Meditation and mindfulness are habits that can help us relax, lower stress and blood pressure, and give us a little escape from our daily frustrations. If you haven’t meditated before, there’s no time like the present to get started.
Meditation for Beginners
Not sure how to meditate? It can be helpful to set up a designated space that feels calming and relaxing for you. If you’ve got an extra room, it can be nice to set it up as a designated meditation space. However, even if you don’t have a whole room to dedicate to your meditation practice, you can set up a small space somewhere in your home that is reserved for calm, quiet reflection.
Learning to meditate doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. There are several apps and websites available, many of them free, that can guide you through the process of learning to meditate. Many meditation apps have beginner programs with guided meditations that you can listen to whenever you feel like you need a break.
Creating a Meditation Room
Before setting up your meditation room, choose a space that has a simple, non-distracting view. It can be nice to have a window that looks out onto a green space, or a calming piece of art, or even a blank wall. Aim for a space with calming colors, like pale blues, greens, grays, or tans. Vibrant colors can be quite jarring and can make it hard to focus and calm your thoughts.
Choose a seat for your meditation space. Select something that feels comfortable to you. Meditation doesn’t have to happen while cross-legged on the hard floor. It is good to sit with good upright posture if you can, so choose a chair or cushion that is fairly comfortable and promotes good posture.
Add some calming elements to your space to remind you to relax. Lighting can help create a sense of calm in your meditation space. Usually, dimmer light on the warm side of the color spectrum is more calming, but you can use any lighting option that makes you feel most at ease. Candles, string lights, and fairy lights are great options.
Using Houseplants in Your Design
Houseplants are a perfect addition to a meditation space. They can give you a sense of calm and a connection to nature. Plants with beautiful leaves can also be used as a bit of a screen to provide you with some privacy. If you don’t have a separate room, but you do have large potted plants, you can set a few around your chosen space to create separation from the rest of the room.
If you have smaller plants and a small bookcase, you can use the bookcase as a small wall to give your space some privacy. Line up some plants along the top of the bookcase to create that connection with nature while giving yourself a privacy screen.
If you like aromatherapy, consider adding scented plants to your meditation room, like jasmine, scented geraniums, or herbs. If you don’t have scented houseplants, you can use other aromatherapy options in your space as well.
Find yourself a quiet space that you can retreat to for meditating in your home, even if you’re just learning how to meditate, and make it a comfortable and calming space with houseplants, candles, and items that are special to you. Setting up a small space dedicated to self-care is a great way to ease anxiety and stress levels, and help find some peace in your days. If you’d like to add some houseplants to your new space, remember that our garden center has online and concierge shopping available, as well as curbside pickup or free local delivery for orders of $50 or more within the Des Moines metro area.
