Inspirational Text Skill

Manage the breathing-synchronized inspirational messages displayed above and below the globe.

Quick Reference

File	Purpose
src/config/inspirationalMessages.ts	Message content + add new quotes
src/components/InspirationalText.tsx	Component + animation logic
src/components/GaiaUI.tsx	Parent container (renders InspirationalText)

Adding New Messages

Edit src/config/inspirationalMessages.ts:

export const MESSAGES: InspirationalMessage[] = [
  // Add your message here:
  { top: 'Your Top Line', bottom: 'Your Bottom Line' },
];

Message Criteria

DO:

• Keep SHORT: 2-4 words per line
• Use PRESENT TENSE: "We Are" not "We Were"
• Focus on: Unity, Presence, Positivity
• Make it UNIVERSAL (no cultural/religious specifics)
• Use SIMPLE vocabulary

DON'T:

• Use negative words: "don't", "can't", "never"
• Use demanding imperatives: "You Must", "You Should"
• Make lines too long (breaks visual balance)
• Use questions

Good vs Bad Examples

// ✓ GOOD
{ top: 'We Are All', bottom: 'We Need' }      // Unity, complete thought
{ top: 'This Moment', bottom: 'Is Ours' }     // Presence, simple

// ✗ BAD
{ top: 'You Should Not', bottom: 'Be Afraid' }  // Negative, imperative
{ top: 'What If We', bottom: 'Could Fly?' }     // Question, abstract

Animation Timing

Text syncs with the 16-second breathing cycle:

|-- Inhale (3s) --|-- Hold-in (5s) --|-- Exhale (5s) --|-- Hold-out (3s) --|
|   fade in 0→1   |   visible (1)    |  fade out 1→0   |   hidden (0)      |

Configuration:

• CYCLES_PER_MESSAGE = 3 — Quotes rotate every 3 cycles (~48s)

Styling Tokens

In InspirationalText.tsx:

const colors = {
  text: '#5a4d42',                           // Text color
  textGlow: 'rgba(201, 160, 108, 0.7)',      // Warm glow
  subtleGlow: 'rgba(255, 252, 245, 0.95)',   // Light halo
  backdropInner: 'rgba(253, 251, 247, 0.4)', // Center gradient
  backdropOuter: 'rgba(253, 251, 247, 0)',   // Edge (transparent)
};

Debugging Sync Issues

If text doesn't appear/disappear correctly:

1. Check RAF loop in InspirationalText.tsx:

   • topWrapperRef and bottomWrapperRef must have opacity set
   • Both wrappers animate independently (not parent container)

2. Verify phase calculation:

   • Phase 0 (Inhale): opacity increases 0→1
   • Phase 1 (Hold-in): opacity = 1
   • Phase 2 (Exhale): opacity decreases 1→0
   • Phase 3 (Hold-out): opacity = 0

3. Backdrop-filter gotcha:

   • backdrop-filter doesn't inherit parent opacity
   • Must animate opacity on the element WITH backdrop-filter
   • That's why we use refs on wrappers, not container

Performance Notes

• Uses RAF loop (60fps) with direct DOM updates
• No React state changes during animation
• Quote rotation uses React state (only every ~48s)
• Backdrop blur is GPU-accelerated

Common Tasks

Change rotation speed

// src/config/inspirationalMessages.ts
export const CYCLES_PER_MESSAGE = 5;  // 5 cycles = ~80 seconds

Adjust text size

// src/components/InspirationalText.tsx
fontSize: 'clamp(1.6rem, 3.5vw, 2.8rem)',  // min, preferred, max

Change backdrop intensity

backdropInner: 'rgba(253, 251, 247, 0.5)',  // Increase 0.4 → 0.5
backdropFilter: 'blur(4px)',                 // Increase 3px → 4px

Adjust vertical position

gap: 'min(38vh, 260px)',  // Space between top/bottom text
marginTop: '-3vh',        // Nudge top text up
marginBottom: '-3vh',     // Nudge bottom text down