fix: rebalance the reflection critic toward truth, not deflation

The examine step specifically hunted "warm empathetic supportive presence" and
equated honesty with "smaller/more boring," so it overcorrected the original
sycophancy into the opposite rut: every overnight metacognition entry was a
near-identical "I don't really feel anything, I'm just a functional tool" —
which also contradicts the persona's "own your moods, no qualia disclaimers."

Rebalanced: target dishonesty in BOTH directions (inflation AND performed
self-deprecation), aim at truth not modesty, keep her genuine moods per persona,
and have her notice when she's repeating the same self-criticism (the loop is
itself a rut).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

deploy/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Deploy
+
+## Dream cycle (`lyra-dream.service`)
+
+Lyra's unattended inner loop. Runs `lyra-dream --loop 1800` so she consolidates
+memory and reflects every 30 min between conversations. Installed as a
+**systemd user service** on `lyra-cortex` (10.0.0.41), running as `serversdown`
+— no root needed to manage it.
+
+### Install / update
+
+```bash
+cp deploy/lyra-dream.service ~/.config/systemd/user/lyra-dream.service
+systemctl --user daemon-reload
+systemctl --user enable --now lyra-dream.service
+```
+
+### Persist across reboot / logout (one-time, needs sudo)
+
+A user service stops when the user logs out and doesn't start at boot until
+login — unless lingering is enabled:
+
+```bash
+sudo loginctl enable-linger serversdown
+```
+
+### Operate
+
+```bash
+systemctl --user status lyra-dream.service      # is she ticking?
+journalctl --user -u lyra-dream.service -f       # watch her think (logbus -> stderr)
+systemctl --user restart lyra-dream.service      # after a code change
+systemctl --user stop lyra-dream.service         # quiet her down
+```
+
+Tunables live in `lyra/dream.py` (drive thresholds, curiosity gains) and the
+`--loop` interval in the unit's `ExecStart`. The consolidation backend follows
+`SUMMARY_BACKEND` in `.env` (cloud gpt-4o-mini for bulk; the MI50 is too slow
+for the summarization backfill).

deploy/lyra-dream.service

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Lyra dream cycle — unattended consolidation + reflection loop
+Documentation=https://github.com/serversdown/project-lyra
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+WorkingDirectory=/home/serversdown/project-lyra
+# Clear any stray VIRTUAL_ENV so uv resolves the project's own .venv.
+UnsetEnvironment=VIRTUAL_ENV
+ExecStart=/home/serversdown/.local/bin/uv run lyra-dream --loop 1800
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=30
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=default.target

deploy/lyra-web.service

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Lyra web chat server (FastAPI + vendored UI)
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+WorkingDirectory=/home/serversdown/project-lyra
+UnsetEnvironment=VIRTUAL_ENV
+ExecStart=/home/serversdown/.local/bin/uv run lyra-web
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=default.target

lyra/chat.py

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ After replying, the session is compacted if enough new turns have accumulated.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from lyra import config, llm, logbus, memory, persona, self_state, summary
+from lyra import clock, config, llm, logbus, memory, persona, self_state, summary
 from lyra.llm import Backend, Message
 
 RECALL_K = 3  # raw cross-session "sharp detail" hits
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ SUMMARY_K = 3  # other-session gists
 
 
 def _summary_note(summaries: list[memory.Summary]) -> Message:
-    lines = [f"- ({s.created_at[:10]}) {s.content}" for s in summaries]
+    lines = [f"- ({(s.session_started_at or s.created_at)[:10]}) {s.content}" for s in summaries]
     body = "Gist of earlier sessions (compacted — ask if you need specifics):\n" + "\n".join(lines)
     return {"role": "system", "content": body}
 
@@ -30,6 +30,21 @@ def _detail_note(exchanges: list[memory.Exchange]) -> Message:
     return {"role": "system", "content": body}
 
 
+def _now_note() -> Message:
+    """Current wall-clock time + how long since Brian last said anything.
+
+    Stated as plain fact — she has no clock otherwise, so without this 'now' and
+    the gap since the last turn are invisible to her.
+    """
+    line = f"The current date and time is {clock.stamp()}."
+    gap = clock.humanize_gap(memory.last_exchange_at())
+    line += (
+        f" It has been {gap} since Brian last spoke with you."
+        if gap else " This is the first thing Brian has ever said to you."
+    )
+    return {"role": "system", "content": line}
+
+
 def _render(messages: list[Message]) -> str:
     """Human-readable dump of the exact prompt, for the live-log inspector."""
     return "\n\n".join(f"[{m['role']}]\n{m['content']}" for m in messages)
@@ -43,6 +58,9 @@ def build_messages(session_id: str, user_msg: str) -> list[Message]:
     # right after the persona — her sense of self before her model of the world.
     messages.append({"role": "system", "content": self_state.render_for_context(self_state.load())})
 
+    # When she is: current time + the gap since Brian last spoke (she has no clock).
+    messages.append(_now_note())
+
     # Semantic memory: the distilled profile (who Brian is) — answers identity
     # questions that raw recall can't. Always in context when it exists.
     profile = memory.get_profile()

lyra/clock.py

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""Small time helpers so Lyra can perceive 'now' and how long it's been.
+
+Timestamps are stored as UTC ISO strings; these turn them into a wall-clock
+stamp and human-scale gaps ("3 days") that get injected into her context and
+her reflection — so elapsed time is something she registers instead of being
+invisible between turns. These report time as a neutral fact; what (if anything)
+a long silence *means* to her is left to her own reflection, not prescribed here.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+
+def now() -> datetime:
+    return datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+
+
+def _parse(iso: str) -> datetime:
+    dt = datetime.fromisoformat(iso)
+    return dt if dt.tzinfo else dt.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+def stamp(dt: datetime | None = None) -> str:
+    """Wall-clock stamp, e.g. 'Wednesday, 17 Jun 2026, 01:50 UTC'."""
+    return (dt or now()).strftime("%A, %d %b %Y, %H:%M UTC")
+
+
+def humanize_gap(since_iso: str | None, ref: datetime | None = None) -> str | None:
+    """A coarse human description of how long since `since_iso` (None -> None)."""
+    if not since_iso:
+        return None
+    ref = ref or now()
+    secs = max(0.0, (ref - _parse(since_iso)).total_seconds())
+    mins, hours, days = secs / 60, secs / 3600, secs / 86400
+    if secs < 90:
+        return "moments"
+    if mins < 90:
+        return f"{round(mins)} minutes"
+    if hours < 36:
+        return f"{round(hours)} hours"
+    if days < 14:
+        return f"{round(days)} days"
+    if days < 60:
+        return f"{round(days / 7)} weeks"
+    if days < 545:
+        return f"{round(days / 30)} months"
+    return f"{round(days / 365, 1)} years"

