Whether you are new to the practice of meditation or you are an experienced meditator, you may still enjoy creating a special place for your daily ritual.
Meditation is the time we set aside to connect with our inner self and the energies and wisdom of the cosmos. I like to think of meditation as not just quieting the mind but entering the quiet that is already there.
Setting aside a space in your living quarters is a perfect way to honor the practice of meditation and designate it as sacred. Meditation is a time to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the day and be at peace with your thoughts and your inner world. When you set aside a special area, you claim it as a priority and send a signal to your subconscious mind that this is a special time and an important practice.
Ways To Create Your Own Meditation Room
If you have a room that you can dedicate to your meditation practice, that is wonderful. Decorate it with soft, neutral colors in hues that are calming for you.
If you want to follow the Five Elements in Feng Shui, know that blues and greens represent health, reds, and purples enhance wealth and prosperity, reds and golds bring fame and recognition, pink represents relationships, earth tones of yellow, gold, and brown suggest earth qualities and indigo and black represent career.
In choosing colors for a meditation room, select the pastel versions of the Five Element colors to balance your life.
It’s always lovely to have an altar in your special place. I like to recommend representations of the five elements to balance the energies in the room. You can do that by using different colored stones, by using icons that represent the elements, or by having the actual element present. Earth is represented by pottery or dirt, browns, and gold; Fire is represented by red stones, a candle, or a light source; Wood, or Tree can be acknowledged by a plant, something made of wood or the color green; Water is represented by the glass, a mirror, the color deep blue or black. When you have acknowledged the five elements in some manner, you bring a balance to the space and your meditation practice.
If you don’t have an entire room to dedicate to your practice, then you can use a space, under a staircase, in the corner of a room, in a section of your sleeping room, or maybe a space in your garden. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the great outdoors, the forest, the beach, or beside a brook or stream. If you want a designated place in your home, you can use curtains, shogi screens, or even a bookcase to cordon off an area for your privacy and quiet time. Fill this space with things that make you feel relaxed.
Bring in something from nature; that could be a photograph, a painting, a window that overlooks a park, or a garden. Create a balance in your area with the Five Elements. Remove all technology: cell phones, land phones, televisions, and computers. Make sure your space is tech-free so you can just blend in with the quiet. (In Feng Shui, technology represents the element of Fire, and you don’t need extra heat and Fire in your space while you are meditating.)
Choosing a regular time is always a good routine to get into. That way, meditation won’t be the last thing on your mind. It will have a place in your life at a time when you can focus on yourself and your personal and spiritual development. I also like to suggest hanging a sign out that says, “Please Do Not Disturb. Meditation in Progress.” You can get creative with your wording if you like. If you enjoy music while meditating, then have your music source nearby. Keep it low and soothing. If you enjoy burning incense or diffusing essential oils, have those ready, too. Be sure that these accouterments are not a source of distraction but add to the deepening of your process.
Some people like to meditate on a theme. Having a book of inspirational quotes nearby can be a great resource for you. Lift your mind and heart out of your everyday life and shift your attention upwards to contemplate greater thoughts. Infuse your practice with richness and expand your universe by the concepts you focus on.
Many people use a single mantra to take them into an altered state of relaxation and meditation. Repeating the same word or combination of words over and over helps the mind become still and the body to relax. Pay attention to your breath. Follow its path throughout your body and allow yourself to become a single thought and a single breath. In this space, your body can begin to restore itself. Your blood pressure subsides, cortisol and adrenaline production are lowered, tension is released, and the positive hormones of dopamine and serotonin are secreted into the bloodstream. Your mind and body become one entity, no longer fighting for first place in your consciousness. You drift into a harmonic convergence of spirit and form where you can sense the oneness of the universe and all of creation. This is the Aaaaaah.
When you create your special and private space, you honor yourself and your practice. The space can be as small as a corner or as big as an entire room. The most important part of creating the space is that you have made a commitment to it and have taken the time to value this sacred space as well as set aside a special time for the growth and expansion of your spirit and soul.
