Building Your Ideal Meditation Space
For years you might have used the corner of the bedroom, a spot on the living room floor, or the bathroom as a place to practice, or anywhere else you could find some quiet. While these are all perfectly fine spots for meditation, creating a designated meditation space in your home has real benefits. Having a dedicated space where meditation, breathing, and quiet reflection take place can actually trigger a shift in consciousness the moment you enter it.
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What You’ll Need
Building your ideal meditation space doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive, but it does need to be intentional. The key is to make sure you have a clean, uncluttered, comfortable space where you feel at home, and to fill it with things that hold personal significance for your practice. Here’s a list of things to consider:
Space
Ideally, your meditation space would be in a private, quiet area of the home, where you won’t be disturbed. In a perfect world, it would be a room entirely dedicated to this purpose. But if you don’t have a room available, find a comfortable corner of a quiet room and dedicate that spot to the practice. Using dividers or a well-placed piece of furniture can help partition the space.
Seating
Choose seating that supports good posture: a chair, a meditation stool, or a cushion on the floor. Your back should be straight and relaxed, not rigid or strained. Having a seating arrangement that you use specifically for meditation can help to signal to your mind and body that it’s time to get quiet.
Light
Natural light is ideal, but if that’s not possible, try to use warm and dimmable lighting – LED light bulbs make this easy and affordable to do. Candles can be a great option too, as the dancing nature of candlelight can help us relax and focus our attention.
Sound
It’s best if your space is quiet enough that you won’t be disturbed by outside noise, but since we don’t live in a soundproofed room, some noise is inevitable. A white noise or fan machine can help block out sudden disturbances, or you can listen to relaxing music, nature sounds, or even binaural beats during your practice.
Smell
Our sense of smell can have a powerful effect on our state of mind. Scents like lavender, sage, and sandalwood can induce a sense of calm and relaxation. Consider the use of candles, incense, or an essential oil diffuser to infuse your meditation space with a scent that helps you to relax.
Personal Items
Personalize your space with items that hold meaning for you: perhaps images of people or places that inspire you, or items from nature, such as stones, crystals, plants, or dried flowers.
Tips
- Give your space a regular cleansing. Smudging with sage is a traditional practice for clearing negative energies. You might also try a simple intention, prayer, or energy cleansing visualization.
- Keep your space clean and uncluttered, and use it only for meditation and quiet reflection (and not for answering emails or scrolling through social media).
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