diff --git a/static/app.js b/static/app.js
index 96d8841..f264955 100644
--- a/static/app.js
+++ b/static/app.js
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ const {
 const HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS = 3_000;
 const HEART_BREATH_HOLD_MS = 2_000;
 const HEART_BREATH_EXHALE_MS = 4_000;
+const HEART_BREATH_PREPARE_MS = 1_000;
 const HEART_BREATH_CYCLE_MS = HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS + HEART_BREATH_HOLD_MS + HEART_BREATH_EXHALE_MS;
-const HEART_BREATH_TOTAL_MS = HEART_BREATH_CYCLE_MS * 5;
+const HEART_BREATH_ACTIVE_MS = HEART_BREATH_CYCLE_MS * 5;
+const HEART_BREATH_TOTAL_MS = HEART_BREATH_PREPARE_MS + HEART_BREATH_ACTIVE_MS;
 
 const state = {
   user: null,
@@ -3831,23 +3833,28 @@ function updateBreathingDisplay() {
     ? Math.max(0, state.heartBreathingEndsAt - Date.now())
     : Math.max(0, state.heartSeconds * 1000);
   const elapsedMs = HEART_BREATH_TOTAL_MS - remainingMs;
-  const cycleElapsedMs = elapsedMs % HEART_BREATH_CYCLE_MS;
-  const breathPhase = cycleElapsedMs < HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS
-    ? "inhale"
-    : cycleElapsedMs < HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS + HEART_BREATH_HOLD_MS
-      ? "hold"
-      : "exhale";
+  const activeElapsedMs = Math.max(0, elapsedMs - HEART_BREATH_PREPARE_MS);
+  const cycleElapsedMs = activeElapsedMs % HEART_BREATH_CYCLE_MS;
+  const breathPhase = elapsedMs < HEART_BREATH_PREPARE_MS
+    ? "prepare"
+    : cycleElapsedMs < HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS
+      ? "inhale"
+      : cycleElapsedMs < HEART_BREATH_INHALE_MS + HEART_BREATH_HOLD_MS
+        ? "hold"
+        : "exhale";
   const phase = state.heartSeconds <= 0 ? "settled" : breathPhase;
   const scene = document.querySelector("#breathingScene");
   scene.dataset.phase = phase;
-  setText("breathingPhase", phase === "settled" ? "已静" : phase === "inhale" ? "吸气" : phase === "hold" ? "停驻" : "呼气");
+  setText("breathingPhase", phase === "settled" ? "静" : phase === "prepare" ? "静" : phase === "inhale" ? "吸" : phase === "hold" ? "顿" : "呼");
   const prompt = state.heartSeconds <= 0
     ? "静心已成，可以起卦"
-    : phase === "hold"
+    : phase === "prepare"
+      ? "放松片刻，准备呼吸"
+      : phase === "hold"
       ? "停驻片刻，让念头自然沉下"
-      : elapsedMs < 18_000
+      : activeElapsedMs < 18_000
         ? phase === "inhale" ? "缓慢吸气，放下对答案的预设" : "缓慢呼气，让预设随之松开"
-        : elapsedMs < 36_000
+        : activeElapsedMs < 36_000
           ? phase === "inhale" ? "吸气，只留下真正想问的事" : "呼气，不急着寻找答案"
           : phase === "inhale" ? "吸气，让心停在此刻" : "呼气，不追逐经过的念头";
   setText("breathingPrompt", prompt);
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 6b3f114..c84c149 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -597,11 +597,11 @@
           <button class="button heart-return-button" type="button" data-heart-return><i data-lucide="arrow-left"></i><span>返回</span></button>
           <div class="heart-stage-inner breathing-stage">
             <span class="heart-stage-index">观心 · 二</span>
-            <div id="breathingScene" class="breathing-scene" data-phase="inhale">
+            <div id="breathingScene" class="breathing-scene" data-phase="prepare">
               <div class="heart-breath-ripple" aria-hidden="true"><span></span><span></span><span></span><i></i></div>
-              <b id="breathingPhase" class="breathing-phase" role="status" aria-live="polite">吸气</b>
+              <b id="breathingPhase" class="breathing-phase" role="status" aria-live="polite">静</b>
             </div>
-            <h3 id="breathingPrompt">缓慢吸气，放下对答案的预设</h3>
+            <h3 id="breathingPrompt">放松片刻，准备呼吸</h3>
             <div class="heart-incense" aria-hidden="true"><i id="heartIncenseEmber"></i></div>
             <button id="beginCastingButton" class="button primary" type="button" disabled>静心完成，开始起卦</button>
           </div>
diff --git a/static/styles.css b/static/styles.css
index e56b2e9..71a8961 100644
--- a/static/styles.css
+++ b/static/styles.css
@@ -10392,7 +10392,7 @@ body.sidebar-collapsed .sidebar-collapse-button .lucide {
   box-shadow: 0 0 14px 4px rgba(255, 180, 90, 0.35);
 }
 
