Meditation, the process of focusing thought and redirecting feelings, is becoming one of the fastest-growing methods for stress management. In fact, a study conducted by the John Hopkins University found that regular meditation reduced stress-caused inflammation, improving physical, emotional, and psychological health overall.
If you’re ready to give meditation a try, you may be wondering how to create the best space for practice. Here are four ways to create a calm, inviting environment for meditation.
- Setting
One of the best ways to relax the mind is by providing proper lighting and surroundings. A room that children and pets don’t have access to is a great choice for a meditation room. Rooms with a door, curtain separation, or otherwise secluded space, provide a getaway for you and your mind.
Once you’ve found your space, consider purchasing or making blackout curtains to cover windows or other light sources. If complete darkness is not for you, you can also purchase dimmable lights or candles to control the level of light around you. A dimly lit environment will make it easier for you to focus on your thoughts instead of on your surroundings.
How to implement essential oils in your meditation
- Essential Oils
Smells and senses have long been used in conjunction with meditation practices as an enhancement. If you want to reap the benefits of a fully immersive meditation session, consider employing essential oils. Not only will these oils calm you and tighten your focus, they also provide a pleasing ambiance to your meditation space.
In fact, in a study by the National University of Trujillo, researchers found that essential oils and mindful meditation, when used in conjunction, resulted in a decrease of anxiety across multiple subjects.
If you want to try meditation with essential oils, try diffusing them or placing a small amount on your wrist or forehead. The best essential oil varieties you can try include sandalwood, which provides an earthy, pleasing smell to the comfort lovers out there, or frankincense, which is great if you enjoy a fresher, more uplifting smell to accompany your thoughts.
- Furniture
With the sights and smells sorted, you now need to focus on furnishing your meditation space. All you really need for an amazing session is a comfortable chair or cushion to support you while you sit for a prolonged period of time. However, if you want to really enhance your practice, you can find plenty of furniture and decorations that are made specifically for meditation.
For example, a meditation cushion or block will support your bottom and your back while your legs rest on the floor. Often, these furnishings come in pleasing textures and colors that will remind you of a peaceful temple. You can also purchase meditation chairs, which are more expensive, but they specifically guide your back and legs into a proper position.
Adjust the lighting, smells, and space around you for ultimate meditation experience
- Noise
Finally, noise can be one of the most detrimental factors in disturbing your practice. We often have difficulty focusing with distracting noises around, like a doorbell ringing, children yelling, loud music, or talking.
While your brain is trying to process the noises around you, you’ve already lost focus. Our brains are not meant to multitask, so make it easier on yourself by picking a time to meditate that is relatively free from distraction.
For example, if you have children and they go to school from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M, find the time within that period to meditate free from distractions. If your living space is always a little noisy, you can soundproof your meditation room by hanging curtains over the door, shoving a towel in the space between the door and the floor, or by using a combination of both.
With these tips, you can build a meditation space that makes it easy to reap the benefits of everyday mindfulness.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.