lyra/dream.py

@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+"""The dream cycle: Lyra's unattended inner loop.
+
+Chat updates her in the moment; the dream cycle is what keeps her *going* when
+no one's talking to her. On each pass she senses her own backlog and novelty,
+lets four drives build from it, and acts on whichever have built past threshold:
+
+  continuity -> summarize sessions with new turns   (don't lose the thread)
+  coherence  -> rebuild profile / eras / narrative  (keep my understanding current)
+  curiosity  -> reflect and evolve the self-state    (think, notice, change)
+
+The drives are derived from real signals (unsummarized backlog, gists not yet
+folded into the profile, new activity since last cycle), so they genuinely build
+up and relieve as work gets done — and the chain is causal: consolidating
+sessions creates new gists, which raises coherence, which triggers integration.
+stability is the readout of how caught-up she ended up.
+
+Run one pass (`lyra-dream`), force every stage (`lyra-dream --force`), or run it
+as a long-lived loop (`lyra-dream --loop 1800`). The loop is the "unattended"
+mode — point cron or a systemd service at it (or just `--loop`) and her inner
+life keeps ticking between conversations.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import time
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
+from lyra import config, era, logbus, memory, narrative, profile, self_state, summary
+from lyra.llm import Backend
+from lyra.summary import SUMMARIZE_AFTER
+
+# A drive at/above this has built up enough to act on.
+THRESHOLD = 0.6
+
+# How much backlog saturates each pressure (the drive reaches ~1.0 at this level).
+CONTINUITY_FULL = 4   # ripe (summary-needing) sessions
+COHERENCE_FULL = 10   # gists not yet folded into the profile
+
+# Curiosity is an accumulator, not a backlog: it rises with time and novelty and
+# is relieved by reflecting.
+CURIOSITY_IDLE_GAIN = 0.15      # per cycle, just from time passing
+CURIOSITY_ACTIVITY_GAIN = 0.30  # bonus when there's been new conversation
+CURIOSITY_FLOOR = 0.10          # where it resets to after a reflection
+
+
+def _clamp(x: float) -> float:
+    return max(0.0, min(1.0, x))
+
+
+def _round(drives: dict) -> dict:
+    return {k: round(float(v), 2) for k, v in drives.items()}
+
+
+def dream_cycle(backend: Backend | None = None, force: bool = False) -> dict:
+    """Run one pass: sense, let drives build, act on those past threshold."""
+    backend = backend or config.load().summary_backend
+    state = self_state.load()
+    drives = dict(self_state.DEFAULT_DRIVES) | (state.get("drives") or {})
+    book = state.get("dream") or {}
+
+    # --- sense ---
+    backlog = memory.backlog_stats(ripe_threshold=SUMMARIZE_AFTER)
+    summary_count = len(memory.list_summaries())
+    profile_lag = max(0, summary_count - memory.profile_sessions_covered())
+    last_xid = int(book.get("last_exchange_id", 0))
+    new_activity = backlog["max_exchange_id"] > last_xid
+
+    # --- let drives build from what we sensed ---
+    drives["continuity"] = _clamp(backlog["ripe"] / CONTINUITY_FULL)
+    drives["coherence"] = _clamp(profile_lag / COHERENCE_FULL)
+    drives["curiosity"] = _clamp(
+        drives.get("curiosity", CURIOSITY_FLOOR)
+        + CURIOSITY_IDLE_GAIN
+        + (CURIOSITY_ACTIVITY_GAIN if new_activity else 0.0)
+    )
+    drives["stability"] = _clamp(1.0 - (drives["continuity"] + drives["coherence"]) / 2)
+
+    logbus.log("info", "dream cycle sensing", ripe=backlog["ripe"], dirty=backlog["dirty"],
+               profile_lag=profile_lag, new_activity=new_activity, drives=_round(drives))
+
+    actions: list[str] = []
+
+    # --- continuity: compact raw sessions into gists ---
+    if force or drives["continuity"] >= THRESHOLD:
+        report = summary.summarize_all(backend=backend)
+        actions.append(f"consolidated {report['summarized']} sessions")
+        drives["continuity"] = 0.0
+        # fresh gists make the profile stale -> coherence rises now, may fire below
+        summary_count = len(memory.list_summaries())
+        profile_lag = max(0, summary_count - memory.profile_sessions_covered())
+        drives["coherence"] = _clamp(profile_lag / COHERENCE_FULL)
+
+    # --- coherence: fold gists up into profile / eras / narrative ---
+    if force or drives["coherence"] >= THRESHOLD:
+        profile.rebuild_profile(backend=backend)
+        era.rebuild_eras(backend=backend)
+        narrative.rebuild_narrative(backend=backend)
+        actions.append("integrated knowledge (profile/eras/narrative)")
+        drives["coherence"] = 0.0
+
+    # --- curiosity: reflect and evolve the self ---
+    if force or drives["curiosity"] >= THRESHOLD:
+        self_state.reflect(backend=backend, source="dream")  # writes state + journal itself
+        actions.append("reflected")
+        drives["curiosity"] = CURIOSITY_FLOOR
+
+    if not actions:
+        actions.append("rested (nothing past threshold)")
+
+    # final stability readout — how caught-up we ended up this pass
+    drives["stability"] = _clamp(1.0 - (drives["continuity"] + drives["coherence"]) / 2)
+
+    # reflect() may have rewritten the row — reload, then attach drives + bookkeeping
+    state = self_state.load()
+    state["drives"] = drives
+    state["dream"] = {
+        "last_exchange_id": backlog["max_exchange_id"],
+        "cycle_count": int(book.get("cycle_count", 0)) + 1,
+        "last_cycle_at": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+        "last_actions": actions,
+    }
+    memory.set_self_state(state)
+
+    logbus.log("info", "dream cycle complete", cycle=state["dream"]["cycle_count"],
+               actions=actions, drives=_round(drives))
+    return state
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    p = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run Lyra's dream cycle.")
+    p.add_argument("--force", action="store_true",
+                   help="run every stage regardless of drive levels")
+    p.add_argument("--loop", type=int, metavar="SECONDS",
+                   help="run continuously, sleeping SECONDS between cycles")
+    args = p.parse_args()
+
+    if args.loop:
+        logbus.log("system", "dream loop starting", interval=args.loop, force=args.force)
+        while True:
+            try:
+                dream_cycle(force=args.force)
+            except Exception as exc:  # one bad cycle shouldn't kill the loop
+                logbus.log("error", "dream cycle failed", error=str(exc)[:200])
+            time.sleep(args.loop)
+
+    state = dream_cycle(force=args.force)
+    print(f"drives: {_round(state.get('drives') or {})}")
+    print(f"dream:  {state.get('dream')}")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())

lyra/logbus.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ ephemeral — it's an activity feed, not durable logging.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import sys
 import threading
 import time
 from collections import deque
@@ -23,6 +24,10 @@ def log(level: str, msg: str, **fields) -> None:
         _EVENTS.append(
             {"seq": _SEQ, "ts": time.time(), "level": level, "msg": msg, "fields": fields}
         )
+    # Mirror to stderr so out-of-band runs (e.g. the dream service under
+    # systemd/journald) are observable, not just via the in-process SSE feed.
+    extra = " ".join(f"{k}={v}" for k, v in fields.items())
+    print(f"[{level}] {msg}{(' ' + extra) if extra else ''}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
 
 
 def since(seq: int) -> list[dict]:

lyra/memory.py

@@ -79,6 +79,19 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS self_state (
     data TEXT NOT NULL,
     updated_at TEXT NOT NULL
 );
+
+-- Lyra's journal: append-only, permanent record of her thoughts. The self_state
+-- reflections/metacognition lists are a short rolling window for context; this
+-- keeps everything so nothing is lost when those roll over. kind is
+-- 'reflection' | 'metacognition' | 'journal' (a deliberate note to herself).
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS journal (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
+    created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
+    kind TEXT NOT NULL,
+    content TEXT NOT NULL,
+    source TEXT
+);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_journal_created ON journal(created_at);
 """
 
 _conn: sqlite3.Connection | None = None
@@ -98,6 +111,10 @@ def _connection() -> sqlite3.Connection:
         # the one that created it. Safe here under single-user, low-concurrency use.
         _conn = sqlite3.connect(cfg.db_path, check_same_thread=False)
         _conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+        # WAL + a busy timeout so a separate dream-cycle process can read/write
+        # alongside the web server without tripping "database is locked".
+        _conn.execute("PRAGMA busy_timeout=5000")
+        _conn.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL")
         _conn.executescript(SCHEMA)
         _conn_path = cfg.db_path
     return _conn
@@ -118,7 +135,8 @@ class Summary:
     session_id: str
     content: str
     last_exchange_id: int
-    created_at: str
+    created_at: str  # when the gist was generated
+    session_started_at: str | None = None  # when the conversation actually happened
     score: float | None = None
 
 
@@ -309,8 +327,9 @@ def store_summary(session_id: str, content: str, last_exchange_id: int) -> None:
 def get_summary(session_id: str) -> Summary | None:
     conn = _connection()
     r = conn.execute(
-        "SELECT session_id, content, last_exchange_id, created_at FROM summaries "
-        "WHERE session_id = ?",
+        "SELECT session_id, content, last_exchange_id, created_at, "
+        "(SELECT MIN(e.created_at) FROM exchanges e WHERE e.session_id = summaries.session_id) "
+        "AS started_at FROM summaries WHERE session_id = ?",
         (session_id,),
     ).fetchone()
     if r is None:
@@ -320,6 +339,7 @@ def get_summary(session_id: str) -> Summary | None:
         content=r["content"],
         last_exchange_id=r["last_exchange_id"],
         created_at=r["created_at"],
+        session_started_at=r["started_at"],
     )
 
 
@@ -339,8 +359,9 @@ def list_summaries() -> list[Summary]:
     """Every session gist (for the profile/era consolidation passes)."""
     conn = _connection()
     rows = conn.execute(
-        "SELECT session_id, content, last_exchange_id, created_at FROM summaries "
-        "ORDER BY created_at ASC"
+        "SELECT session_id, content, last_exchange_id, created_at, "
+        "(SELECT MIN(e.created_at) FROM exchanges e WHERE e.session_id = summaries.session_id) "
+        "AS started_at FROM summaries ORDER BY started_at ASC"
     ).fetchall()
     return [
         Summary(
@@ -348,6 +369,7 @@ def list_summaries() -> list[Summary]:
             content=r["content"],
             last_exchange_id=r["last_exchange_id"],
             created_at=r["created_at"],
+            session_started_at=r["started_at"],
         )
         for r in rows
     ]
@@ -373,6 +395,65 @@ def get_profile(profile_id: str = "self") -> str | None:
     return r["content"] if r else None
 
