How to Create a Meditation Space in Your Rental

Meditation is about finding your center and embracing the fact that you can’t control everything around you, but you can control what goes on inside of you. You and you alone have the power to find inner peace when everything is swirling around you. Oftentimes, we come to associate a certain space or smell with a feeling of tranquility, that’s why dedicating an area in your living space to calming down and meditating can help you achieve tranquility more easily.

Now, if you’re game, we have some creative ideas and outside-the-box tips for you, to help you on your journey to create a perfect meditation spot in your rental! But first, let’s talk a bit about why you should choose meditation.

Why Meditation?

From a biological perspective, stress was simply a byproduct of the evolutionary process in human beings. For early humans struggling to survive in their world, stress was a crucial biological mechanism. Stress kept early humans alert by raising their blood pressure and heart rate. It primed the bodies of early humans for split-second decision making and rapid, abrupt action by stimulating the adrenal glands.

However, the modern world differs greatly from the harsh environments humankind faced during its infancy. Yet, our bodies continue to react to extenuating circumstances in the same way that they did tens of thousands of years ago: stress.

All too often, the relief sought by those suffering from chronic stress is found outside of themselves, in various things from pharmaceuticals to plant-based medication. Although some solutions are helpful, others can create physical dependency or different side effects. Because of that, it’s best to start the quest for solving these issues from the inside.

One very efficient and harmless way to deal with stress at home is meditation. Meditation is an excellent way to manage stress, and it has also been proven to have a variety of additional benefits such as improved focus, increased self-esteem and heightened confidence.

Creating a Space for Meditation

The great thing about meditation is that you can do it just about anywhere. You can meditate on the subway as you commute to and from work, or in the office after you’ve just had a difficult conversation with your boss. Meditation doesn’t require you to assume a meditative position or softly say “om” to yourself.

Now, this isn’t to say that having your own personal meditation space can’t be helpful; in fact, quite the opposite is true! While you don’t necessarily need a dedicated meditation space to meditate, having one can encourage you to do it more often and to concentrate better during the meditation process itself.

As a renter, you might have found that there are a wide variety of benefits to this lifestyle, yet one of the drawbacks is that you are not always allowed to make changes to your rental. However, there are many ways in which you can create a meditation space without altering your home permanently. If you want to make additional changes — such as painting your walls — then you should talk to your landlord about it.

Pick the Right Spot

The most important step when creating a meditation spot for your rental is finding the right place. To get the best results from meditating at home, you’ll want to meditate in the same spot each day, so choose wisely. There are a number of things to consider when picking a spot, but ultimately it depends on your preferences and living space.

Ideally, you want your meditation space to be large and open, with lots of natural light but as little outside noise as possible. Flooring is important too; fifteen minutes may not seem like a long time, but when you’re sitting cross legged on a tile floor, the minutes will begin to feel like hours. You should also choose a space with the right color, preferably something muted and understated.

Decorate your Meditation Space

Once you’ve chosen a suitable spot, you may want to decorate it with various items that make you feel centered and at peace. This is entirely optional, but if your budget allows for it, then carefully selected décor can go a long way towards establishing an atmosphere of peace and well-being.

So how should you decorate your meditation space? It’s entirely up to you! Potted plants can help establish a connection with nature, while a small table with a tablecloth in a muted color can be useful as a place to set your incense burner or speaker. Just decorate in such a way as to make yourself feel safe and at peace!

Get a Mat

As we mentioned before, meditation can be done anywhere, in any position. However, many say that it’s easiest to quiet your mind when you’re sitting on the floor. Maintaining a relaxed but upright sitting position will help you breathe deeply and quiet your thoughts. Although you could sit on the bare floor, most prefer to sit on a soft bamboo or foam mat.

As you gain more control over your thoughts and impulses, you can try meditating for short periods without the mat as a way to test your resistance to discomfort. This can help you find the divide between your body and your mind and strengthen your ability to remain at peace while experiencing physical discomfort.

Buy some Incense

Another thing that can improve your meditation session without altering your living space is an incense burner and some incense. These are usually fairly inexpensive, but don’t be fooled: they make a huge difference. The soothing aroma of slowly burning frankincense, sage or whatever incense you choose will ground you in the present and create a soothing, peaceful environment.

Incense also has the added benefit of filling your home with pleasant aromas that, over time, you will begin to associate with peace and mindfulness. There are few things that make a room smell better than a stick or two of myrrh smoldering in an incense burner!

Put on Some Music

For this one, you may want to invest in a decent speaker or stereo, but if you don’t have the budget for that you can simply use your phone or laptop. The music you choose doesn’t have to be geared specifically for meditation; just find a playlist or album that makes you feel calm and peaceful. There are also many calming apps you can utilize.

By playing music while you meditate, you’ll be able to focus on the melody, rhythm and flow of the song while clearing your mind of distractions and stray thoughts. As you improve your control over your body, you should be able to do this without the aid of music, but when you’re starting out the music helps a great deal.

Conclusion

If you live in a rented apartment, making your own meditation space might be difficult, but hopefully, these tips will help. At the end of the day, it’s important to realize that meditation isn’t about where you meditate, but rather how you meditate. With some creative thinking and a bit of work, your rental space can become your own tranquil oasis!