-.heart-incense i.is-burning { animation: heart-incense-burn 45s linear forwards; }
+.heart-incense i.is-burning { animation: heart-incense-burn 45s linear 1s forwards; }
 
 #heavenHeartPanel #beginCastingButton {
   opacity: 0.35;
@@ -11001,7 +11001,9 @@ body.sidebar-collapsed .sidebar-collapse-button .lucide {
   border: 1px solid rgba(126, 77, 52, 0.5);
   border-radius: 50%;
   box-shadow: 0 0 18px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.06);
-  animation: heart-breath-ripple 9s cubic-bezier(0.37, 0.01, 0.22, 1) infinite;
+  opacity: 0.12;
+  transform: scale(0.7);
+  animation: heart-breath-ripple 9s cubic-bezier(0.37, 0.01, 0.22, 1) 1s infinite both;
   will-change: transform, opacity;
 }
 
@@ -11031,25 +11033,26 @@ body.sidebar-collapsed .sidebar-collapse-button .lucide {
   background: rgba(253, 252, 248, 0.92);
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 6px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.06), 0 0 20px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.12);
   transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
-  animation: heart-breath-ripple-core 9s ease-in-out infinite;
+  animation: heart-breath-ripple-core 9s ease-in-out 1s infinite both;
 }
 
 @keyframes heart-breath-ripple {
   0% { opacity: 0.12; transform: scale(0.7); }
   33.333% { opacity: 0.82; transform: scale(0.94); }
   55.556% { opacity: 0.82; transform: scale(0.94); }
-  100% { opacity: 0; transform: scale(1.22); }
+  100% { opacity: 0.1; transform: scale(0.62); }
 }
 
 @keyframes heart-breath-ripple-core {
-  0% { opacity: 0.38; box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.04), 0 0 8px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.06); }
-  33.333%, 55.556% { opacity: 1; box-shadow: 0 0 0 9px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.09), 0 0 26px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.18); }
-  100% { opacity: 0.3; box-shadow: 0 0 0 14px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0), 0 0 5px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.03); }
+  0% { opacity: 0.38; box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.04), 0 0 8px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.06); transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(0.76); }
+  33.333%, 55.556% { opacity: 1; box-shadow: 0 0 0 9px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0.09), 0 0 26px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.18); transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(1); }
+  100% { opacity: 0.3; box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(194, 159, 90, 0), 0 0 5px rgba(154, 91, 69, 0.03); transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(0.64); }
 }
 
 @keyframes heart-breath-ripple-soft {
-  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.24; transform: scale(0.94); }
+  0% { opacity: 0.24; transform: scale(0.86); }
   33.333%, 55.556% { opacity: 0.68; transform: scale(0.94); }
+  100% { opacity: 0.18; transform: scale(0.82); }
 }
 
 #heavenHeartPanel .breathing-phase {
@@ -11064,6 +11067,11 @@ body.sidebar-collapsed .sidebar-collapse-button .lucide {
   transition: color 480ms ease, opacity 480ms ease;
 }
 