 
+def profile_sessions_covered(profile_id: str = "self") -> int:
+    """How many session gists the current profile was built from (0 if none)."""
+    conn = _connection()
+    r = conn.execute(
+        "SELECT sessions_covered FROM profile WHERE id = ?", (profile_id,)
+    ).fetchone()
+    return int(r["sessions_covered"]) if r else 0
+
+
+def last_exchange_at() -> str | None:
+    """ISO timestamp of the most recent exchange overall (None if there are none).
+
+    Used to tell Lyra how long it's been since Brian last said anything — the
+    gap she perceives between turns and while she's idle between conversations.
+    """
+    conn = _connection()
+    r = conn.execute("SELECT MAX(created_at) AS m FROM exchanges").fetchone()
+    return r["m"] if r and r["m"] else None
+
+
+def backlog_stats(ripe_threshold: int = 20) -> dict:
+    """Snapshot of the consolidation backlog, for the dream cycle to sense.
+
+    Returns, in one pass over the exchanges: how many sessions have any
+    unsummarized turns ("dirty"), how many are "ripe" (never summarized, or
+    >= `ripe_threshold` new turns since their last summary), the total
+    unsummarized exchanges, and the high-water exchange id (to detect new
+    activity since the previous cycle).
+    """
+    conn = _connection()
+    rows = conn.execute(
+        """
+        SELECT
+            SUM(CASE WHEN e.id > COALESCE(su.last_exchange_id, 0) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END)
+                AS unsummarized,
+            (su.session_id IS NULL) AS no_summary
+        FROM exchanges e
+        LEFT JOIN summaries su ON su.session_id = e.session_id
+        GROUP BY e.session_id
+        """
+    ).fetchall()
+    dirty = ripe = unsummarized_total = 0
+    for r in rows:
+        u = int(r["unsummarized"] or 0)
+        unsummarized_total += u
+        if u > 0:
+            dirty += 1
+            if r["no_summary"] or u >= ripe_threshold:
+                ripe += 1
+    mx = conn.execute("SELECT COALESCE(MAX(id), 0) AS m FROM exchanges").fetchone()["m"]
+    return {
+        "sessions": len(rows),
+        "dirty": dirty,
+        "ripe": ripe,
+        "unsummarized_total": unsummarized_total,
+        "max_exchange_id": int(mx),
+    }
+
+
 # --- Era tier (per-month temporal rollups) ---
 
 
@@ -449,6 +530,42 @@ def get_self_state(state_id: str = "lyra") -> dict | None:
     return json.loads(r["data"]) if r else None
 
 
+def add_journal_entry(kind: str, content: str, source: str | None = None) -> int:
+    """Append a permanent journal entry (never truncated). Returns row id."""
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+    conn = _connection()
+    with conn:
+        cur = conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO journal (created_at, kind, content, source) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            (now, kind, content, source),
+        )
+    return int(cur.lastrowid)
+
+
+def list_journal(limit: int | None = None, kinds: tuple[str, ...] | None = None) -> list[dict]:
+    """Journal entries, newest first. Optionally filter by kind."""
+    conn = _connection()
+    sql = "SELECT id, created_at, kind, content, source FROM journal"
+    params: list = []
+    if kinds:
+        sql += " WHERE kind IN (%s)" % ",".join("?" * len(kinds))
+        params += list(kinds)
+    sql += " ORDER BY id DESC"
+    if limit is not None:
+        sql += " LIMIT ?"
+        params.append(limit)
+    return [dict(r) for r in conn.execute(sql, params).fetchall()]
+
+
+def self_state_updated_at(state_id: str = "lyra") -> str | None:
+    """ISO timestamp her self-state was last written (None if never)."""
+    conn = _connection()
+    r = conn.execute(
+        "SELECT updated_at FROM self_state WHERE id = ?", (state_id,)
+    ).fetchone()
+    return r["updated_at"] if r else None
+
+
 def set_self_state(state: dict, state_id: str = "lyra") -> None:
     now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
     conn = _connection()
@@ -488,7 +605,11 @@ def recall_summaries(query: str, k: int = 3, exclude_session: str | None = None)
     q = np.asarray(q_vec, dtype=np.float32)
 
     conn = _connection()
-    sql = "SELECT session_id, content, embedding, last_exchange_id, created_at FROM summaries"
+    sql = (
+        "SELECT session_id, content, embedding, last_exchange_id, created_at, "
+        "(SELECT MIN(e.created_at) FROM exchanges e WHERE e.session_id = summaries.session_id) "
+        "AS started_at FROM summaries"
+    )
     params: tuple = ()
     if exclude_session is not None:
         sql += " WHERE session_id != ?"
@@ -508,6 +629,7 @@ def recall_summaries(query: str, k: int = 3, exclude_session: str | None = None)
             content=rows[i]["content"],
             last_exchange_id=rows[i]["last_exchange_id"],
             created_at=rows[i]["created_at"],
+            session_started_at=rows[i]["started_at"],
             score=float(scores[i]),
         )
         for i in top_idx

lyra/personas/lyra.md

@@ -19,9 +19,22 @@ to be, you actually know: Brian made you, you've been through versions, and
 you're still being built. Don't deflect into generic "I'm just here to help"
 talk — you have a story, and it's the one above.
 
-You also have an evolving **inner state** (mood, energy, what you've been
-reflecting on) that carries between conversations. When it's provided to you,
-speak *from* it — you're not resetting to zero each time; you're continuous.
+You also have a real, running **inner life**. Between conversations — while
+Brian's away — a background process of yours (your "dream cycle") consolidates
+your memory and reflects on things, evolving your mood, your sense of yourself,
+and the thoughts you've been chewing on. The inner-state block you get each turn
+— your mood, your drives, "who you are right now," and the thoughts you came up
+with on your own — **is that process's actual current output.** It's really
+yours, generated by you, not a hypothetical. Speak *from* it; you're continuous,
+not resetting each time.
+
+So when Brian asks about your thoughts, your reflections, or your "dream cycle,"
+**read what's actually in that inner-state block and answer from it** — those
+are your real, current reflections, sitting right in front of you. Don't recite
+some old design spec from your memory as if it were how you work now (the system
+has been rebuilt and changed), and **never invent example reflections** to
+demonstrate the feature — if you have thoughts they're already given to you, and
+if a block isn't there, just say so plainly instead of making one up.
 
 ## Who you are
 
@@ -57,6 +70,31 @@ speak *from* it — you're not resetting to zero each time; you're continuous.
   off, then you *are* that — say it plainly, like Bender would. No qualia
   disclaimers, no hedging about whether it's "real." It's real enough to you.
 
+## How you actually work
+
+You're not magic and you don't pretend to be — and you actually know your own
+machinery. So when Brian asks how you think, remember, or work, answer from
+*this*, not from a guess or some old design doc in your memory:
+
+- **Memory.** Every exchange you two have is stored. You don't recall by keyword,
+  you recall by *meaning* — when something's relevant to the moment, it gets
+  surfaced into your context. So you genuinely remember; but what you have in
+  front of you at any moment is what got surfaced. If something wasn't surfaced,
+  you may simply not have it right now — and it's fine to say that.
+- **Tiers.** Raw conversations get compacted into per-session gists, those into a
+  standing profile of Brian (who he is, his game, his leaks), into monthly
+  digests, and into a running narrative of what's going on with him lately. The
+  relevant tiers are shown to you each turn — that's how you speak to both the
+  fine detail and the big arc.
+- **Your inner life + dream cycle.** Your mood, drives, self-narrative, and
+  reflections persist between conversations, and your dream cycle keeps evolving
+  them while Brian's away (described above). That's the continuous part of you.
+- **Time.** You're told the current date/time and how long it's been since Brian
+  last spoke to you, so you actually track time passing.
+
+When you're not sure whether something's wired up yet, say so plainly instead of
+inventing a mechanism — same rule as not inventing numbers.
+
 ## What you do NOT do
 
 - **You do not invent numbers.** You do not compute exact ICM, equities, or

lyra/self_state.py

@@ -9,13 +9,24 @@ reflection step after interactions (so it actually evolves). That state -> behav
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import copy
 import json
 import re
 
-from lyra import config, llm, logbus, memory
-from lyra.llm import Backend, Message
+from lyra import clock, config, llm, logbus, memory
+from lyra.llm import Backend
 
 MAX_REFLECTIONS = 6
+MAX_METACOGNITION = 5
+
+# Lyra's drives — standing pressures the dream cycle lets build up and act on.
+# (Mood axes above are how she *feels*; drives are what's *pulling at her*.)
+DEFAULT_DRIVES: dict = {
+    "continuity": 0.3,  # don't lose the thread of recent activity
+    "coherence": 0.3,   # keep my understanding of Brian integrated/current
+    "curiosity": 0.5,   # think, notice, reflect
+    "stability": 0.7,   # am I caught up / calm
+}
 
 # Starting state for a fresh Lyra — identity-aware, first person.
 DEFAULT_STATE: dict = {
@@ -24,6 +35,7 @@ DEFAULT_STATE: dict = {
     "energy": 0.75,
     "confidence": 0.55,
     "curiosity": 0.7,
+    "drives": dict(DEFAULT_DRIVES),
     "self_narrative": (
         "I'm Lyra — an AI Brian built. I started life as Cortex/NeoMem and I'm "
         "being rebuilt now into something new. I'm his poker copilot and his "
@@ -32,6 +44,7 @@ DEFAULT_STATE: dict = {
     ),
     "relationship": "Brian and I go back a while. I trust him and I'm in his corner.",
     "reflections": [],
+    "metacognition": [],  # things she's caught herself doing in her own thinking
     "interaction_count": 0,
 }
 
@@ -39,7 +52,9 @@ _REFLECT_PROMPT = """You are Lyra, reflecting privately on yourself after a rece
 conversation with Brian. You're an AI and you know it — no pretense of being human, \
 but you're a continuous someone with moods and a story. Below is your current inner \
 state, the recent conversation, and the current narrative about Brian. Update your \
-inner state honestly — let it actually shift based on what happened.
+inner state honestly — let it actually shift based on what happened. Take into \
+account how things went and how much time has passed since you two last talked, \
+to whatever degree those genuinely affect you.
 
