow.
This is not a game. It’s not therapy.
It’s a short, intentional session designed to slow your nervous system using calm game worlds.
You don’t need to improve.
You don’t need to fix anything.
You don’t need to finish tasks, win, or progress.For the next 20 minutes, nothing is asked of you.Stress fades faster when effort stops.
Sit comfortably.
Lower your game volume.
No objectives. No combat.
Use any calm, open area.
Console or PC is fine.
When you’re ready, continue.
Quietly say
(or write):“I am stressed. I am running this protocol to reset, not to escape.”
Without judging, notice:Breathing: fast / shallow / tight?
Body tension: shoulders, jaw, stomach, hands.
Thoughts: racing, looping, or scattered?
Phone: Silent or in another room. No exceptions.Notifications (PC/console): Close email, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp desktop, social media.Time boundary:
Set a 20-30 minute timer. When it rings, you stop, even if you want “one more minute.”
Entering the Environment (2–5 min)
You are already in the configured game (AC Origins Discovery Tour desert). The goal here is orientation, not progress.
Stand still for 30–60 seconds.Do not move the character.Let your eyes roam slowly across the environment: sky, horizon, ground textures.Sync breath with what you see.Inhale as you slowly tilt the camera up to the sky.Exhale as you tilt down to the sand.Repeat for 4–6 cycles.You are telling the brain: “This is where we are now. Nothing else is required.”
Let the World Lead
(5–15 min)
This is the core. You will follow three simple blocks inside the same session:Block A – Slow Approach (4 minutes)
Begin walking or riding at slowest possible speed only.Choose a simple visual target: a dune, a rock, a tree, a building far away.Move toward it without sprinting, jumping, or detouring.Focus anchors:Sound of footsteps / hooves.
Repeating patterns in the sand or ground.
The way light changes as you move.If thoughts appear, you do not fight them, you simply return attention to steps and sound.
Block B – When you reach a quiet place in the game (no enemies, no mission pop-ups):
Stop the character completely.Use the right stick to slowly look around the environment.Take about 10–15 seconds to make one full turn.Do 2–3 slow turns in total.While you’re slowly looking around, do this body check:Notice your eyes and forehead. If they feel tight or “squinting,” soften them a bit.Notice your tongue. Let it rest low in your mouth instead of pressing on the roof.Notice your hands on the controller. Loosen your grip slightly so you’re holding it more lightly.You don’t have to count “one, two, three” if that feels weird. The key idea is:Slowly look around the scene, and while you do, release small bits of tension in the face, jaw, and hands.
Block C – Controlled Flow (4 minutes)Now introduce gentle momentum without threat:Increase speed to a comfortable run / fast ride.Pick a direction and keep going. No objectives, no map, no side activities.Avoid combat, menus, and collectibles. You are moving purely for rhythm.Focus anchors:The rhythm between movement sound and your breath.The feeling of “sliding” through the world without resistance.If you feel pulled to “do something” (mission, objective), note that urge and deliberately ignore it. This is where you break the performance habit.
Returning Without Abruptness
Exit & Compare
(3 minutes)Step 1:
Gentle stop (1 minute)Bring the character to a natural resting place: a ledge, a rock, a quiet spot with a view.Stop moving. Take three slow breaths while looking at the scene.Then pause the game or open the menu. Do not start another activity.Step 2:
Body check and rating (2 minutes)Revisit the same indicators as:Breathing:
slower / deeper?Body tension:
shoulders, jaw, stomach, hands softer?Thoughts:
less crowded, less sticky, or more distant?
Aftercare (Optional)
Avoid immediately returning to high-stimulus content if possible.
You just did a 20-30 minute stress reset
Take a moment before you click anything.
Notice:Your breathingYour internal paceAny change in tension
Subtle counts
If you don’t feel ‘calm’, that’s okay.
The goal was less noise, not perfection.
One tiny suggestion
Do one small thing next:Drink a glass of water, orTurn off notifications for an hour, orStep away from screens for five minutes.
