Meditating for Inner Peace – Create a Meditation Space
When you meditate it can be a bit difficult to get in the zone sometimes, especially if you’ve been actively running around or feeling super anxious or down.
It can help to have a space that’s been carefully and lovingly created just for your peace of mind.
This is where creating your own meditation space comes into play.
Benefits of Having a Dedicated Meditation Space
Helps you get in the zone. When we have a space that is conducive to meditation, it helps us to surrender to sitting still. It helps create the atmosphere for getting into that way of thinking and prepare your mind for some me time.
Creating a meditation space facilitates a sense of calm and peacefulness to allow your thoughts to slow down and you can focus on being in the moment. Being in the moment is important for managing anxiety as discussed in this post.
It can be reminder for you to practice meditation on a daily basis.
You can also look forward to your meditation as it’s a space that you have created with your own tastes and preferences in mind.
It’s more focussed on meditation making it less likely that you will be distracted by other competing demands in your world.
It is also one way to practice your self care strategies to help manage anxiety levels. For more information you might like to read this post.
Why Meditate?
Research shows again and again how valuable meditation is for our mental health and wellbeing.
In today’s way of living, stress is very high for so many people causing increased physical as well as mental illness. Meditation is an inexpensive tool that can be practiced on a daily basis in a number of different ways.
It has been shown to reduce the stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline which are the hormones involved in the fight or flight nervous systems of our bodies. Although this bodily response is valuable to help us either fight or run away from a threatening situation, it isn’t helpful when we experience this state in an ongoing way. So in order to be able to manage your ability to cope with the daily stresses you are exposed to, it helps to develop a routine of meditating daily.
How to Create Your Meditation Space
Choose an Area
First choose an area in your home where you can have at least a bit of space to put a cushion and some shelving of some kind.
This will be important in helping you create somewhere comfortable to sit or lie down.
Your meditation space will need to be an area that you can keep as your own space, that will have less likelihood of having interruptions. Although even if it’s in a more public space of your home, it can be an addition to your home’s style and create a sense of tranquility for those who visit too.
Have Some Soothing Aromas
- This might be incense sticks. Be sure to use a holder designed to catch the ash residue.
- You might like to have an oil burner to create a calming space using essential oils.
- Or perhaps you enjoy scented candles.
The choice is yours. Personally I love incense, but occasionally I also get out my relaxing essential oils.
The ones that facilitate lowering stress levels also help create a calm space.
These include:
Inspiring Decor
Adorn your space with items that you enjoy and appeal to you that can create a sense of safety, relaxation with your own personal touches. What kinds of things represent you and your personality. This helps you relax while meditating and feel comfortable being in your own space and will make the meditation process flow easily.
Use Meditation Malas
These are beads that help you maintain deep focus while practicing your meditation. They help to enhance your energy and help you channel the mantra you might use during your meditation. Not everyone uses these, but they can be helpful in getting into the zone of meditation, particularly as you go through mantras. As you move through your mala beads, they help you know when your meditation will end without sudden sounds or vibrations by electronics. Allowing you to embrace your meditation time without interruption.
Meditate with guidance or use a Mantra
Meditation can be guided where you are talked through to help you relax and concentrate on calming your mind while you lower your heart rate and slow down your breathing. Here’s some you might consider.
Mantras are chants that help you focus on what you want to achieve in that moment. It can be repeated inside your mind or out loud. It can be what your intention or purpose is at that moment of time for you.
Running Water
If you have the space for a fountain, consider incorporating one in your meditation space. The sense of tranquility the sounds of running water can have have facilitates profound effects on how we feel. Have you ever been to a rainforest or creek bed that has natural running water? These sounds of nature are very calming and tranquil, so bringing these sounds into your home can have a positive effect on your mood and sense of peace. Using our senses are an easily accessible way to also calm how we feel. There’s more information about this here.
Final words
So if you are struggling to remember to meditate on a regular basis, consider creating a meditation space for yourself. It is a memory cue to remind you to engage in self care and has numerous benefits for you wellbeing to practice on a regular basis. It can also have a calming effect simply looking at the space you have created for yourself. You can feel proud of your choices in include in this space that brings you joy. It also helps facilitate a sense of serenity and calm.