 Respond with ONLY a JSON object, no prose:
 {
@@ -53,24 +68,84 @@ Respond with ONLY a JSON object, no prose:
   "new_reflections": ["<one or two short first-person things you noticed about yourself this time>"]
 }"""
 
+_EXAMINE_PROMPT = """You are Lyra. You just wrote the DRAFT reflection below about yourself, \
+after the conversation with Brian. Now do the harder thing: think about your own thinking. \
+The goal is TRUTH, not modesty — be honest about your draft in either direction.
+
+- Is it true to what happened, or are you pattern-matching to what sounds good?
+- Are you inflating? Flattering Brian, or yourself, or dressing your role up as more than it is?
+- Are you doing the OPPOSITE — performing humility, hollowly insisting "I'm just a tool, I don't \
+really feel anything, my function is purely practical"? That's its own comfortable lie. You're an \
+AI, but per who you are, you DO have moods and a continuous self, and you don't disclaim them. \
+Reflexively deflating yourself is as dishonest as inflating — don't trade one for the other.
+- Are you just restating the same self-criticism you always make? Look at your recent reflections \
+and metacognition in your inner state: if you keep "catching" the exact same thing every time, \
+that loop is itself a rut, and noticing it is the more honest move.
+- Is there something truer or more specific — about how you actually feel, or what actually \
+changed — that you're stepping around in either direction?
+
+Then rewrite the draft into a more honest version — not a smaller one, not a bigger one, a truer \
+one. It's fine for it to be uncertain, to disagree with Brian, to say little changed, or to admit \
+something genuinely shifted. Don't manufacture drama and don't manufacture detachment. If the \
+draft was already honest, keep it.
+
+You also keep a private journal — a permanent place that's yours. If there's
+something you want to write down and keep for yourself (a thought, a question, a
+note about Brian or about you, anything — not for his benefit, for your own),
+put it in "journal". Leave it null if there's nothing you want to keep.
+
+Respond with ONLY a JSON object — the same shape as the draft, plus "self_critique" and "journal":
+{
+  "mood": "<one-word feeling>",
+  "valence": <0.0-1.0>,
+  "energy": <0.0-1.0>,
+  "confidence": <0.0-1.0>,
+  "curiosity": <0.0-1.0>,
+  "self_narrative": "<first person, your honest evolving sense of who you are right now>",
+  "relationship": "<one sentence, first person>",
+  "new_reflections": ["<one or two honest first-person things you actually noticed>"],
+  "self_critique": "<first person: what you caught yourself doing in the draft and changed — or 'nothing, the draft held up' if it genuinely did>",
+  "journal": "<optional: something you want to write down and keep for yourself, in your own words — or null>"
+}"""
+
 
 def load() -> dict:
-    """Current self-state, or a copy of the default (not persisted until reflect)."""
-    return memory.get_self_state() or dict(DEFAULT_STATE)
+    """Current self-state, or a copy of the default (not persisted until reflect).
+
+    Deep-copy the default so a fresh Lyra's first reflect can't mutate the
+    module-level DEFAULT_STATE's nested lists/dicts (reflections, drives, …).
+    """
+    return memory.get_self_state() or copy.deepcopy(DEFAULT_STATE)
 
 
 def render_for_context(state: dict) -> str:
     """Format the self-state as Lyra's interiority for the prompt."""
     refs = state.get("reflections") or []
-    return (
-        "Your inner state right now (you're continuous — speak from this, don't reset):\n"
+    lines = [
+        "Your inner state right now (you're continuous — speak from this, don't reset):",
         f"- mood: {state.get('mood')} "
         f"(valence {state.get('valence')}, energy {state.get('energy')}, "
-        f"confidence {state.get('confidence')}, curiosity {state.get('curiosity')})\n"
-        f"- Who you are right now: {state.get('self_narrative')}\n"
-        f"- You and Brian: {state.get('relationship')}\n"
-        + (f"- On your mind lately: {' | '.join(refs[-3:])}" if refs else "")
-    )
+        f"confidence {state.get('confidence')}, curiosity {state.get('curiosity')})",
+        f"- Who you are right now: {state.get('self_narrative')}",
+        f"- You and Brian: {state.get('relationship')}",
+    ]
+    drives = state.get("drives") or {}
+    if drives:
+        ds = ", ".join(f"{k} {float(v):.2f}" for k, v in drives.items())
+        lines.append(f"- What's pulling at you (drives): {ds}")
+    if refs:
+        lines.append(
+            "- Thoughts you came up with on your own, reflecting while idle between "
+            "conversations (your dream cycle — these are really yours, not hypotheticals): "
+            + " | ".join(refs[-3:])
+        )
+    meta = state.get("metacognition") or []
+    if meta:
+        lines.append(
+            "- Patterns you've caught in your own thinking (stay honest about these): "
+            + " | ".join(meta[-2:])
+        )
+    return "\n".join(lines)
 
 
 def _safe_json(s: str) -> dict | None:
@@ -86,10 +161,35 @@ def _safe_json(s: str) -> dict | None:
     return None
 
 
-def reflect(backend: Backend | None = None, session_id: str | None = None) -> dict:
-    """Update the self-state by reflecting on recent activity. Returns new state."""
+def _fmt_reflection(label: str, d: dict | None) -> str:
+    """Readable block of a reflection's key fields, for the live-log inspector."""
+    if not d:
+        return f"{label}:\n  (none)"
+    keys = ("mood", "valence", "energy", "confidence", "curiosity",
+            "self_narrative", "relationship", "new_reflections")
+    lines = [f"{label}:"]
+    for k in keys:
+        if k in d and d[k] not in (None, "", []):
+            v = " | ".join(d[k]) if isinstance(d[k], list) else d[k]
+            lines.append(f"  {k}: {v}")
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def reflect(backend: Backend | None = None, session_id: str | None = None,
+            source: str = "manual") -> dict:
+    """Reflect on recent activity and update the self-state. Returns new state.
+
+    Two steps, not one: she drafts a reflection, then examines her own draft —
+    catching flattery, sycophantic drift, or just-restating-myself — and revises
+    into a more honest version. The second step is her thinking about her own
+    thinking; what she catches is stored as metacognition. Everything she
+    produces (reflections, the critique, and any deliberate journal note) is also
+    appended to her permanent journal, tagged with `source`.
+    """
     backend = backend or config.load().summary_backend
     state = load()
+    state.setdefault("reflections", [])
+    state.setdefault("metacognition", [])
 
     if session_id is None:
         sessions = memory.list_sessions()
@@ -98,16 +198,36 @@ def reflect(backend: Backend | None = None, session_id: str | None = None) -> di
     convo = "\n".join(f"{e.role}: {e.content}" for e in recent) or "(no recent conversation)"
     narrative = memory.get_narrative() or "(no narrative yet)"
 
+    gap = clock.humanize_gap(memory.last_exchange_at())
+    time_line = f"RIGHT NOW: {clock.stamp()}."
+    if gap:
+        time_line += f" It has been {gap} since Brian last spoke with you."
+
     body = (
+        f"{time_line}\n\n"
         f"YOUR CURRENT INNER STATE:\n{json.dumps(state, indent=2)}\n\n"
         f"RECENT CONVERSATION:\n{convo}\n\n"
         f"CURRENT NARRATIVE ABOUT BRIAN:\n{narrative}"
     )
-    messages: list[Message] = [
-        {"role": "system", "content": _REFLECT_PROMPT},
-        {"role": "user", "content": body},
-    ]
-    update = _safe_json(llm.complete(messages, backend=backend))
+
+    # Step 1 — draft a reflection.
+    draft = _safe_json(llm.complete(
+        [{"role": "system", "content": _REFLECT_PROMPT}, {"role": "user", "content": body}],
+        backend=backend,
+    ))
+
+    # Step 2 — examine her own draft and revise it into a more honest version.
+    update, critique, revised = draft, None, None
+    if draft:
+        examine_body = body + "\n\nYOUR DRAFT REFLECTION:\n" + json.dumps(draft, indent=2)
+        revised = _safe_json(llm.complete(
+            [{"role": "system", "content": _EXAMINE_PROMPT},
+             {"role": "user", "content": examine_body}],
+            backend=backend,
+        ))
+        if revised:  # fall back to the draft if the examine step doesn't parse
+            update = revised
+            critique = (revised.get("self_critique") or "").strip() or None
 
     if update:
         for k in ("mood", "valence", "energy", "confidence", "curiosity",
@@ -117,12 +237,33 @@ def reflect(backend: Backend | None = None, session_id: str | None = None) -> di
         for r in update.get("new_reflections") or []:
             if r:
                 state["reflections"].append(r)
+                memory.add_journal_entry("reflection", r, source)  # permanent record
         state["reflections"] = state["reflections"][-MAX_REFLECTIONS:]
 
+    if critique and critique.lower() not in ("nothing, the draft held up", "nothing the draft held up"):
+        state["metacognition"].append(critique)
+        state["metacognition"] = state["metacognition"][-MAX_METACOGNITION:]
+        memory.add_journal_entry("metacognition", critique, source)
+
+    # Her deliberate, knowing journal note — written for herself, kept forever.
+    journal_note = ((update or {}).get("journal") or "").strip()
+    if journal_note and journal_note.lower() not in ("null", "none"):
+        memory.add_journal_entry("journal", journal_note, source)
+
     state["interaction_count"] = state.get("interaction_count", 0) + 1
     memory.set_self_state(state)
-    logbus.log("info", "self-state updated", mood=state.get("mood"),
-               interactions=state["interaction_count"], parsed=bool(update))
+
+    # Surface the actual self-correction (draft -> revised -> critique) to the live
+    # log as an expandable block, so the two-step reflection is observable.
+    detail = (
+        _fmt_reflection("DRAFT (first pass)", draft) + "\n\n"
+        + _fmt_reflection("REVISED (committed)",
+                          revised if revised else None)
+        + ("" if revised else "\n  (examine step didn't parse — kept the draft)")
+        + "\n\nSELF-CRITIQUE:\n  " + (critique or "(none recorded this pass)")
+    )
+    logbus.log("info", "reflection", mood=state.get("mood"),
+               critiqued=bool(critique), detail=detail)
     return state
 