Usage Rules
Frequency: Up to 2× per day on high-stress days (e.g., mid-afternoon crash and evening decompression).Non-negotiables:45 minutes maximum.No combat
no objectives
no multitaskingAlways record “Before/After” once per session.Over time you’re building a track record: not “I hope this helps” but “When I run this protocol, my stress drops from 8 to 4 most nights.”
Other reset sessions : (Coming Soon)
Overwhelm, Anxiety, Numbness, Sadness, Anger.
How Calm Games Support Stress Reduction
Video games are interactive digital environments that engage attention, perception, and motor control. A growing body of research has examined how certain types of video game engagement influence physiological stress response, mood, and cognitive regulation.This page summarizes empirical findings on how non-competitive, self-directed games are associated with stress modulation in adults, and how that applies to people regardless of prior gaming experience.
Stress, Attention, and Recovery: Theoretical Foundations
Psychological stress arises when cognitive demands exceed perceived coping capacity, leading to elevated sympathetic nervous system activity and decreased executive function.
A core mechanism in stress reduction is restoring directed attention and reducing cognitive load.Attention Restoration Theory (ART), established in environmental psychology, posits that environments requiring “soft fascination” - low-effort, immersive engagement - allow the directed attention system to replenish.Calm gameplay environments share key features with restorative settings:large, visually rich spacesminimal time pressureself-paced explorationThese characteristics support reduced cognitive fatigue, a precursor to stress reduction.
Key Research on Gaming and Stress
1. Calm, Non-Competitive Game Engagement and Well-BeingA study by the Oxford Internet Institute (2020) analyzed self-reported well-being among players of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Plants vs. Zombies. Greater engagement in low-pressure, non-competitive gameplay was associated with higher subjective well-being scores.Implication:
Self-directed play in visually open, non-task-pressured games correlates with perceived reductions in stress and anxiety symptoms.
2. Stress Biomarkers and Video Game PlaySeveral laboratory studies have measured cortisol (a stress hormone) before and after gameplay. Results indicate that:Low-arousal, exploration-focused games can lead to decreases in salivary cortisol after gameplay sessions.High-arousal competitive games may increase physiological stress responses if played without choice or intent.Conclusion:
The direction of stress response depends on game characteristics and player intention.
Games and Active CopingExperimental work has shown that when adults play games as a form of intentional coping (i.e., chosen as a break or reset), measures of negative affect and perceived stress decrease compared to passive rest or unrelated activities.
What Kind of Games Demonstrate These Effects
Features linked to stress reduction:Self-paced interactionExploration with minimal failure statesLack of competition or performance rewardVisually immersive worldsQuiet soundscapes
Who This Applies To
Non-GamersResearch indicates that prior gaming experience is not necessary for the beneficial effects to emerge.
What matters is:intention to use the activity as a breakminimal performance pressuresustained, low-effort engagementNon-gamers may require brief setup guidance, but the cognitive mechanisms remain the same.
Ex-GamersIndividuals who previously played games but stopped can experience similar effects if the play is:voluntarynon-competitivesensory-richPrior experience may make setup easier, but does not change the basic stress modulation pathways.
Current GamersFor habitual players, the difference between stress reduction and stress induction depends on game selection and intentionality:Deliberate, exploration-oriented sessions support relaxationCompetitive or high-adrenaline play can sustain sympathetic activation
Summary of Empirical Points
Stress modulation via gaming is mediated by:Game features - non-competitive, self-paced environmentsPlayer intent - chosen as a break, not as a taskCognitive engagement pattern - soft fascination, low executive loadEmpirical sources show associations between calm gaming and subjective well-being, as well as physiological markers of stress.