Namaste
Hi Kat, thanks for yet another enlightening article!
As I’m writing this, I’m also thinking of how to do up a corner of my master bedroom that I think is suitable as a meditation space.
It has a bay window, so I’ll just prop some cushions or mat there, and diffuse some oils. Lavender is my all-time favourite, so I’m glad it’s on your list of calming aroma. It brings my heart rate down instantly, the moment I smell it.
And yes, the sound of running water does have a profound calming effect on me too. Do you have some small fountains to recommend?
Hi Joo, and welcome back :). It can just imagine how your meditation space will look and how calming it can be for you. I’ve found a company called Serenity Health who have a range of both indoor and outdoor fountains that I thought you could look at getting. The water fountain doesn’t have to be big, just something that fits in your space that makes some slight water sounds to connect with your sense of tranquility.
Thank you for this article! I’ve heard about how meditiation can be good, but it all seemed like a make-believe story to me. However, I can kind of make sense in my head how it can be beneficial. Just to relax, take away from the stress, and calm the body. I imagine it could help you live longer as well, and age less! Thank you for this article!
Hi Alex, yes, meditation is extremely valuable in helping reset our emotions and stress levels in a way that can calm our sesnes and lower stress related hormones. ~kat
I always meditate in my bedroom, not on my bed, but on a yoga mat by the bed. The body has become so anchored to this space that as soon I sit down I can feel myself going into a deeply relaxed state.
Having been a counselor/hypnotherapist in the past, I agree space is very important when focusing on self. Thanks for sharing this post.
Hi Jagi, great to hear your thoughts and experience with meditation and how conditioned you have become to your meditating process and the space you do it in has helped create this powerful effect. It’s great to hear ~kat
This is a really powerful post. I know about the essence of meditation and why we need to meditate. For me, I take walks on a quiet road when I have a problem and I want some alone time. Learnt this trick from a book i read about Albert Einstein. I think I should try out this meditation space, Ican use one of the empty rooms at home, running water might be a problem though but since it’s not compulsory I guess I’m good to go. Thanks for the enlightening post, I’ll definitely get a space and give meditation a try.
Hi Henderson, meditation can be done anywhere any time. I sometimes do a walking meditation too, where I lose my sense of time and am completely in the present moment. Very powerful. With creating a meditation space, it’s not essential to have the running water, it’s an addition that can help with creating a relaxing atmosphere but there’s not necessity for it. All the best ~kat
Meditation is something that I should start practicing in my life. For the past years, I have been struggling with time management because I am always busy with family and work that I often forget about myself. The problem is, I can’t figure out how to meditate. I thought I only have to sit and be silent but when I do that, a lot of things just comes rushing into my mind and it’s just stressing me out more to feel that I can’t do it. Thanks to you, I am giving it another try with all the things you suggested that we do. I have several essential oils here that I can use for aromatherapy while I do my meditation and help me to calm my mind from thinking too much during the process. What I don’t know is how to use the mala beads during meditation. I am not sure if there are words I need to say in my mind while touching each beads. Can you please explain further how to use it properly. Maybe you can have it in your next article. I would be glad to know more about meditation because I do really want inner peace and calmness. This is something that I know would be good for me, it’s just that I have been doing it the wrong way. Thanks for sharing what you know about meditation!
Hi, thanks for sharing your thoughts about meditation and recognising it could be helpful in your world. Regarding the mandalas, they are not essential, but they can be a good tool to use to help you focus on something as you work through your meditation. It also helps to create a mantra to help you manage those wondering thoughts that can creep in while you meditate. by having a positive mantra this can help you create positive changes for yourself. An example might be “Be the change you wish to see in the world” Ghandi. You can also create your own for uplifting positive inspiration, also known as an affirmation. Blessings ~ kat
Awesome article and very educative,you have really done well concerning this article, with all the process involved,i agree with all your points,but let me say this with my experience concerning meditation,its makes someone creative,when you are alone somewhere meditating,it gives room for creative thinking and relieves your mind greatly.Thanks for sharing.
