5 Necessities for a Great Meditation Space
Where should I meditate? Do I need a particular setup? These are questions many of us think about, especially when starting our practice. Even if it's not something that has crossed your mind yet, there are actually a few things to consider. If you think about meditation centres, they are all set up to literally be great meditation spaces. That being said, many people also like to meditate outside. So what exactly makes a great meditation space? Admittedly it took me awhile to make my indoor space into one that I find to be very beneficial for meditating.
Do we even need a space set up? There are advantages to meditating in the same space of your home. For one, our brains learn better when we are doing the same thing in the same space. This means we can settle into our "meditation zone" faster, at least more often than not. This is really the point of having a space to meditate in - being able to really sink into the act of meditating - mindfully awareness of the present moment while connecting to an anchor such as the breath. What makes up a great indoor meditation space?
Make sure your space is quiet - a place where you will be (or can be) undisturbed for the duration of your meditation, whether it's 5 minutes or an hour.
Ideally it's comfortable - this includes the temperature of the room (not too hot, not too cold, think of yourself like Goldilocks), and also that your meditation cushion, or the chair you're using is comfortable enough to be on for the duration of your meditation.
The room should be clean and free from clutter - it should almost feel serene or peaceful. The last thing we want is to be distracted by thoughts about the mess in our meditation space.
Natural light is ideal - if you have a window, with the curtains/blinds open, it can really increase mood and allow us to get some vitamin D while meditating. My current room does not have natural light, so while not essential, I do often opt to meditate on my balcony during the summer because natural light makes me feel more alert while meditating.
Incorporating nature and fresh air - along the same lines as above, being able to have a window open, allowing for fresh air to come into the room is a lovely options. Again, this can help with alertness and mood. Also, having plants in your meditation space can have similar effects
Of course, there are a lot of other things you can include and buy, such as using aromatherapy/essential oils, listening to meditation music or using an app to guide you, etc. The first step is really making sure the actual space lends itself to meditation, so that it's a good experience for you.
Namaste.