Lately, I’ve have been thinking about designing a meditation nook in my apartment. However, I’m having a hard time getting motivated, so I decided to write a post to get started. Hopefully, this will also help you if you are interested in this topic.
It is true that we can meditate anywhere we feel comfortable enough to do so. However, I think it’s a terrific idea to designate one small area of your home and “dress-it-up” just the way you want it. Doesn’t that sound like fun? So, come on along and let’s explore meditation nook design.
Why I Suggest the Practice of Meditation
Meditation is a practice that frees our minds and bodies to feel greater peace throughout our lives. With time and regular practice of meditation techniques, we move forward with clarity of mind that relieves the confusing buzz in our heads. Additionally, it gives us more mental and physical stamina, along with better overall results from life in general.
When we meditate it gives us stress relief through the deep relaxation we enter while we meditate. Haven’t we all been taught since childhood that the body heals when it’s at rest? So, it follows that our physical bodies feel better when we meditate because of the benefits of deep relaxation we get from this practice.
Additionally, through meditation, we come to a more intrinsic understanding of our spiritual life in a physical world. That all leads to a much more serene state of mind over longer periods of time. Do you see how this all works together with the end result being a state of balance?
Design Your Meditation Nook for Privacy
You can actually meditate just about anywhere, depending on the type of meditation. However, if you want the full benefits of certain types of meditation such as transcendental meditation or guided meditation, you really have to think about a spot in your home where you will be undisturbed and feel completely comfortable.
To me, a meditation nook is private and secluded. It is organized neatly with plants, incense, my favorite daily meditation books, soft lighting and candles, and even softer seating.
Personally, I prefer a quiet, private home, and meditation is no different. For instance, it’s best if I meditate in a room away from my Kali Kitty. That avoids both interruptions to my meditating and hurt feelings if I have to shoo her away.
Comforting Meditation Cushions
Comfort is different for everyone, but generally speaking, if you have a favorite chair that is just right for you – that’s the one to use for meditation. It could be a bean bag chair, a rocking chair, a recliner, or a cushion on the floor.
Some people prefer to meditate in the lotus position on a forward-leaning cushion on the floor to get in just the right position for yoga meditating.
I prefer to have a backrest and I like to sit normally with my legs down over the chair and my hands folded on my lap. Also, I’m short so there’s often a footstool involved. You can lay down if you have to but it’s easier to fall asleep in that position so if you can, sit upright with your head relaxed but not leaning against anything.
Boho Plus Neat and Organized
This is just one example of life manifesting in unpredictable ways. I love the Boho look with its hippie influences and flowing mixed-up looks. It’s wonderful and creative but I also like things to be in order and well-organized. So, if I want to be comfortable, I have to find a happy medium.
I love the idea of India print hangings on the wall but I want them to hang straight. At the very least, I need them to balance with everything around them. I also like the idea of multiple earthy colors but they need to flow for a reason one to the other. In other words, the arrangement needs to make sense to me.
I find peace in an organized environment. When I have a place for everything and everything is in its place, it calms my mind and aids in my relaxation. In short, it helps me feel balanced.
Feng Shui for Balanced Energies
Feng shui or fengshui, also known as Chinese geomancy, is a pseudoscience originating from China, which claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the passage of the now-lost Book of Burial recorded in Guo Pu’s commentary: Feng shui is one of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics, classified as physiognomy. The feng shui practice discusses architecture in terms of “invisible forces” that bind the universe, earth, and humanity together, known as qi. VIA Wikipedia
The purpose of modern feng shui is to design your environment that results with good Qi. Qi [CHē] is the energy that emanates from your environment. Many believe that particular designs give you corresponding levels of qi. So, the goal is to get good qi by following the guidelines of feng shui.
• Bagua Energy Map
There is a tool that modern feng shui practitioners use which we know as Bagua. Bagua is an energy map that shows us which areas of the space affect specific areas of our lives. The word “bagua” literally translates to “eight areas”. This is the only tool the “Black Hat” method uses so today because I am learning with you, this is the method we will explore. Incidentally, you will also hear Black Hat referred to as Western Feng Shui.
As you can see in the image below, it is divided into eight sections, each has a geographic designation, a description of an area of life, a color, and an earth element.
Next, here is the bagua as it is commonly used for the Western feng shui. They take the eight sections and make a square out of it with nine sections. The idea is to put your floor layout over the top of the bagua either with a printout or simply imagine it in your mind.
However, remember that with this post, we are designing a meditation nook, so we can keep it simple. In case you’re wondering, it is perfectly OK for you to right-click and download the bagua below. It’s a .jpg file so you can insert it into a document for printing and use it to design your rooms. Otherwise, if you are reading this on a tablet or cell phone, you’re set! You can easily view this bagua on your devices to use as a tool to design your spaces.
Instructions for Using Your Bagua
- When you are within the space you want to design, hold your bagua in front of you.
- Stand in front of the main entrance and face into the room or space you want to design. Note: the main entrance is always the mouth of qi.
- Rotate the Bagua in front of you so that the three squares for Wisdom, Career, and Helpful People are lined up nearest to you as you hold it while standing in front of the main entrance as you face the room or space.
- Note the section you are in. In other words, is the entry left, center, or right on your map? As you face away from the door towards your space, the left is Wisdom, the center is Career, and the right is Helpful People.
- If you have a map of your space, place it under the bagua to easily see the layout of your room in accordance with the Bagua. Or if your space is smaller, you can visually scope out where each section of your design lies within your bagua map.
- Then, place earth elements in each section. The selection of these earth elements are to correspond with the elements in the corresponding section of the bagua, so refer to the bagua map to place the corrects elements in the right spot in your design. The placement of earth elements is to enhance the energy in that particular space.
- Likewise, use the colors on the bagua and add them to the corresponding space in your room. For instance, you might add a red cushion to the Fame area to attract a more positive reputation or gain recognition. Additionally, you might hang a spider plant from the ceiling in the green area to improve your health. See how this works?
Thank you for visiting today. I plan to write more articles in the very near future on this topic as I begin to build my own meditation space in my new apartment. So, please return and join me on this journey! Remember, together we light the way. 🔥
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