You have a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen, but you may also benefit from having a mindful or meditation room. Having a place where you can go to find peace and solitude can be great for your mental health and well-being.
However, you also have to have the room suited to meet your mindfulness needs. It is difficult to know how to create this type of space in your home without knowing what mindfulness is.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the state of mind of awareness in the existing or present moment. It involves an awareness of the environment, our behaviors, and our thoughts. However, it also means that you do not reactive to the situation or thoughts that you have. It requires you to allow your thoughts to flow by without judgment.
Mindfulness can technically be achieved at any place or time, but it will be much easier to get into that clear and focused state of mind in a calming and tranquil atmosphere. In addition, there are some great benefits to mindfulness.
It can be hard for some people to achieve positive mindfulness and awareness. However, a therapist may be able to teach you techniques that could help. Furthermore, sometimes it is hard to find the time to be mindful when you have work, children, and more in your life.
If you are a single parent, then you can look online to find more information about how to make a schedule that could allow some time in your routine for mindfulness.
There are numerous benefits of practicing mindfulness. It can reduce stress and anxiety, help you gain insight into yourself, encourage positivity, regulate emotions, and foster empathy. But why should you create a distinct place in your home designed specifically as a mindful space?
Why Create a Mindful Space?
Our homes are designed not solely for comfort, but for function. Each room in the house has a reason to be there. When we are looking for mindfulness, having a space where we normally watch television, check our email, or pay our bills is not the most conducive for meditational experiences.
Having a mindful space allows you to subconsciously associate that area with tranquility. Our surroundings influence our thoughts and feelings in numerous ways. Having a room designed for mindfulness gives us a place where we can go for solitude, and it will be associated with those feelings. The environment of the room will be created for the purpose of mindfulness, which can make it easier to achieve when we are in that space.
Choosing a Space
Not everyone has an entire room that they can dedicate towards their mindfulness. You can use a portion of a single room towards meditation and mindfulness but try your best to make it distraction-free and distinct. You can do this with hanging sheets or tapestries if you only want a temporary division.
You want to choose a place that is quiet and not prone to disruption. Some people even like to use a portion of their walk-in closet as their mindful space. In addition, you want a room or area that makes you feel positive. The room should not make you feel stressed.
If you do not have a room inside of the house that works for these purposes, you can always choose to make a room outside as long as it is not uncomfortable. This can have additional benefits to your mental health as well.
Keep it Tidy
Having a messy space can clutter up your mind. This is not good for a mindful space and may make it harder to achieve your meditation goals. In fact, there is evidence that shows that clutter and unorganized areas can contribute to higher levels of stress.
Only keep stuff in your mindful space that actually helps to make it a place conducive to mindfulness and meditation. Remove anything that you do not need and put it in another area of your home.
Also, try to keep it organized enough so that you can go into anytime and immediately sit down for mindful exercises. You never want to go into the room and have to clean up some clutter or organize some items. This will make it more comfortable and suitable for your purposes.
Reduce Distractions
While the goal is to eliminate distractions, sometimes that is impossible. However, you should try to make the area as free from distraction as it reasonably possible. Try not to put the mindful space in a location that other members of the household regularly visit like the kitchen.
If you live in a noisy city, then an interior room may be best. You also have the option of getting a white noise machine to help drown out the distracting sounds. You should also not be able to hear the television or even chatter around the home. This is sometimes difficult, but just do the best you can.
Also, leave your phone at the door. A phone, even if it is on silent, can be a major distraction. You may be tempted, consciously or subconsciously, to reach for it to see if you have notifications or to look at the time. Any technology that is not a component of the mindful space itself should be avoided inside the area.
Mindful Music
While you know not to have noisy distractions, some people prefer a mindful space that has relaxing or meditative music. Whether you have it or not depends greatly on the individual, but it can be another way to drown out some distracting sounds.
If you do choose to play meditative music, it should not be loud because that can be more of a distraction. It should be peaceful and played in the background to encourage relaxation and peace.
It is important that you never choose music that has lyrics. Lyrics can be incredibly distraction and not allow you to be fully aware in the present moment. They can cloud thoughts and resist mindfulness. A lot of people even choose nature sounds like waterfalls. Finally, make sure that the music will last completely through your mindfulness session because you never want the interruption of the immediate stopping of music.
Aromatherapy
This is another option based on personal preference. Some people like to use essential oils to help calm the mind. Things like chamomile, lavender, and peppermint can remind you of peaceful mindfulness.
While some of the information regarding essential oils is conflicting, there seems to be some evidence that it could be beneficial to your well-being. However, you do not need them to be proven to work for mindfulness to benefit from them. If they help you personally relax, then they are a good option.
In addition to essential oils, you can also utilize candles and incents. These may be preferred by some people. They can also help you get in a state of mind and focus on the present because they tie your senses to the moment and the environment.
Color
Depending on your space and where it is located in your home, you may want to use a color scheme and paint the walls in a way that promotes relaxation. According to research, bright, warm colors are more likely to promote feelings of energy while cool colors are good for providing a sense of calm.
Pastel colors may also be a good option because they are more soothing for the eyes. Others prefer dark colors because it can be more like nighttime. This can help you relax as long as it does not make you too sleepy.
Use Nature
Research shows that some natural elements may help to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. This is why it could be beneficial to meditate outside. However, sometimes the environment outside is too hot, cold, noisy, or full of bugs and other distractions. However, you can still bring natural features into your mindful space.
You may want to choose plants, flowers, or even a fountain. These things can be relaxation and promote a mindful mood as soon as you see them in your space. A fountain can provide soothing sounds and also helps to naturally drown out other sounds that you do not want to hear.
As long as there are not many distractions right outside of the room, you can also choose to have a window. In addition, ensuring that the ventilation allows for fresh air can also be beneficial. Either way, you want to make sure that the room remains a comfortable temperature.
Decorations
Any personal decorations or features that you find positive or relaxing could be good to add to the mindful space. Any object can be beneficial. Some people like to add wind chimes or artwork. Just remember that you do not want the area to be cluttered. Still, some of these items can add positive elements to the atmosphere.
You can also keep a pillow or blankets for comfort and warmth. A fan can also keep the room a little cooler, which may be good for some. Anything that promotes the feeling of mindfulness that you desire can be a good addition.
Lighting
Natural light is best if you have the ability to utilize it. You want the amount of light that makes the space comfortable and cozy, but that does not make you want to sleep. If you have a window, you can use curtains to allow the optimal amount of light into the room.
If you do not have the option of natural light, then you can use light fixtures and add in dimmable lights. This can help you to provide the perfect amount of light for the time of day and your comfort. You never want the light to get into your eyes, but you can also get shades or room dividers to disperse the light beams.
Conclusion
Having a mindful space in your room where you can go anytime you want can be highly beneficial to your stress levels, mood, and mental health. However, sometimes it is hard to create a space that does not allow distractions or feel comfortable and stress-free. There are some things you can do to a portion of your home to create an optimal space for mindfulness meditation. Besides placing the room in a place free from distraction and adding elements for comfort, you can also add music, aromas, or calming colors to promote mindfulness.