To get the most from meditation, find a space in your home, make it your own, and practice at roughly the same time and in the same place every day.
A regular practice of meditation brings many benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing, not to mention our spiritual growth. Occasional meditation helps us to clear our head and feel less stressed, while a regular practice can turn us into calm and clear-headed people, at peace with ourselves.
By Pamposh Dhar
It can often be a struggle for beginners to maintain a regular practice. There is one thing that can make this simple: creating a habit of meditation by practising at roughly the same time and in the same place every day.
You could begin by creating a small space in your home that is meant just for meditation and related practices, such as pranayama (breathing exercises), yoga or reiki. Before you know it, your mind will start associating this spot as your special go-to space.
FIND YOUR SPOT
The first step, of course, is to find a good spot. If possible, choose a well-lit room with natural light and air. If you have a garden or a balcony, you may like to meditate there. I would suggest you still create a space inside the home for those times when you are unable to meditate in the open because of rain, heat or noise.
A CALM PLACE
Your meditation space should be clean and uncluttered. It is a good idea to also cleanse the energies in this room with incense, sage or crystals. Let it be a place that calms your mind.
There could be space to keep essential oils, incense or a scented candle of your choice. Add anything else that you associate with meditation.
CONNECT WITH THE FIVE ELEMENTS
Doing yoga or meditation in nature can very quickly lead to a sense of oneness, and should be done as often as possible. According to ancient yogic beliefs, humans and nature are made up of the same five elements, referred to as tatvas in Sanskrit: agni (fire), vayu (air), prithvi (earth), jala (water) and akasha (ether).
It is a good idea to connect with the five tatvas in your meditative spot at home. For instance, you can light a candle to represent fire. The soothing sound of flowing water can be created with an indoor water feature, or a small bowl of water with flower petals. A plant will put you in touch with both the earth element and nature in its entirety, and improve the energies in your meditation space. An open window with some breeze gives you the light and air needed for freshness. If there is no open window, you can make sure the air circulates with a fan or air conditioning. The final element, akasha—translated as ether— is a little hard to pin down. It is generally understood as space or the atmosphere. As such, it can be represented as the overall energy of your meditation space.
In these simple ways, we can connect to the five elements and to our own senses of sight and smell. As I enter my meditation room, I see an uncluttered space with reminders of meditation, including meditation beads and a Tibetan singing bowl. As I sit for meditation, I strike the bowl to bring my sense of hearing into play. It is a signal to myself that I am about to begin my meditation.
Now that we have set up our spot, it only remains to meditate, and to do so on a regular basis, ideally every day. A short but regular practice will transform you from the inside, making you a happier and calmer person. I usually ask my students to start with at least 15 minutes a day, and continue without a break for three weeks, after which it becomes a habit. Once it does, meditation will naturally take you forward on your path to peace and joy.
This article was first published in the print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.
