Arriving Home :: Creating A Home Practice
One of the most frequent questions I get asked as a meditation teacher is, "how do I meditate daily?" or "how do I learn to meditate consistently?"
I'm happy to say that this question is also one of my favorite topics on meditation. I love it so much because when I learned to meditate consistently that is the day meditation truly began to change my life. So I know first hand how daily meditation is what most of us are searching for or wanting from meditation even if we aren't aware of it yet.
Though I give entire workshops and talks on this topic alone and could easily spend hours on the subject, there is one starting place I like to share and discuss the most as it is also one of the biggest contributors to having a consistent meditation practice...
Creating A Home Practice
Having a home meditation practice is one of the surest way you can also begin to meditate daily and consistently. Below are a few steps to help create your home practice.
Begin with an intended daily routine. This involves choosing a consistent time, place and length of meditation.
Consistent time
Choose the same time to meditate everyday and really practice at that time. Research shows that if you complete a new intended habit in the morning then you are more likely to get it done and then sustain the habit. For meditation, pick the time that works the best for you. If mornings are when you have more time then meditate first thing in the morning. If afternoons are more spacious, meditate then.Consistent place
The idea with consistency is making what we want to be consistent with effortless. This includes picking a constant place to meditate at each day so that you remove the "thinking" part of arriving to your daily meditation practice. You have chosen your spot to meditate, so you know where to go and you know what to do. Some ideal places in the home are at a designated meditation nook or alter area (more on this below), on your couch, on a chair or bench, on the side of your bed or anywhere you can be seated comfortably.Consistent length of meditation
Research states that starting with a small and manageable amount of meditation time will help grow a consistent meditation practice. Beginning with 5-10 minutes of meditation is a very accessible starting place. Anyone can make time for 5-10 minutes of meditation. That's right, anyone.
Creating a home practice means making a home for your meditation practice. Like mentioned above choosing a consistent place to meditate in your home makes arriving to meditation that much easier and fluid. Some ways to create a home meditation space are:
Designating a specific place for your practice.
This makes meditation not only a priority but can also be a very special experience for some of us. Having a special place where you meditate can add to the overall ritual and routine of your practice."Reifying" your meditation space.
Reification means making something intangible, tangible through the expression of physical objects. The best example is like how a wedding ring can symbolize a couple's love. You can place meaningful objects in your meditation area that serve as a source of inspiration and as a reminder to meditate!Making your practice space a place you enjoy.
If cozy and comfort is your thing, add some pillows, blankets and meditation cushions to your home practice space. If minimalism and simplicity is what brings you joy have your space be clear, clutter free, austere and simple. You want to be drawn to your meditation space and be able to just be.
Being set up and supported for a home practice. You want your home meditation practice to be simple, heartwarming and relatively non-negotiable. Meaning that you set yourself up to meditate no matter what! Here are my meditation support essentials:
A meditation timer
Make sure to have on hand a meditation timer so you can easily hear a bell sound when your meditation time is done.A meditation cushion
Do you need a meditation cushion to meditate? Absolutely not! As already stated, you can meditate on a couch, on a chair, or pretty much anywhere that is comfortable. Yet in my experience when the time is right finding the perfect meditation cushion, or better yet a meditation set can make your home practice that much more intentional and supportive.
On an upcoming 'Arriving Home' I will share my favorite meditation products and some more home meditation essentials.
May this post inspire you to create a home meditation practice that can support you in making meditation part of your everyday.
And be sure to sign up for AGM's Weekly Newsletter to receive my 'Meditation for Daily Living Guide', a free PDF that shares more on creating a consistent meditation practice.
