In Harmony Relaxation/Meditation

Home can be a refuge from the stresses of the outside world, but too often it’ becomes a bit of a messy, stressful space where both work and relaxation seem seemless.

Instead of letting the outside world take over, cut through the chaos and carve out a special space dedicated to calmnessmeditation and encouraging positive energy.

Benefits of meditation practice

Some people see meditation as a bunch of New Age hooey, but those who’ve experienced the benefits of this time-honored practice believe otherwise. Meditation can help you cope with stress, as it promotes peace, calmness and relaxation. Meditation actually offers tangible results, like better sleep quality, reduced resting blood pressure and heart rate, and fewer negative feelings.

Meditation can even help to alleviate symptoms in people who deal with health issues like chronic pain, depression, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome and cancer. Best of all, it’s an easy and affordable energy cleanser and a great way to seek much-needed spiritual relaxation!

First, it’s important to have at least a basic working knowledge of how to meditate.

How to meditate and generate positive energy

There are a number of ways to meditate, including yoga, tai chi, guided meditation and mindfulness meditation. However, many people start simply, often using an app or podcast to show them the way. One simple way to meditate is by following these expert guidelines:

Sit down

The best place to meditate is somewhere that’s nice and quiet. Depending on how chaotic your home gets (rowdy neighbors, barking dogs and crying children have a way of disrupting meditation), noise-canceling headphones could be helpful.

Where and how you sit doesn’t really matter. It’s perfectly fine to sit in a chair, cross-legged on the floor or wherever, as long as you can do it for the duration of the meditation.

Commit to a certain time

Meditation is not meant to be a time-consuming experience. Even just a few minutes per day are effective at re-centering oneself. People new to meditation might want to start off at five minutes to see how it goes, then work up from there, if needed.

Listen to your breathing

Once you’re in position, close your eyes (or leave them open, whatever works best for you) and concentrate on how your breath feels as you inhale and exhale. Focus on this as much as possible, without making it stressful.

If your mind starts to go to other places, redirect and refocus on the breath in the present moment. Don’t be hard on yourself when this happens, it’s human nature. Simply reconfigure.

Come out of it slowly

Don’t just pop right up to standing when the session is over. When you feel calm and complete, lessen your focus on breathing and reorient yourself to the sounds, sights and smells around you. Consider the state of your overall body and mind. Remain sitting until you’re ready to transition back to normal life.

How to create a meditation space in an apartment

Now that you know what’s involved, it’s time to learn how to create a meditation space that will help you effectively combat negative energy, find peace and improve mental health.

1. Find an area to set up shop

Meditation only requires a small space to get the job done. Walk through your apartment and find a spot that is quiet and out of the way. This could be in the corner of a bedroom or in an office/craft space. Unless you live alone, the beating heart of the unit (aka the living room) is not the best choice.

A dedicated room is ideal for serious meditation practice, but not everyone has the square footage to pull that off, especially in small apartments. Some people even use small spaces like a closet or bathroom! Of course, people who plan to practice a type of more physical meditation, like tai chi or yoga, might need more room than those who are sitting still the whole time.

It’s also not necessary to commit to one meditation area. If you discover that you need more space after a session or two, simply reevaluate and relocate!

2. Find a nice view

People who like to meditate eyes open are often encouraged to face a window to take in the nature and happenings of the outside world. If that’s not possible, sit facing something else that calms you and brings joy, like a piece of art or a couple of plants. Even people who meditate with their eyes closed might want to be near an open window, as natural light, fresh air and a gentle breeze can help with the relaxation process. Natural elements are known to have a very calming effect on most people. No matter where you end up, try to make sure that the space is limited to neutral colors, to encourage feeling calm.

3. Clear space

Clutter is said to cause stress, and that’s the exact opposite thing that you want out of a meditation space.

4. Ask others to help

Meditation is a solo experience, but it can take a team effort to pull it off.

If you live with other people, let them know that you’re about to meditate and for how long.

This will hopefully limit any unwelcome interruptions.

Gather some meditation tools

When creating a meditation room or space, the idea is to build a pleasing, comfortable area free of clutter and the stresses of daily life.

5. Light a scented candle

Scented candles (make sure they are in safe place! Thoroughly extinguished at the end) in calming scents can have a tremendous effect on medication quality. Lavender, sandalwood and lemongrass scents are go-to meditation scents, but make sure to choose one that works for you.

Incidentally, candlelight is also helpful for people who meditate with their eyes open, as the flickering has a relaxing effect.

6. Use essential oils

Along the same lines, essential oils are often used for aromatherapy purposes because they are believed to have healing and relaxing capabilities. To use this centuries-old tool, apply it sparingly and directly to the body (make sure it’s approved for skin use). One drop to the middle of the forehead, or a drop in your hand (then rub both hands together) is plenty. Or put a few drops in a diffuser and let it permeate the air in your mediative space.

7. Cushion yourself

For people who want to meditate while sitting on the floor, a meditation cushion is a great idea to keep the experience comfy. It doesn’t have to be a specific meditation pillow — a throw pillow will do in a pinch. Just choose one that’s covered in soothing, soft textures and is easy to sit on.

Low back and spine health:

Lay dow Meditation: You can lie down too!

Standing: Adopt a Chi Gung standinbg position is great for sore backs.

Movement: practice some gentle moves from Tai Chi or hip sways… great for pushing away the world and adding some flex.

8. Improve the energy with shells and crystals

A lot of people turn to energy tools to help the meditative space achieve its fullest potential. Healing crystals, either placed in your hand or around you while meditating, are said to encourage positive energy.

Shells evoke calm and harmony.

Black tourmaline, in particular, is believed to absorb negative energy and encourage inner peace in a given space. Clear quartz is also thought to clear out the mind and promote inner calm.

9. Pick up a Tibetan singing bowl

Tibetan singing bowls are another common tool used in meditation. These small metal bowls are believed to improve the space’s energy and encourage total relaxation with their pleasing tones. Mallets are used to strike the bowls, which then release a ringing sound.

Don’t have a Tibetan singing bowl? Check Spotify or another music streamer for recorded versions.

10. Play meditation music

Along the same lines, explore different types of soothing music to see what helps you achieve the best meditation possible.

Some people like silence others quiet classical music, while others opt for Gregorian chants. There are even plenty of meditation-specific playlists out there to choose from. Some even say that such tunes are good at removing toxins!

Try out a few and discover which types of music help you reach that zen state to the fullest.

11. Turn to technology, with limits… switch off tech and phones!

Too much technology is detrimental to the meditation space, but one can’t argue with the many options that meditation-focused podcasts and apps present. Many such podcasts are available to access for free via streaming services, and usually, the apps come with a nominal fee.

That said, any other type of tech used during meditation is detrimental to the experience. The meditation space should be cleared out of any televisions, tablets or other tech items.

If using a phone for music or podcast purposes, make sure notifications are silenced, so that texts or email dings don’t yank you out of the zone prematurely!

A meditative space can calm any mind and fit in any apartment

No matter the size of your apartment, all you really need for a meditative space is a comfortable spot where it’s easy to hang out and relax to reduce day-to-day stress.

A small amount of effort is equal to a huge payback when meditation is involved.