How to create a quiet area or room for yoga and meditation….
If you’re hoping to start a regular yoga or meditation practice, it is a good idea to have a designated area which you can ideally leave set up and ready for your next session.
Research shows you are much more likely to ‘step on the mat’ (or sit on your meditation cushion!) if it is rolled out and ready to go.
Many people won’t have a whole room to dedicate to their practice; an area of a bedroom or segment of a spare room is ideal.
You don’t need loads of space, if you can fit a yoga mat, that’s all you need (even if you are just using the area for meditation and are not intending to practice yoga, a yoga mat is great, not only for ‘holding the space’ for your quiet area, but it also adds warmth and comfort to your spot. (Check out ‘Creating a Zen Den‘ for more).
The area beside your bed can be perfect.
Just make sure you keep it clear from clutter.
Before I cleared out our spare room and turned it into a ‘yoga room’, I made the space beside my bed into my little meditation corner. It is small but perfect for a few rounds of sun salutations and meditation.
Before After
There are lots of things you can bring to your special area to help create a feeling of calm.
My top items would be: candles, incense, crystals, a plant or two, a meditation cushion, yoga/meditation/inspirational books and maybe a Buddha statue or something similar.
If you have enough space, a small bookcase or table to set all your items on would be fab. You could hang an inspirational picture or poster, a dream catcher or anything else you find inspiring, on the wall.
A cosy throw or luxury blanket is essential for both meditating or Shavasana (relaxation after yoga).
Candles are my number one for creating a calming atmosphere. Even on a warm summer night they still create a nice serene atmosphere, and on a cold winter night they are key for a creating a cosy mood. Scented candles are fabulous, more about fragrance below.
Yogamat: Even if yoga isn’t your thing and you are just using your space for meditation, a yoga mat is great for ‘holding the space’ and it provides a bit of warmth and comfort under your mediation cushion if you’re using one. There are so many gorgeous yoga mats to choose from, so depending on your needs you can find the right one to suit you. Have a look in my yoga mat for beginners post for recommendations.
Houseplants are a must for a bringing a sense of serenity to your home and to your yoga/meditation area. Not only do they bring a feeling of nature and the natural world indoors, but they actually purify the air and produce oxygen, definitely what you want for your sanctuary!
Crystals: If you have an interest in crystals, you’ll definitely want to place them in your relaxation area. But even if you’ve never had an interest in crystals, you should consider them.
Crystals are not only pleasing to look at, they have used in healing therapy for centuries. Crystals vibrate at certain frequencies; they absorb, hold and diffuse energy.
Crystals are excellent for assisting you in your meditation practice; you can simply hold them in your hand or you could try one of the many layouts recommended for meditation. You can simply place them in your area, programming them with intent to provide calmness to your area. There are so many beautiful calming crystals to choose from. Have a look at my crystal section for more info.
Sounds: Music is amazing for setting the tone for your yoga or meditation session. You can use Spotify on your phone or an MP3 player, a CD player or simply download relaxing music to your phone. Nature sounds, soft classical, piano, flute, harp; or any soothing instrumental music that you enjoy.
You could download meditations to your phone if you prefer guided meditation. I love Ram Dass’s guided meditations (you can find them online). There are also many great apps for relaxing music and meditations.
And last but not least…. SCENT!
Scent has an extremely powerful ability to link our mind to past events. We can use this connection to help us reach a relaxed state more quickly. If you incorporate using the same scent every time you come to your yoga/meditation corner, you will quickly come to associate that scent with yoga/meditation and be able to find your centre and come into a relaxed state much more quickly.
There are lots of ways we can bring fragrance to our quiet area. You can burn incense, Palo Santo or Sage. Or you can use aromatherapy.
Incense and yoga and meditation go hand in hand. I love the smell of Nag Champa, it transports me straight back to the temples we visited when travelling through Asia, and it now reminds me of my local yoga studio. I love to burn it at home to inspire my yoga and meditation practice. There are so many varieties of incense; sandalwood, jasmine, frankincense, aloe vera, vanilla, lemongrass, patchouli, to name but a few.
Palo Santo and Sage are excellent to burn in your meditation area. They cleanse the air and remove stale energy.
Palo Santo is best known for its ability to add positivity to your space whereas sage removes negativity.
I generally use Sage once a week to cleanse the whole house and use Palo Santo daily at the start of my practice.
Aromatherapy is great for creating balance and calm, you could burn oils in a burner or diffuser or you can even buy aromatherapy roll-ons which simply roll the essential oil directly onto your pulse points.
Neal’s Yard have a fabulous ‘Remedies to Roll’ collection. They have blends for Energy, Meditation, Relaxation etc. I keep the latter two in my meditation corner.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, you could sit down with a notepad and pen and make a list of all the items that spring to mind when you think of what would create a calming and relaxing space for you.
You can add bits and pieces as you go.
I love charity shops for finding interesting and unusual items (and they’re cheap too!).
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Disclaimer: None of the information shared should be used as a replacement for seeking medical attention.
