When the stress of daily life starts to wear you down, turning to meditation can give you a chance to separate yourself from the world and relax. You can meditate anywhere, but it helps to have a designated space for your practice. By creating a meditation corner, you give your mind an opportunity to prepare for meditation. Just thinking about your little spot could make tight muscles relax slightly.
Follow these five tips to make sure you get the most out of your meditation practice.
Use an Adjustable LED Light That Helps You Relax
Overhead lighting is often too harsh for people to relax and meditate. Instead of flipping on your overhead lights, place a lamp in your meditation corner. Philips Hue LED lighting systems make it easy for you to choose the specific kind of light you prefer.
Once you download the Philips app, you can adjust the light to any color you want. Hue LED bulbs let you choose between 16 million colors. No matter what color helps you relax, Hue will give it to you.
Add an Essential Oil Diffuser for Pleasant Fragrances
Image via Flickr by mixtureusa
People have traditionally burned incense while meditating. Sandalwood plays an especially important role in the history of meditation. Unfortunately, incense smoke can cause allergic reactions. Even if you’re not allergic to the smoke, it can still cause irritation.
An essential oil diffuser creates pleasant fragrances without all that unhealthy smoke. Popular scents include patchouli, bergamot, frankincense, and lavender. Learn about these and other essential oils so you can choose one that’s right for the type of meditation you enjoy.
There are several types of diffusers you may also want to explore. Designs often use steam or heat to distribute scents throughout your space. Each design has its pros and cons, so it’s important to know about each option before you make a purchase.
Block Disturbing Sounds With Noise-Canceling Headphones
If it’s difficult for you to find a meditation time when the house is perfectly quiet, you should get noise-canceling headphones or earbuds that will block unwanted sounds. Sony’s sound-canceling earbuds fit snugly into your ears without any discomfort. They do more than physically block noise, though. They also have microphones that recognize ambient noise and electronically counter it so it won’t disturb you.
Some people like to meditate in silence while others prefer listening to nature sounds and guided meditation. Headphones make it easy for you to hear anything you like without letting the world interfere with your relaxation.
Keep Your Meditation Space Clean and Uncluttered
You don’t want dust bunnies to accumulate in your meditation space. Cleaning the area often will make sure allergens don’t interrupt your practice. Plus, it just feels good to sit in a clean, organized place. The rest of the world can feel so cluttered. Make this the one area you can keep in perfect order.
Placing a plant in your meditation space can help clean the air. Breathing clean air will help you relax and rejuvenate your mind. Some plants noted for their air-cleaning abilities include peace lilies, garden mum, and dracaena.
Sit on a Meditation Bench or Pillow
Whether you meditate for 10 minutes or an hour, it helps to have a comfortable place to sit and relax. MeditationBench.com sells a variety of benches and pillows that will let you concentrate on your practice instead of fighting the urge to readjust your posture.
Theoretically, you can build your own bench, but it’s unlikely that you’ll make one as comfortable as those sold by MeditationBench.com. All of the company’s benches are made from hardwood, cotton padding, and a layer of foam. The site also offers a money-back guarantee. If you don’t like the way your bench or pillow feels, you can return it for a refund.
Meditation takes time and practice, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t help you relax immediately. As long as you have a good meditation corner, you will eventually learn how to quiet your mind.