Hey, thanks for sharing your lovely feedback. I too have found that mediation allows for an increase in our creative ideas, while also reducing our stress levels. All the best ~kat
Though I don’t know the proper way of doing it, I’ve actually done a few poses of meditation which I learned from seeing some people do and even small sessions can bring great stress relieve in this busy world we live in. Especially the water flowing part, you’re definitely right on the soothing effect it gives to the mind. I might be wrong but the health effects those running sounds give us humans is actually coming from negative ions which can be very soothing 😀
You are right about the ions that water provides us with too. Thanks for sharing. Water is very soothing and can assist in creating a calming atmosphere conducive to mediation. Cheers ~kat
Hi thanks a lot Kat for bringing to my attention all the important elements of meditation. I am known about this for years however, it has been difficult to put into practice. Maybe with my own space and time I can be able to conquer the habitual lack of being distracted with every day anxieties. Thank you for the low-cost reminder
Hi Andrew, having a meditation space is a great reminder for us to take some time out just for me time and engage in self care through meditation. I hope you can find time to practice this stress lowering activity. ~kat
This is a very informative article on meditation. I began studying kung fu many years ago and learned about meditation back then in the 70s. Yes, I am old:) I think your ideas are correct for the typical person who likes meditation. I actually consider going to the gym and lifting heavy weights to be my meditation. I am calm afterwards and very relaxed, just like I am sure you are with your methods. I also know a lot about relaxation techniques so that helps me a lot.
Thanks again for this useful information.
Hi Curtis, I’ve found at times exercise is also a great way to meditate as it gets you into the flow and time can feel like it’s standing still. Having a reminder in the home can also help with relaxation and reminders to meditate. It’s whatever works for each person. ~kat
Thanks Kat, I am new to meditation. The stress of running my own business often left me short tempered at home which wasn’t something I wanted or my family needed. I find if I do set aside some time each day, particularly after I get home from work I am refreshed emotionally. We have set aside a space in the media room at home now that both my wife and I use for meditation and its working well so far.
Regards
Pete
Hi Peter, this wonderful to hear that you’ve created a space which is helping you put aside time for you to self care and engage in the stress reducing practice of meditation. It’s great that you and your wife also do this. I’m sure this will help you both feel calmer and more relaxed and maybe even enhance your relationship. ~kat
Meditation one of the best methods to help us reach, inner peace and peaceful mind and thoughts. It is great that people nowadays started to search for such methods to improve their health and lifestyle. I tried meditation in many places and different situation, I can tell you it is important to pick your own space to do it, It helped me to have more focus and get rid of any distraction before starting with it.
I never used Soothing Aromas or essential oils in meditation, in fact, I didn’t know that they can help us to improve the experience and help us to relax. I will for sure try them out!
Thank you for this amazing article, you sure brought some important elements, anyone, thinking about doing Meditation need to know. It is amazing how we can learn simply by reading such great article.
Hi Mohammad, welcome back :). Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the value of meditation and creating a space for enhancing the meditation experience. ~kat
Nice article. Lately I’ve been considering to meditate. You’ve made me realized that I do need a meditation space. I’ve been doing it sitting on my bed with a view of trees and sky
from my window. I will try another spot with the accessories you’ve mentioned to see how it goes. Thanks for the tips.
Hi Carol, it’s awesome that you’ve already been meditating looking at the sky and trees outside your window. I’m sure that too would help you relax. It’s fun creating a space with accessories you enjoy too, so have fun creating your space then meditating in your creation. ~kat
Hi Kat,
Great article! I’ve never thought of creating my own space. I’ll often just go sit outside and enjoy nature, or just go have a nap, haha!
Now that I’ve read your blog, I wonder if I’ve done this unconsciously. Sometimes, when I want to drown out any background noise when I’m working on my computer, I’ll use my “calming sounds” app.
I always pick out a water sound with birds. That’s my go-to relaxation sounds!
Thanks for the wonderful ideas,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, it sounds like you have been finding a meditation space for yourself already, well done :). The sounds of nature are very relaxing and inspiring. That would help facilitate an effective meditation space. ~kat