The beauty of meditation is that it can be practised wherever and whenever you feel the need to create a quiet moment. And while this is certainly true, many of us choose to meditate in the comfort of our own homes. While it is not necessary to dedicate a special room or corner of your living space for meditation, there are benefits to be derived from having a regular place.
Having a dedicated meditation space helps you to establish a routine and break the initial resistance which most people have to sitting still and staying silent for more than a few minutes. Another benefit is that you will find the room will soon acquire an ambience that is conducive to meditation and relaxation as it will have been 'charged' by your positive mental energy.
With all this in mind, here are a few things to consider when you're planning the perfect meditation space at home.
Avoid cluttering
The primary aims of meditation are heightened concentration and total absorption in a single idea or object, both of which you will find difficult to achieve in a room that is cluttered. It helps if you have a quiet corner which is assigned solely to be your meditation area. Make it conducive to meditation by adding some cushions or candles – you want to make it comfortable yet free of clutter.
Keep it simple
Try limiting yourself to a single central object in your meditation space such as a small picture or a statue. Choose an item you can focus on without distraction, and maybe even something that induces a sense of the sacred and spiritual (if that's your thing).
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Embrace the elements
Symbols of the four elements are also useful tools for contemplation, as can be seen in this room. You can represent:
- Earth with a crystal, salt or a plant
- Air with incense
- Fire with a candle
- Water placed inside a ceramic bowl
Create a safe zone
If you are using candles, always make sure they are secure and in a place where they won't be knocked over. Also consider placing the holder in a large bowl of water or trough of sand so that there is no risk of fire.
Consider comfort
Your meditation room needs to be comfortably warm and well aired, particularly if you are using candles or incense which use up oxygen and can leave you feeling tired.
Listen up!
Wind chimes, soothing music or natural sounds can help create the right atmosphere, but if you are using music or pre-recorded visualisations, make sure to vary them so you're not tied to one particular theme or exercise for too long.
Find a connection to nature
Have something from nature within reach. This could be a bowl of water, a vase of flowers or a pot plant; anything that can act as a focal point in a specific exercise and help you fade out the rest of the world and any thoughts other than the task at hand. When you practise Concentrative Meditation, for example, you are asked to focus on one particular object and concentrate on all the senses – what you can hear, see, feel, etc.
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Belinda's top 5 tips for meditation
1. Set a fixed time block
You will only be able to benefit from meditation if you practise it regularly. Turn this into a habit by setting aside at least 10 minutes twice a day just for meditation.
2. Keep a journal
Recording your impressions of meditation in a journal is a good way to focus your thoughts, analyse your insights and establish the routine of daily practise.
3. Let distractions wash over you
Unexpected noises can be a distraction – but only if you let them! The banging of a door, a car horn, and so on, are gone in a moment, but if you worry about how you might react if it happens again, or despair of getting perfect peace and quiet, you empower them with life beyond that moment. It is comparatively easy to meditate in perfect silence – the real test is to remain relaxed and focused in the real world.
4. Don't meditate straight after eating
It is important not to meditate for at least an hour after eating a light snack and four hours after eating a heavy meal. You don't want your body trying to process food while it's twisted into different poses.
5. Know the right time
Yogis believe the best times of day to meditate are at sunrise, noon, sunset or midnight. That said, the most significant thing is to find a time in your own schedule you know you'll be able to stick to.
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This article originally appeared on Houzz.