+#heavenHeartPanel .breathing-scene[data-phase="prepare"] .breathing-phase {
+  color: #858980;
+  opacity: 0.62;
+}
+
 #heavenHeartPanel .breathing-scene[data-phase="hold"] .breathing-phase {
   color: #8a6b3e;
   opacity: 0.9;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/app-shell.spec.js b/tests/e2e/app-shell.spec.js
index 17f8bf5..e3b3584 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/app-shell.spec.js
+++ b/tests/e2e/app-shell.spec.js
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ test("saved daily fortune opens in the reading dialog without regenerating", asy
   await expect(page.locator("#heavenReadingHistoryList .heaven-reading-history-item")).toHaveCount(1);
 });
 
-test("heart breathing uses five silent nine-second ripple cycles", async ({ page }) => {
+test("heart breathing prepares once then contracts on each exhale", async ({ page }) => {
   await mockApplication(page, session("user", true));
   await page.goto("/index.html");
   await page.locator('[data-view="heavenView"]').first().click();
@@ -350,26 +350,41 @@ test("heart breathing uses five silent nine-second ripple cycles", async ({ page
   const timing = await page.evaluate(() => ({
     remaining: state.heartBreathingEndsAt - Date.now(),
     incenseDuration: getComputedStyle(document.querySelector("#heartIncenseEmber")).animationDuration,
+    incenseDelay: getComputedStyle(document.querySelector("#heartIncenseEmber")).animationDelay,
     rippleDuration: getComputedStyle(document.querySelector(".heart-breath-ripple span")).animationDuration,
+    rippleDelay: getComputedStyle(document.querySelector(".heart-breath-ripple span")).animationDelay,
     rippleAnimation: getComputedStyle(document.querySelector(".heart-breath-ripple span")).animationName,
+    rippleKeyframes: document.querySelector(".heart-breath-ripple span").getAnimations()[0].effect.getKeyframes(),
   }));
-  expect(timing.remaining).toBeGreaterThan(44_000);
-  expect(timing.remaining).toBeLessThanOrEqual(45_000);
+  expect(timing.remaining).toBeGreaterThan(45_000);
+  expect(timing.remaining).toBeLessThanOrEqual(46_000);
   expect(timing.incenseDuration).toBe("45s");
+  expect(timing.incenseDelay).toBe("1s");
   expect(timing.rippleDuration).toBe("9s");
+  expect(timing.rippleDelay).toBe("1s");
   expect(timing.rippleAnimation).toContain("heart-breath-ripple");
-  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("吸气");
+  expect(timing.rippleKeyframes.at(-1).transform).toContain("0.62");
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingScene")).toHaveAttribute("data-phase", "prepare");
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("静");
   await expect(page.locator("#breathingSeconds, #breathingProgress, .breathing-orbit")).toHaveCount(0);
 
   await page.evaluate(() => {
     clearInterval(state.heartTimer);
     state.heartTimer = null;
+    state.heartSeconds = 45;
+    state.heartBreathingEndsAt = Date.now() + 44_500;
+    updateBreathingDisplay();
+  });
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingScene")).toHaveAttribute("data-phase", "inhale");
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("吸");
+
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
     state.heartSeconds = 42;
     state.heartBreathingEndsAt = Date.now() + 41_500;
     updateBreathingDisplay();
   });
   await expect(page.locator("#breathingScene")).toHaveAttribute("data-phase", "hold");
-  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("停驻");
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("顿");
 
   await page.evaluate(() => {
     state.heartSeconds = 39;
@@ -377,7 +392,7 @@ test("heart breathing uses five silent nine-second ripple cycles", async ({ page
     updateBreathingDisplay();
   });
   await expect(page.locator("#breathingScene")).toHaveAttribute("data-phase", "exhale");
-  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("呼气");
+  await expect(page.locator("#breathingPhase")).toHaveText("呼");
 });
 
 test("mobile shell stays within the viewport", async ({ page }) => {