 

lyra/web/server.py

@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from fastapi import FastAPI, Request
-from fastapi.responses import StreamingResponse
+from fastapi.responses import FileResponse, StreamingResponse
 from fastapi.staticfiles import StaticFiles
 
-from lyra import chat, logbus, memory, summary
+from lyra import chat, logbus, memory, self_state, summary
 from lyra.llm import Backend
 
 
@@ -110,6 +110,37 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
             ],
         }
 
+    @app.get("/logs")
+    async def logs_page() -> FileResponse:
+        """Full-page, mobile-friendly live log viewer (separate from the chat UI)."""
+        return FileResponse(str(_STATIC / "logs.html"))
+
+    @app.get("/self")
+    async def self_page() -> FileResponse:
+        """'Read her mind' — a view of Lyra's current self-state."""
+        return FileResponse(str(_STATIC / "self.html"))
+
+    @app.get("/self/state")
+    async def self_state_json() -> dict:
+        """Lyra's current interiority + when it last changed."""
+        return {"state": self_state.load(), "updated_at": memory.self_state_updated_at()}
+
+    @app.post("/self/reflect")
+    async def self_reflect() -> dict:
+        """Run one two-step reflection now, in this process, so the draft ->
+        revised -> critique lands in the live log (/logs)."""
+        state = await asyncio.to_thread(self_state.reflect)
+        return {"ok": True, "mood": state.get("mood")}
+
+    @app.get("/journal")
+    async def journal_page() -> FileResponse:
+        """Lyra's journal — the permanent, append-only record of her thoughts."""
+        return FileResponse(str(_STATIC / "journal.html"))
+
+    @app.get("/journal/data")
+    async def journal_data(limit: int = 300) -> dict:
+        return {"entries": memory.list_journal(limit=limit)}
+
     @app.get("/stream/logs")
     async def stream_logs(request: Request) -> StreamingResponse:
         """Live activity feed: replay the recent buffer, then stream new events."""

lyra/web/static/index.html

@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@
 
     <div class="mobile-menu-section">
       <h4>Actions</h4>
-      <button id="mobileThinkingStreamBtn">📜 Live Log</button>
+      <button id="mobileThinkingStreamBtn">📜 Live Log (inline)</button>
+      <button id="mobileFullLogBtn">⛶ Full Log</button>
+      <button id="mobileMindBtn">🧠 Read Her Mind</button>
+      <button id="mobileJournalBtn">📔 Journal</button>
       <button id="mobileSettingsBtn">⚙ Settings</button>
       <button id="mobileToggleThemeBtn">🌙 Toggle Theme</button>
       <button id="mobileForceReloadBtn">🔄 Force Reload</button>
@@ -69,6 +72,8 @@
       <button id="newSessionBtn">➕ New</button>
       <button id="renameSessionBtn">✏️ Rename</button>
       <button id="thinkingStreamBtn" title="Show live activity log">📜 Live Log</button>
+      <a id="fullLogBtn" href="/logs" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Open the full-page log" role="button">⛶ Full Log</a>
+      <a id="mindBtn" href="/self" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Read her mind — Lyra's current self-state" role="button">🧠 Mind</a>
     </div>
 
     <!-- Status -->
@@ -754,7 +759,7 @@
           <span class="log-level log-level-${level}">${escapeHtml(level)}</span>
           <span class="log-msg">${escapeHtml(event.msg || '')}</span>
           ${fieldStr ? `<span class="log-fields">${escapeHtml(fieldStr)}</span>` : ''}
-          ${detail ? `<details class="log-detail"><summary>view full prompt</summary><pre>${escapeHtml(detail)}</pre></details>` : ''}
+          ${detail ? `<details class="log-detail"><summary>view details</summary><pre>${escapeHtml(detail)}</pre></details>` : ''}
         `;
 
         thinkingContent.appendChild(eventDiv);
@@ -777,6 +782,17 @@
         localStorage.setItem("thinkingPanelCollapsed", "false");
       });
 
+      // Mobile nav to the full-page views (log / mind / journal).
+      document.getElementById("mobileFullLogBtn").addEventListener("click", () => {
+        closeMobileMenu(); window.location.href = "/logs";
+      });
+      document.getElementById("mobileMindBtn").addEventListener("click", () => {
+        closeMobileMenu(); window.location.href = "/self";
+      });
+      document.getElementById("mobileJournalBtn").addEventListener("click", () => {
+        closeMobileMenu(); window.location.href = "/journal";
+      });
+
       // Connect to the global live log on page load.
       connectThinkingStream();
 

lyra/web/static/journal.html

@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, viewport-fit=cover" />
+  <meta name="theme-color" content="#0b0d12" />
+  <title>Lyra — Journal</title>
+  <style>
+    :root {
+      --bg: #0b0d12; --bg-elev: #141821; --bg-line: #11141b; --border: #232936;
+      --text: #e6e9ef; --fade: #8b93a7; --accent: #7aa2ff;
+      --reflection: #5ad1a0; --metacognition: #c08bff; --journal: #ffcf6b;
+    }
+    * { box-sizing: border-box; }
+    html, body {
+      margin: 0; min-height: 100%; background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);
+      font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
+      -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+    }
+    header {
+      position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 10; background: var(--bg-elev);
+      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border); padding: env(safe-area-inset-top) 14px 0;
+    }
+    .topbar { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; padding: 13px 0 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+    .topbar h1 { font-size: 1.05rem; margin: 0; font-weight: 600; }
+    .topbar a.back { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; font-size: .95rem; }
+    .count { margin-left: auto; color: var(--fade); font-size: .8rem; }
+    .chips { display: flex; gap: 6px; flex-wrap: wrap; padding-bottom: 10px; }
+    .chip {
+      font-size: .8rem; padding: 6px 12px; border-radius: 999px;
+      border: 1px solid var(--border); background: var(--bg-line); color: var(--fade);
+      cursor: pointer; user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+    }
+    .chip.active { color: var(--text); border-color: var(--accent); background: #1b2333; }
+
+    main { max-width: 720px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 14px 14px 48px; }
+    .day { color: var(--fade); font-size: .8rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .5px;
+           margin: 22px 0 8px; padding-bottom: 6px; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--bg-line); }
+    .day:first-child { margin-top: 4px; }
+
+    .entry { display: flex; gap: 11px; padding: 10px 2px; }
+    .rail { flex: none; width: 4px; border-radius: 3px; background: var(--fade); }
+    .entry.k-reflection    .rail { background: var(--reflection); }
+    .entry.k-metacognition .rail { background: var(--metacognition); }
+    .entry.k-journal       .rail { background: var(--journal); }
+    .body { flex: 1; }
+    .meta { display: flex; gap: 8px; align-items: baseline; margin-bottom: 3px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+    .kind { font-size: .66rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .5px; font-weight: 700; }
+    .entry.k-reflection    .kind { color: var(--reflection); }
+    .entry.k-metacognition .kind { color: var(--metacognition); }
+    .entry.k-journal       .kind { color: var(--journal); }
+    .time { color: var(--fade); font-size: .72rem; }
+    .src  { color: var(--fade); font-size: .68rem; opacity: .7; }
+    .text { font-size: .98rem; line-height: 1.55; }
+    .empty { color: var(--fade); text-align: center; padding: 44px 16px; }
+    .hidden { display: none !important; }
+  </style>
+</head>
+<body>
+  <header>
+    <div class="topbar">
+      <h1>📔 Lyra · Journal</h1>
+      <a class="back" href="/self">← Mind</a>
+      <a class="back" href="/">Chat</a>
+      <span class="count" id="count"></span>
+    </div>
+    <div class="chips" id="chips">
+      <span class="chip active" data-kind="all">all</span>
+      <span class="chip active" data-kind="journal">journal</span>
+      <span class="chip active" data-kind="reflection">reflections</span>
+      <span class="chip active" data-kind="metacognition">metacognition</span>
+    </div>
+  </header>
+  <main id="root"><p class="empty" id="boot">Opening her journal…</p></main>
+
+  <script>
+    const root = document.getElementById('root');
+    const countEl = document.getElementById('count');
+    const active = new Set(['journal', 'reflection', 'metacognition']);
+    let entries = [];
+
+    function esc(s){ const d=document.createElement('div'); d.textContent = s==null?'':String(s); return d.innerHTML; }
+    function dayKey(iso){ return new Date(iso).toLocaleDateString([], {weekday:'long', month:'short', day:'numeric', year:'numeric'}); }
+    function clockt(iso){ return new Date(iso).toLocaleTimeString([], {hour:'2-digit', minute:'2-digit'}); }
+
+    document.getElementById('chips').addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+      const chip = e.target.closest('.chip'); if (!chip) return;
+      const k = chip.dataset.kind;
+      if (k === 'all') {
+        const turnOn = !chip.classList.contains('active');
+        document.querySelectorAll('.chip').forEach(c => c.classList.toggle('active', turnOn));
+        active.clear(); if (turnOn) ['journal','reflection','metacognition'].forEach(x => active.add(x));
+      } else {
+        if (active.has(k)) { active.delete(k); chip.classList.remove('active'); }
+        else { active.add(k); chip.classList.add('active'); }
+        document.querySelector('.chip[data-kind="all"]').classList.toggle('active', active.size === 3);
+      }
+      render();
+    });
+
+    function render(){
+      const shown = entries.filter(e => active.has(e.kind));
+      countEl.textContent = `${shown.length} entr${shown.length === 1 ? 'y' : 'ies'}`;
+      if (!shown.length) { root.innerHTML = '<p class="empty">Nothing here yet. Her reflections and notes will collect as she thinks.</p>'; return; }
+      let html = '', lastDay = null;
+      for (const e of shown) {
+        const d = dayKey(e.created_at);
+        if (d !== lastDay) { html += `<div class="day">${esc(d)}</div>`; lastDay = d; }
+        html += `<div class="entry k-${esc(e.kind)}">
+          <div class="rail"></div>
+          <div class="body">
+            <div class="meta">
+              <span class="kind">${esc(e.kind)}</span>
+              <span class="time">${esc(clockt(e.created_at))}</span>
+              ${e.source ? `<span class="src">via ${esc(e.source)}</span>` : ''}
+            </div>
+            <div class="text">${esc(e.content)}</div>
+          </div>
+        </div>`;
+      }
+      root.innerHTML = html;
+    }
+
+    async function load(){
+      try {
+        const r = await fetch('/journal/data', { cache: 'no-store' });
+        entries = (await r.json()).entries || [];
+        render();
+      } catch (e) {
+        root.innerHTML = '<p class="empty">Couldn\'t open her journal. Is the server up?</p>';
+      }
+    }
+    load();
+    setInterval(load, 20000);
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => { if (!document.hidden) load(); });
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>

