If I had one day to create a meditation space, what and how would I do that?  The idea behind this post is to help my readers create a space in one day for themselves.  This should quickly give them a perfect and exciting space to meditate in every day !

Even though I already have a practice space,  a new one upstairs is great for a stressful day at work.

Choosing the Space

I’m choosing a small space in the loft that I currently use as an in-home office. The office is not bad, neat and blessed with some empty space. The corner of the room at the top of the stairs makes a good option in one day.  It’s quiet, clear of anything accept a fan and a couple of little storage boxes. I painted the walls this great taupe only last year making this a great choice.

The room is well lit with two windows on the far side of the room. I like that the windows are there for fresh air, but not directly in the space itself.  The light is soft and subtle in my new space. The windows face south so the direct sun doesn’t come in until late in the afternoon.  This suits me well since I usually meditate in the morning.  There is one small porthole window directly behind where I’ll be sitting, but this will probably be perfect. Some great sun rays slanting briefly into the room for a few minutes in the morning shouldn’t be a distraction. It will most likely make the space even more visually beautiful because of the porthole shape and interesting wood moulding. All things to consider when setting up your own space.

Small Meditation Spaces

You may not be as lucky  to have a small empty corner. If that’s the case then you might still find a closet or garage. Or maybe get rid of unused furniture to make room.  If even this doesn’t work for you, you might visit the article on “Small Meditation Spaces” on this blog for ideas.

The Furniture and Artwork

With a small bench now placed in the space as an altar, this will help one day job go quickly. I’ve decided to place a wooden box on the top of the bench for storage. This will hide  incense and a candle when I’m not practicing. I’ll place a  Buddha statue on top of the box with a fabric brocade as a gesture of respect.

I decide to hang a large painting of a spring that runs through the desert in Northern Arizona.  The spring is called the Dine’ Spring (Dine’ means Navajo). This spring is very sacred to the Navajo, and makes a perfect meditation focus for my practice. It will make a nice scene behind the Buddha statue and will help create a beautiful space. I know this will inspire me to quiet my mind.  You are free to use whatever type image inspires you best, religious, spiritual or just beautiful. Artwork that invokes peace and tranquility.

Flooring

My floor is covered with carpet and I prefer a wooden floor. Since I rent, and don’t have a lot of money, I’ve decided to purchase a bamboo mat that’s used as a carpet protector and can be purchased in any office supply store.  This is just my preference. While the carpet gives better padding, I like to use a large mat directly under my cushion anyway, and wood just feels more natural to me.

For a quick meditation space in one day, this all looks good, but the hard lines of the wooden bench, coupled with the box on top, needs softening. I have this great bundled grass that might work perfectly. I’ll set that on the floor next to the bench giving the entire set up a comfortable feeling very much like being in Arizona since the color matches the painting and reminds me again of that area of the quiet desert.

Final Considerations

I also have a plugin receptacle right next to my cushion where I can plug in my iPhone or iPad when I’m practicing.  That way I can play mantra or quiet sounds of the wind or water as I practice. The only thing missing is a lamp in case I want to practice after dark. And now that winter is coming and sunset is happening earlier,  I’ll probably have to tackle that problem with a floor lamp sooner then later.

When not meditating I store my incense, candles (cooled and ready to store) inside the box, and stash my cushions under the bench. Perfect!

This was a fun one day project, inexpensive and quick. Now when I come home from a busy day I can sit for 20 minutes, quiet my mind and relax.

Also read: At Home Meditation Space in Six Simple Steps for those with little space. Or Wayfairs “Create a Meditation Space on a Budget.’  And may your new space be beautiful and bring you joy.