In these crazy times, my daily (OK, OK, nearly daily) meditation practice calms my mind and makes my fears more manageable. After seeing some photos of some cute meditation spaces in my readings and on Pinterest, I wanted to create my own. But I had limited space and some fairly specific ideas of what I wanted it to look like. For starters, no large Tibetan prayer flags or “happy Buddha” sculptures; those just aren’t my style and wouldn’t create the sense of peace and serenity I’m looking for.
I completed it yesterday, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out! It’s on my bedroom floor, just under the big picture window, so I can see the sky and the trees and the birds at the feeder (my favorites: the beautiful ruby throated hummingbird with its iridescent green back; a nearby feeder attracts finches).
I use the Headspace (@headspace) app to guide my meditation, and I highly recommend it. The app has a variety of themes to choose from, plus other relaxing sections such as calming music to fall asleep with.
Here’s how I put my spot together:
The base: I’m not into buying new things when an existing thing will do. My most-used writing materials sit near my writing desk on a desktop bookshelf on the floor (similar to the one below). With a bit of rearrangement, I was able to clear a second shelf and use that as my base. I evened out the shelf’s 30-degree angle with a bit of Styrofoam and a length of balsa wood. Didn’t matter how ugly it looked, since I planned to cover it up.
The cover: I wanted something with a pattern that “hinted” of Asia, but not over-the-top. I found this lovely Indian batik fabric with a favorite color scheme at JOANN Fabric and Craft (@JoAnn_Stores). I simply folded and ironed the edges to make them even; no need to sew anything, since the cloth isn’t going anywhere. Bonus: the fabric reverses to a coordinating color scheme on the back, so I can cover the “clutter” of the nearby writing materials while I’m mediating or doing yoga.
The backdrop: World Market (@worldmarket), with its section of Asian décor, was the perfect place to find this modest wall hanging. I hung it with small white tacks, to blend in with the windowsill.
What’s on the shelf: I purchased a small flower (from our local grocery store) and a scented candle (also from World Market). What I wanted for the centerpiece were some figurines of cranes (my favorite birds), which turned out to be remarkably difficult to find. I discovered all sorts of crane “yard art,” but I needed something around eight inches tall, not three feet. And I wasn’t interested in paying $900 for a Lladro porcelain. I finally found what I needed on Etsy, in a vintage shop called Low Sky Studio. Serendipitously, I learned in a recent article in Smithsonian Magazine that cranes symbolize peace, good fortune, and longevity, which suits me just fine.
I hope you can find a daily (or near-daily) practice that brings you peace in these turbulent and stressful days.
That’s all she wrote,
Laura
well done, Laura! Carry on...