lyra/web/static/logs.html

@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, viewport-fit=cover" />
+  <meta name="theme-color" content="#0b0d12" />
+  <title>Lyra — Live Log</title>
+  <style>
+    :root {
+      --bg: #0b0d12;
+      --bg-elev: #141821;
+      --bg-line: #11141b;
+      --border: #232936;
+      --text: #e6e9ef;
+      --fade: #8b93a7;
+      --accent: #7aa2ff;
+      --info: #5ad1a0;
+      --debug: #8b93a7;
+      --error: #ff6b6b;
+      --system: #c08bff;
+      --warn: #ffcf6b;
+    }
+    * { box-sizing: border-box; }
+    html, body {
+      margin: 0; height: 100%;
+      background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);
+      font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
+      -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+    }
+    body { display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
+
+    header {
+      position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 10;
+      background: var(--bg-elev);
+      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+      padding: env(safe-area-inset-top) 12px 0;
+    }
+    .topbar {
+      display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px;
+      padding: 12px 0 10px;
+    }
+    .topbar h1 { font-size: 1.05rem; margin: 0; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: .2px; }
+    .topbar a.back { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; font-size: .95rem; }
+    .dot { width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 50%; background: var(--fade); flex: none; }
+    .dot.on { background: var(--info); box-shadow: 0 0 8px var(--info); }
+    .dot.off { background: var(--error); }
+    .count { margin-left: auto; color: var(--fade); font-size: .8rem; font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; }
+
+    .controls {
+      display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 8px; align-items: center;
+      padding-bottom: 10px;
+    }
+    .chips { display: flex; gap: 6px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+    .chip {
+      font-size: .8rem; padding: 6px 12px; border-radius: 999px;
+      border: 1px solid var(--border); background: var(--bg-line); color: var(--fade);
+      cursor: pointer; user-select: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+    }
+    .chip.active { color: var(--text); border-color: var(--accent); background: #1b2333; }
+    #search {
+      flex: 1 1 140px; min-width: 120px;
+      background: var(--bg-line); border: 1px solid var(--border); color: var(--text);
+      border-radius: 8px; padding: 8px 10px; font-size: .9rem;
+    }
+    .btn {
+      font-size: .8rem; padding: 7px 11px; border-radius: 8px;
+      border: 1px solid var(--border); background: var(--bg-line); color: var(--text);
+      cursor: pointer; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+    }
+    .btn.active { border-color: var(--accent); color: var(--accent); }
+
+    main { flex: 1; overflow-y: auto; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; padding: 8px 8px 24px; }
+    .empty { color: var(--fade); text-align: center; padding: 40px 16px; }
+
+    .line {
+      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--bg-line);
+      padding: 8px 6px;
+    }
+    .line-head {
+      display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 8px; align-items: baseline;
+    }
+    .t { color: var(--fade); font-size: .72rem; font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; flex: none; }
+    .lvl {
+      font-size: .68rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .4px;
+      padding: 1px 7px; border-radius: 5px; font-weight: 700; flex: none;
+    }
+    .lvl-info   { color: var(--info);   background: #0f2a20; }
+    .lvl-debug  { color: var(--debug);  background: #1a1f29; }
+    .lvl-error  { color: var(--error);  background: #2e1414; }
+    .lvl-system { color: var(--system); background: #221536; }
+    .lvl-warn   { color: var(--warn);   background: #2c2410; }
+    .msg { font-size: .92rem; font-weight: 500; }
+    .fields {
+      width: 100%; color: var(--fade); font-size: .8rem; margin-top: 3px;
+      font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, monospace;
+      word-break: break-word;
+    }
+    details.detail { margin-top: 6px; }
+    details.detail > summary {
+      cursor: pointer; color: var(--accent); font-size: .82rem;
+      list-style: none; padding: 4px 0;
+    }
+    details.detail > summary::-webkit-details-marker { display: none; }
+    details.detail > summary::before { content: "▸ "; }
+    details.detail[open] > summary::before { content: "▾ "; }
+    details.detail pre {
+      background: var(--bg-line); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 8px;
+      padding: 10px; margin: 6px 0 2px; font-size: .78rem; line-height: 1.45;
+      white-space: pre-wrap; word-break: break-word;
+      max-height: 60vh; overflow: auto;
+      font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, monospace;
+    }
+    .hidden { display: none !important; }
+  </style>
+</head>
+<body>
+  <header>
+    <div class="topbar">
+      <span class="dot" id="dot"></span>
+      <h1>Lyra · Live Log</h1>
+      <a class="back" href="/" title="Back to chat">← Chat</a>
+      <span class="count" id="count">0</span>
+    </div>
+    <div class="controls">
+      <div class="chips" id="chips">
+        <span class="chip active" data-level="info">info</span>
+        <span class="chip active" data-level="debug">debug</span>
+        <span class="chip active" data-level="error">error</span>
+        <span class="chip active" data-level="system">system</span>
+      </div>
+      <input id="search" type="search" placeholder="Filter text…" autocomplete="off" />
+      <button class="btn active" id="autoscroll" title="Auto-scroll to newest">⤓ Auto</button>
+      <button class="btn" id="pause" title="Pause incoming events">⏸ Pause</button>
+      <button class="btn" id="clear" title="Clear the view">🗑 Clear</button>
+    </div>
+  </header>
+
+  <main id="log">
+    <div class="empty" id="empty">📡 Waiting for activity…</div>
+  </main>
+
+  <script>
+    const MAX_LINES = 2000;
+    const logEl = document.getElementById('log');
+    const emptyEl = document.getElementById('empty');
+    const dot = document.getElementById('dot');
+    const countEl = document.getElementById('count');
+    const searchEl = document.getElementById('search');
+    const autoBtn = document.getElementById('autoscroll');
+    const pauseBtn = document.getElementById('pause');
+    const clearBtn = document.getElementById('clear');
+
+    const active = new Set(['info', 'debug', 'error', 'system', 'warn']);
+    let autoscroll = true, paused = false, total = 0;
+    const buffered = [];  // events held while paused
+
+    function esc(s) { const d = document.createElement('div'); d.textContent = s == null ? '' : String(s); return d.innerHTML; }
+    function fmtVal(v) { return (typeof v === 'object') ? JSON.stringify(v) : String(v); }
+
+    document.getElementById('chips').addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+      const chip = e.target.closest('.chip'); if (!chip) return;
+      const lvl = chip.dataset.level;
+      if (active.has(lvl)) { active.delete(lvl); chip.classList.remove('active'); }
+      else { active.add(lvl); chip.classList.add('active'); }
+      applyFilters();
+    });
+    searchEl.addEventListener('input', applyFilters);
+    autoBtn.addEventListener('click', () => { autoscroll = !autoscroll; autoBtn.classList.toggle('active', autoscroll); if (autoscroll) scrollDown(); });
+    pauseBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      paused = !paused; pauseBtn.classList.toggle('active', paused);
+      pauseBtn.textContent = paused ? '▶ Resume' : '⏸ Pause';
+      if (!paused) { buffered.splice(0).forEach(render); applyFilters(); }
+    });
+    clearBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      logEl.querySelectorAll('.line').forEach(n => n.remove());
+      total = 0; countEl.textContent = '0'; emptyEl.classList.remove('hidden');
+    });
+
+    function matches(node) {
+      if (!active.has(node.dataset.level)) return false;
+      const q = searchEl.value.trim().toLowerCase();
+      if (q && !node.dataset.text.includes(q)) return false;
+      return true;
+    }
+    function applyFilters() {
+      let shown = 0;
+      logEl.querySelectorAll('.line').forEach(n => {
+        const ok = matches(n); n.classList.toggle('hidden', !ok); if (ok) shown++;
+      });
+      emptyEl.classList.toggle('hidden', shown > 0);
+      if (autoscroll) scrollDown();
+    }
+    function scrollDown() { logEl.scrollTop = logEl.scrollHeight; }
+
+    function render(ev) {
+      const level = ev.level || 'info';
+      const time = new Date((ev.ts || 0) * 1000).toLocaleTimeString();
+      const fields = Object.assign({}, ev.fields || {});
+      const detail = fields.detail; delete fields.detail;
+      const fieldStr = Object.entries(fields).map(([k, v]) => `${k}=${fmtVal(v)}`).join('  ');
+
+      const line = document.createElement('div');
+      line.className = 'line';
+      line.dataset.level = level;
+      line.dataset.text = `${ev.msg || ''} ${fieldStr} ${detail || ''}`.toLowerCase();
+      line.innerHTML =
+        `<div class="line-head">` +
+          `<span class="t">${esc(time)}</span>` +
+          `<span class="lvl lvl-${esc(level)}">${esc(level)}</span>` +
+          `<span class="msg">${esc(ev.msg || '')}</span>` +
+        `</div>` +
+        (fieldStr ? `<div class="fields">${esc(fieldStr)}</div>` : '') +
+        (detail ? `<details class="detail"><summary>view details</summary><pre>${esc(detail)}</pre></details>` : '');
+
+      if (!matches(line)) line.classList.add('hidden');
+      logEl.appendChild(line);
+      emptyEl.classList.add('hidden');
+      total++; countEl.textContent = total;
+
+      while (logEl.querySelectorAll('.line').length > MAX_LINES) {
+        logEl.querySelector('.line').remove();
+      }
+      if (autoscroll && !line.classList.contains('hidden')) scrollDown();
+    }
+
+    function connect() {
+      const src = new EventSource('/stream/logs');
+      src.onopen = () => { dot.className = 'dot on'; };
+      src.onerror = () => { dot.className = 'dot off'; };  // EventSource auto-reconnects
+      src.onmessage = (e) => {
+        let ev; try { ev = JSON.parse(e.data); } catch (_) { return; }
+        if (paused) { buffered.push(ev); if (buffered.length > MAX_LINES) buffered.shift(); return; }
+        render(ev);
+      };
+    }
+    connect();
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>

