As we all get to grips with spending a lot more time at home, our thoughts inevitably turn to making our living space a more joyous place to be. Coupled with the worrying mental health fallout a global pandemic is inflicting on 68% of the population who admit that they're struggling with the restrictive measures, now looking after our mind has never been so important.
Although meditation was long-considered a woo-woo practice reserved for hippies in the 1970s, it is now the cornerstone of modern wellbeing, with over 500 million people tuning into the subconscious to find some peace and quiet. In a world that seems particularly noisy at the moment, meditation has been proven to increase self-awareness and tolerance, reduce negative emotions, manage stress, improve sleep and gain a new perspective. Who can argue with that?
But, with our homes now functioning as a gym, school, restaurant and even a hairdressers (if you're feeling brave), creating a space to get your zen on is key to forming your new meditation habit.
Think about lighting
There's nothing more jarring than a room of bright, artificial light that will do little to relax and focus your mind. Find an area, be it a room, closet or corner of your home, that is flooded with the most natural daylight. Not only will this energise you, it will encourage you to feel grounded and awake with a fresh perspective.
Bring the outside in
In an ideal world, we'd all be meditating overlooking the rice fields in Bali, but alas, our humble abode will do. But that doesn't mean you can't bring elements of nature into your meditation area for a healing and harmonious experience. Think house plants, fresh flowers, a water feature and interior décor accessories in natural materials such as jute rugs, woollen throws and wooden benches.
Quieten down
Finding a quiet corner to sit and relax your mind isn't always easy in a busy house of children, pets and a spouse working from home. Whether it's first thing in the morning before everyone wakes up, a bench in the garden on a sunny day or even in the bath whilst having a soak, there's no wrong time or place to start meditating.
Create an atmosphere
The easiest way to form a habit of meditating is to create a space you enjoy and look forward to visiting every day or week. This could be with your favourite scented candles or incense, a new rug, cosy cushions and relaxing music. You can even set up a bluetooth speaker for guided meditations to help you on your way.
Create a focus
Although many believe the purpose of meditation is to clear your mind, a lot of people that practice actually use it as a time to focus on something specific. This could be manifesting good health, a new job, an important decision or a different direction. To help you along, fill your space with whatever it is that you're focusing on. This could be pictures of your family if that relaxes you for a good night's sleep, an image of your dream house you're working towards or a pair of trainers if you have a running goal coming up.
Article by Jessica Harris
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