The Wellness Warrior House of Healing: Meditation room

Posted April 17, 2011

 

As I shared with you last week, I have just hit the one-year mark of my Gerson Therapy. It’s been a whole year of living basically in the confines of our home. I do venture out a little bit, to go to yoga, the markets, to visit a friend or down to the beach for a walk, but mostly we just hang out here at what we call the ‘Wellness Warrior Retreat’. Because I am pretty much house bound, we needed to create a home environment that is conducive to healing. So we have set the place up so that almost every room and space has a purpose. This week I thought it might be fun to give you a little tour of our House of Healing. Because good health starts with the mind, I’m going to start by showing off our meditation room. A toxic mind leads to a toxic body, so it is super important that I spend time working on my mind and my emotions. Having a designated area of the house to do this in makes it much easier to turn what can at first seem like a chore into a stable habit.

These are the elements that make up this sacred space …

Meditation stools and cushions: Every morning and every afternoon I drag my butt up the stairs and into this room where I sit on my special little stool and get my OM on, usually in half hour stints. When I first began my meditation practice I bought cushions to sit on, but my legs would go numb after about 10 minutes. So, I invested in a meditation stool and it was the best idea ever. I can sit there for hours (I haven’t, but I’m sure I could haha) without my legs and back getting sore.

Blankets: When you sit still in meditation your body temperature tends to drop, which is why we have blankets on stand-by. My shoulders sometimes ache as well so I wrap a blanket around my waist and rest my hands on top of it to take some pressure off of my arms.

Alter: My meditation alter is adorned with crystals, a chakra wand, a Tibetan singing bowl, angel cards and a candle that I light at the beginning of each session.

Singing bowl: One of my best friends bought me this for my birthday last year. It’s a Tibetan singing bowl and I sometimes use it to get me in the meditation zone. You tap the side of the bowl with the wooden stick, and then run the stick around the lip of the bowl. It will make an eerie, high-pitched sound that is great for lulling you into a meditative trance.

Angel cards: I’m a little bit obsessed with these at the moment. As part of my morning ritual, after I meditate I shuffle the deck of angel cards and pick a card to give me guidance for the day. It’s kind of spooky how accurate they are.

Massage table: I am lucky enough to be blessed with a boyfriend who knows how to give wicked massages!

Yoga mat: If I’m feeling a little stiff sometimes I will roll out the yoga mat and do a few stretches to wake my body up before I hit the stool. I find it helps me to be able to sit there for longer.

iPod dock: When I was first learning to meditate I would listen to one of Ian Gawler’s guided recordings to ease me into my meditative state. Sometimes I will just go up into the room, lie down and play some relaxation music.

I practice a form of meditation called Mindfulness-based Stillness Meditation that was taught when I spent time at the Gawler Foundation last year. It goes a little something like this:

1. Sit down and adjust your position so that it is symmetrical, upright and open, and a little uncomfortable (if you’re too comfy you could fall asleep). Set a timer for the amount of time you’re attempting to sit for.

2. Close your eyes and gently focus your attention on the space in front of them, between your eyebrows.

3. Concentrate on and listen to your breathing. Notice the rise and fall of the abdomen on each inhalation and exhalation.

4. Open your awareness to include the sounds around you – outside and inside the room.

5. You’ll find your mind will tend to wander. That’s totally okay. When it does, just bring your attention back to your breathing and the sounds you hear. Thoughts are normal, the trick is to just let them go without turning them into a story in your mind.

6. Try to sit and keep your mind calm for as long as you can. The more you practice, the longer you will be able to hold this mental focus.

In the morning I complete my session by visualising and setting intentions for the day ahead. For about five minutes at the end of my afternoon session I spend time reflecting on my day. I also use this room for contemplation, to write in my gratitude journal and to pray. I’ve never considered myself to be a religious person, and I’m not sure who I’m exactly praying to, but it feels right to send my gratitude and appreciation to the universe through prayer.

Do you have a meditation space in your home? What is in yours?

Positive affirmation for the day: Inner peace translates into outer peace, affecting every aspect of my life.

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