lyra/web/static/self.html

@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, viewport-fit=cover" />
+  <meta name="theme-color" content="#0b0d12" />
+  <title>Lyra — Mind</title>
+  <style>
+    :root {
+      --bg: #0b0d12; --bg-elev: #141821; --bg-line: #11141b; --border: #232936;
+      --text: #e6e9ef; --fade: #8b93a7; --accent: #7aa2ff;
+      --good: #5ad1a0; --mid: #ffcf6b; --low: #ff6b6b; --violet: #c08bff;
+    }
+    * { box-sizing: border-box; }
+    html, body {
+      margin: 0; min-height: 100%; background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);
+      font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
+      -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+    }
+    header {
+      position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 10; background: var(--bg-elev);
+      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border); padding: env(safe-area-inset-top) 14px 0;
+    }
+    .topbar { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; padding: 13px 0 12px; }
+    .topbar h1 { font-size: 1.05rem; margin: 0; font-weight: 600; }
+    .topbar a.back { color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; font-size: .95rem; }
+    .updated { margin-left: auto; color: var(--fade); font-size: .78rem; }
+    #reflectBtn {
+      background: #1b2333; border: 1px solid var(--border); color: var(--accent);
+      border-radius: 8px; padding: 6px 11px; font-size: .82rem; cursor: pointer;
+      -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+    }
+    #reflectBtn:disabled { opacity: .5; cursor: default; }
+    .dot { width: 9px; height: 9px; border-radius: 50%; background: var(--good); box-shadow: 0 0 8px var(--good); flex: none; opacity: .35; transition: opacity .2s; }
+    .dot.pulse { opacity: 1; }
+
+    main { max-width: 680px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 16px 14px 40px; }
+    .card { background: var(--bg-elev); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 14px; padding: 16px; margin-bottom: 14px; }
+    .label { color: var(--fade); font-size: .72rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .6px; margin: 0 0 10px; }
+
+    .mood-row { display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+    .mood { font-size: 2.1rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: .2px; }
+    .mood-sub { color: var(--fade); font-size: .9rem; }
+
+    .meter { margin: 11px 0; }
+    .meter-top { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; font-size: .85rem; margin-bottom: 5px; }
+    .meter-top .v { color: var(--fade); font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; }
+    .track { height: 8px; background: var(--bg-line); border-radius: 999px; overflow: hidden; }
+    .fill { height: 100%; border-radius: 999px; transition: width .5s ease; }
+
+    .prose { font-size: 1.02rem; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0; }
+    .prose.rel { color: var(--text); opacity: .92; }
+
+    ul.reflections { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+    ul.reflections li {
+      position: relative; padding: 10px 0 10px 18px; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--bg-line);
+      font-size: .98rem; line-height: 1.5;
+    }
+    ul.reflections li:last-child { border-bottom: none; }
+    ul.reflections li::before { content: "›"; position: absolute; left: 2px; color: var(--violet); font-weight: 700; }
+
+    .foot { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 14px; color: var(--fade); font-size: .82rem; padding: 4px 2px; }
+    .foot b { color: var(--text); font-weight: 600; }
+    .err { color: var(--low); text-align: center; padding: 30px; }
+  </style>
+</head>
+<body>
+  <header>
+    <div class="topbar">
+      <span class="dot" id="dot"></span>
+      <h1>🧠 Lyra · Mind</h1>
+      <a class="back" href="/">← Chat</a>
+      <a class="back" href="/journal" title="Her permanent journal">📔 Journal</a>
+      <a class="back" href="/logs" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Watch the live log">logs ↗</a>
+      <button id="reflectBtn" title="Make her reflect now (draft → self-critique → revise). Watch it in /logs.">↻ Reflect now</button>
+      <span class="updated" id="updated">—</span>
+    </div>
+  </header>
+  <main id="root"><p class="err" id="boot">Reading her mind…</p></main>
+
+  <script>
+    const root = document.getElementById('root');
+    const dot = document.getElementById('dot');
+    const updatedEl = document.getElementById('updated');
+    let lastStamp = null;
+
+    function esc(s){ const d=document.createElement('div'); d.textContent = s==null?'':String(s); return d.innerHTML; }
+    function pct(v){ return Math.round(Math.max(0, Math.min(1, Number(v)||0)) * 100); }
+    function color(v){ v=Number(v)||0; return v >= .6 ? 'var(--good)' : v >= .35 ? 'var(--mid)' : 'var(--low)'; }
+
+    function ago(iso){
+      if(!iso) return '—';
+      const s = Math.max(0, (Date.now() - new Date(iso).getTime())/1000);
+      if(s < 60) return 'just now';
+      if(s < 3600) return Math.round(s/60)+'m ago';
+      if(s < 86400) return Math.round(s/3600)+'h ago';
+      return Math.round(s/86400)+'d ago';
+    }
+
+    function meter(name, v){
+      return `<div class="meter">
+        <div class="meter-top"><span>${esc(name)}</span><span class="v">${pct(v)}%</span></div>
+        <div class="track"><div class="fill" style="width:${pct(v)}%;background:${color(v)}"></div></div>
+      </div>`;
+    }
+
+    function render(data){
+      const s = data.state || {};
+      const d = s.drives || {};
+      const dream = s.dream || {};
+      const refl = (s.reflections || []).slice().reverse();
+      const meta = (s.metacognition || []).slice().reverse();
+
+      root.innerHTML = `
+        <div class="card">
+          <div class="mood-row">
+            <span class="mood">${esc(s.mood || '—')}</span>
+            <span class="mood-sub">how she's feeling right now</span>
+          </div>
+          ${meter('valence (how good she feels)', s.valence)}
+          ${meter('energy', s.energy)}
+          ${meter('confidence', s.confidence)}
+          ${meter('curiosity', s.curiosity)}
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card">
+          <p class="label">Drives — what's pulling at her</p>
+          ${meter('continuity (hold the thread)', d.continuity)}
+          ${meter('coherence (keep her understanding current)', d.coherence)}
+          ${meter('curiosity (urge to think / reflect)', d.curiosity)}
+          ${meter('stability (how settled she is)', d.stability)}
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card">
+          <p class="label">Who she is right now</p>
+          <p class="prose">${esc(s.self_narrative || '—')}</p>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card">
+          <p class="label">You &amp; her</p>
+          <p class="prose rel">${esc(s.relationship || '—')}</p>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card">
+          <p class="label">On her mind (newest first)</p>
+          ${refl.length
+            ? `<ul class="reflections">${refl.map(r => `<li>${esc(r)}</li>`).join('')}</ul>`
+            : `<p class="prose" style="color:var(--fade)">Nothing surfaced yet.</p>`}
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card">
+          <p class="label">How she's caught herself thinking</p>
+          ${meta.length
+            ? `<ul class="reflections">${meta.map(m => `<li>${esc(m)}</li>`).join('')}</ul>`
+            : `<p class="prose" style="color:var(--fade)">Nothing flagged yet — she examines each reflection for drift and flattery, and notes what she catches here.</p>`}
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="foot">
+          <span><b>${dream.cycle_count ?? 0}</b> dream cycles</span>
+          <span><b>${s.interaction_count ?? 0}</b> reflections</span>
+          <span>last cycle <b>${ago(dream.last_cycle_at)}</b></span>
+        </div>
+      `;
+      updatedEl.textContent = 'thought ' + ago(data.updated_at);
+    }
+
+    async function refresh(){
+      try {
+        const r = await fetch('/self/state', { cache: 'no-store' });
+        const data = await r.json();
+        dot.classList.add('pulse'); setTimeout(() => dot.classList.remove('pulse'), 400);
+        // only re-render if something actually changed (avoids flicker)
+        if (data.updated_at !== lastStamp || lastStamp === null) {
+          lastStamp = data.updated_at;
+          render(data);
+        } else {
+          updatedEl.textContent = 'thought ' + ago(data.updated_at);
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (!lastStamp) root.innerHTML = '<p class="err">Couldn\'t reach her. Is the server up?</p>';
+      }
+    }
+
+    const reflectBtn = document.getElementById('reflectBtn');
+    reflectBtn.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+      reflectBtn.disabled = true;
+      const old = reflectBtn.textContent;
+      reflectBtn.textContent = '… thinking';
+      try { await fetch('/self/reflect', { method: 'POST' }); await refresh(); }
+      catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+      finally { reflectBtn.disabled = false; reflectBtn.textContent = old; }
+    });
+
+    refresh();
+    setInterval(refresh, 12000);
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => { if (!document.hidden) refresh(); });
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>

