I used to meditate daily. I'd start each morning with just a few minutes of silence, and end each night the same way. Overall, I felt more clarity, more calm and far less stress when I meditated, but for the past few weeks I've let the practice slip. There's no doubt I've been busy- between a cross-country road trip, and a move across the ocean, but the truth is you only really need a few minutes per day to feel the benefits, so being busy isn't much of an excuse. I want to get back into meditation, and am going to set my alarm a few minutes early each day now just to kickstart the practice. Anyone care to join?
I've talked a little before about setting up a home yoga practice space, and a dedicated space for meditation is nice to have, too. It doesn't have to be an entire room or anything, just a little corner works fine. It's important to note that, like yoga, nothing is really "essential" for the practice except for the body and mind, but here are a few of the things I either have or would love to see in my yoga/meditation area.
Pin it! 7 Essentials to take your meditation space to the next level
1. Singing bowl, $22. I bought mine on a trip to Istanbul and I absolutely love it. You run the wooden part on the outside edge and it makes this beautiful sound perfect for beginning or ending your practice.
2. Meditation cushion, $42. I use a bolster, but love this, as it's likely more comfortable than what I'm working with.
3. Mexican blanket, $6 - $30. I like drape one over my shoulders for a morning meditation just so I can stay cozy cuz I'm usually in pajamas as well.
4. Sandalwood prayer beads, $8. I like prayer beads for mantras - they're kind of like my cheat because you can keep track of how many you've done, and when you get to the end you know you've completed 108. :)
5. Incense burner, $17. This one is beautiful!
6. The Book of Awakening, $11. A favorite of mine, this book has daily, though-provoking readings.
7. Incense, $8. This is my absolute favorite brand of incense, hands down.
Let's talk Do you have a dedicated space to meditate? What do you decorate with or use in your practice? What do you find most rewarding or most challenging about meditation?
Related A 5 minute guided meditation. And, if you want to go deeper, a 20 minute yoga nidra meditation.