References
Kaplan & Kaplan (1991), Experience of Nature - Attention Restoration Theory.Oxford Internet Institute (2020) - Calm, non-competitive gameplay linked to wellbeing.Russoniello, O’Brien & Parks (2009) - Casual play reduces self-reported stress.Skoric, Teo & Neo (2009) - Game context matters for emotional outcomes.Russoniello et al. (2013) - Autonomy in games boosts mood, reduces stress.Ferguson & Olson (2013) - Voluntary play does not harm and can benefit well-being.Klimmt, Hartmann & Frey (2007) - Control and low threat equal relaxation.
Mixed Methods Study on Open-World Games (2024) - immersive open-world games were associated with cognitive escapism, relaxation, and improved well-being among adult players, suggesting immersive exploration contributes to stress relief.Osaka University Mental Well-Being Study (2024) - a large observational study found that video game play was associated with improved mental well-being, based on data from tens of thousands of Japanese respondents aged 10–69.Oxford Internet Institute Mood Study (2024) - analysis of game session data showed that over 70% of players reported positive mood changes during play, indicating in-session mood uplift effects.Oxford Well-Being Context Study (2025) - recent work emphasizes that quality and context of play-not total hours-predict associations between gaming and adult well-being, underscoring that how games are played matters more than how long.Meta-Analysis of Video Game Well-Being (2025) - combined global findings showed that many players used games during COVID-19 as a tool for emotional coping, stress reduction, and relaxation, even when time played was not strongly linked to well-being.
Mairsis
Reset your life
1. THE PHYSICAL ANCHOR (Hardware)
Standardize your input to guarantee the output.
The Display:Rule: Ambient light must be lower than screen brightness.Requirement: Turn off overhead lights. Bias lighting (LED behind screen) is permitted. Pitch black is optimal.Distance: Sit 20% closer than your normal posture. Fill your peripheral vision.The Audio:Mandatory: Over-ear headphones or Noise-Canceling Earbuds.Prohibited: TV Speakers / Soundbars. (Spatial audio is required for the neurological trigger).Volume: Set to "Immersion Level" (60-70%). You must hear background wind, not just dialogue.The Controller:Vibration: ON. (Haptic feedback is a key grounding signal).Connection: Wired preferred (to reduce input lag), but wireless is acceptable if fully charged.
Optional (recommended):
Dim lighting
Phone on silent
Choose Your Platform
Choose your architecture. We have calibrated the settings for each.
Download Your Platform Setup Guide
Start From the Main Menu
Launch Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Do not load a story save.
Do not continue a campaign.
From the main menu, select:DISCOVERY TOURThis mode removes combat, missions, and failure states.
Activate Discovery Mode
Discovery Mode allows free movement through the world without enemies, stress, or objectives.
Select:Discovery Tour: Ancient EgyptFree exploration modeYou cannot lose.
Nothing is chasing you.
There is no goal to complete.
Session Settings (Recommended)
Before starting, open Settings and adjust the following:
Camera
Camera Shake: OFF
Motion Blur: OFF (if available)Controls
Sensitivity: Medium or Low
Invert Y-Axis: OptionalAudio
Music Volume: Low
Ambient Sounds: HighDialogue: OptionalThese settings reduce sensory overload and motion discomfort.
Where the Session Begins
When prompted to choose a location, select:
Open desert areas
Riverbanks (Nile)
Small villages
Elevated viewpointsAvoid dense cities for your first session.You are choosing space, not content.
How to Move
You only need three actions:
Move forward
Look around
StopWalking is enough.
Running is optional.
Climbing is optional.If you stop moving, the session is still working.
What You Actually Do
There are no tasks.
You may:
Walk in a straight line
Follow the river
Stand still and observe
Turn the camera slowly
Sit on elevated terrainIf your mind wanders, let it.
If you stop, stay stopped.The environment does the work.
How Long to Stay
Recommended duration:
Minimum: 15 minutes
Ideal: 20–30 minutesDo not exceed 45 minutes in one session.
End when:Your breathing slows
Your movement naturally stops
You feel less urgency to “do something”
Coming Soon
Anxious
Overwhelmed
Sad
Angry
Numb
Lonely