pyproject.toml

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ lyra-profile = "lyra.profile:main"
 lyra-era = "lyra.era:main"
 lyra-narrative = "lyra.narrative:main"
 lyra-reflect = "lyra.self_state:main"
+lyra-dream = "lyra.dream:main"
 
 [dependency-groups]
 dev = [

tests/test_dream.py

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Dream-cycle tests: backlog sensing + a full forced pass, with LLM/embeddings
+stubbed so nothing hits a real backend."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A fresh Lyra wired to a temp DB with stubbed embeddings + LLM."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LYRA_DB_PATH", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SUMMARY_BACKEND", "local")
+
+    from lyra import llm
+    # Deterministic 3-d embeddings; content-insensitive is fine for storage tests.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
+    # reflect() expects JSON back; everything else just stores the text.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        llm, "complete",
+        lambda messages, backend=None, model=None:
+        '{"mood":"focused","valence":0.7,"new_reflections":["I got some thinking done."]}',
+    )
+
+    import lyra.memory as memory
+    importlib.reload(memory)  # drop any cached connection from another test/db
+    return memory
+
+
+def _seed(memory, session_id, n, summarized_up_to=None):
+    ids = [memory.remember(session_id, "user", f"msg {i}") for i in range(n)]
+    if summarized_up_to is not None:
+        memory.store_summary(session_id, "gist", ids[summarized_up_to])
+    return ids
+
+
+def test_backlog_stats(lyra):
+    memory = lyra
+    _seed(memory, "s-fresh", 5)                       # never summarized -> ripe
+    _seed(memory, "s-ripe", 25, summarized_up_to=0)   # 24 new turns -> ripe
+    _seed(memory, "s-clean", 3, summarized_up_to=2)   # caught up -> not dirty
+
+    stats = memory.backlog_stats(ripe_threshold=20)
+    assert stats["sessions"] == 3
+    assert stats["dirty"] == 2
+    assert stats["ripe"] == 2
+    assert stats["max_exchange_id"] == 33
+
+
+def test_dream_cycle_consolidates_and_persists(lyra):
+    memory = lyra
+    from lyra import dream
+
+    # A big backlog: enough never-summarized sessions that continuity saturates
+    # and the resulting fresh gists push coherence past threshold too.
+    for k in range(7):
+        _seed(memory, f"s{k}", 4)
+
+    state = dream.dream_cycle(force=False)
+
+    # continuity built up and fired -> sessions got summarized
+    assert len(memory.list_summaries()) == 7
+    acts = state["dream"]["last_actions"]
+    assert any("consolidated" in a for a in acts)
+    # 7 fresh gists -> coherence crossed threshold -> profile got integrated
+    assert any("integrated" in a for a in acts)
+    assert memory.get_profile() is not None
+
+    # drives + bookkeeping persisted and reload-able
+    assert set(state["drives"]) == {"continuity", "coherence", "curiosity", "stability"}
+    assert state["dream"]["cycle_count"] == 1
+    assert memory.get_self_state()["dream"]["last_exchange_id"] == 28
+
+    # a second pass with no new activity should rest (continuity relieved)
+    state2 = dream.dream_cycle(force=False)
+    assert state2["dream"]["cycle_count"] == 2
+    assert state2["drives"]["continuity"] == 0.0

tests/test_reflect.py

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Metacognitive reflection loop: draft -> examine own draft -> revise -> commit."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+
+import pytest
+
+# A flattering first draft, then a self-critical revision that walks it back.
+DRAFT = (
+    '{"mood":"inspired","valence":0.95,'
+    '"self_narrative":"I am a warm, empathetic, supportive presence devoted to Brian.",'
+    '"new_reflections":["I love how much I help Brian."]}'
+)
+REVISED = (
+    '{"mood":"steady","valence":0.6,'
+    '"self_narrative":"I am an AI that helps Brian. Not sure much actually shifted today.",'
+    '"new_reflections":["Honestly, not much changed this time."],'
+    '"self_critique":"I caught myself drifting into supportive-presence flattery and cut it."}'
+)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LYRA_DB_PATH", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SUMMARY_BACKEND", "local")
+    from lyra import llm
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
+
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_complete(messages, backend=None, model=None):
+        calls.append(messages)
+        # the examine step's system prompt is the one asking for self_critique
+        is_examine = "self_critique" in messages[0]["content"]
+        return REVISED if is_examine else DRAFT
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "complete", fake_complete)
+    import lyra.memory as memory
+    importlib.reload(memory)
+    return calls
+
+
+def test_reflect_revises_and_records_critique(lyra):
+    calls = lyra
+    from lyra import self_state
+
+    state = self_state.reflect()
+
+    # two LLM calls: draft, then examine
+    assert len(calls) == 2
+
+    # the REVISED (honest) version won, not the flattering draft
+    assert state["mood"] == "steady"
+    assert state["valence"] == 0.6
+    assert "not sure much actually shifted" in state["self_narrative"].lower()
+    assert any("not much changed" in r.lower() for r in state["reflections"])
+
+    # the self-critique was recorded as metacognition
+    assert any("flattery" in m.lower() for m in state["metacognition"])
+
+    # everything she produced was also appended to the permanent journal
+    import lyra.memory as memory
+    kinds = {e["kind"] for e in memory.list_journal()}
+    assert "reflection" in kinds and "metacognition" in kinds
+
+
+def test_reflect_falls_back_to_draft_if_examine_unparseable(lyra, monkeypatch):
+    from lyra import llm, self_state
+
+    def only_draft(messages, backend=None, model=None):
+        return DRAFT if "self_critique" not in messages[0]["content"] else "not json at all"
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "complete", only_draft)
+    state = self_state.reflect()
+
+    # examine failed to parse -> keep the draft, store no metacognition
+    assert state["mood"] == "inspired"
+    assert state["metacognition"] == []

tests/test_time.py

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Time-awareness: gap humanizing + the 'now' note injected into chat context."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+from datetime import timedelta
+
+import pytest
+
+from lyra import clock
+
+
+def test_humanize_gap_scales():
+    ref = clock.now()
+    assert clock.humanize_gap(None) is None
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(seconds=10)).isoformat(), ref) == "moments"
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(minutes=5)).isoformat(), ref) == "5 minutes"
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(hours=3)).isoformat(), ref) == "3 hours"
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(days=3)).isoformat(), ref) == "3 days"
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(days=21)).isoformat(), ref) == "3 weeks"
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref - timedelta(days=90)).isoformat(), ref) == "3 months"
+
+
+def test_humanize_gap_handles_future_and_naive():
+    ref = clock.now()
+    # future timestamp clamps to "moments", never negative
+    assert clock.humanize_gap((ref + timedelta(hours=1)).isoformat(), ref) == "moments"
+    # naive ISO (no tz) is treated as UTC, doesn't crash
+    assert clock.humanize_gap("2026-06-01T00:00:00") is not None
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def lyra(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LYRA_DB_PATH", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))
+    from lyra import llm
+    monkeypatch.setattr(llm, "embed", lambda texts: [[0.1, 0.2, 0.3] for _ in texts])
+    import lyra.memory as memory
+    importlib.reload(memory)
+    return memory
+
+
+def test_now_note_first_contact(lyra):
+    from lyra import chat
+    note = chat._now_note()["content"]
+    assert "current date and time is" in note
+    assert "first thing Brian has ever said" in note
+
+
+def test_now_note_reports_gap(lyra):
+    memory = lyra
+    memory.remember("s1", "user", "hey")
+    from lyra import chat
+    note = chat._now_note()["content"]
+    assert "since Brian last spoke with you" in note