Meditation isn’t just a treat for your mind; it’s a treat for your body as well. Did you know that meditation is a proven tool for lowering your blood pressure?
Oohummmmmm… Did you know that the word 'Om' has a different meaning for every person and culture? To some, it means the breath of the universe. Others believe the word and its sound are the cosmos itself. Whatever you think, you know it by meditation, which you’ve always meant to settle down and get into, right? Now, you can, by using the meditation tips below. Grab a velvet floor cushion or a bean bag for meditation, and then continue reading. The filling of a bean bag chair conforms to your body, supporting it in any position you wish to sit. Bean bags are available in a variety of shapes and are designed for indoor use, making them versatile for different spaces. The shape of the bean bag chair can significantly influence comfort and support, and various shapes are available to suit individual preferences. Bean bags and their soft textures can add warmth and a cozy feeling to your meditation space, enhancing the overall atmosphere and inviting a sense of warmth to your indoor environment.
Introduction to Meditation
Meditation is a time-honoured practice that helps people relax, reduce stress, and boost their overall health. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to deepen your meditation process, creating a dedicated meditation space can make all the difference. This space doesn’t have to be an entire room—it could be a cozy corner or a small nook in your house. The key is to create an environment that feels peaceful and supports your focus. A bean bag chair is a great option for your meditation space, offering comfort and support that allows you to sit in a neutral posture and focus on your breath. By intentionally designing your space and selecting the right chair, you’ll find it easier to incorporate meditation into a regular, rewarding part of your daily routine.
Benefits of a Bean Bag Chair
Adding a bean bag chair to your meditation space offers a range of benefits that can enhance your meditation practice. Bean bag chairs are designed to mould to your body, providing comfort and support that traditional chairs often lack. This extra seating option is not only versatile—easily moved from room to room—but also encourages you to relax and settle in for your meditation. The sense of coziness a bean bag creates helps reduce stress and makes meditating feel like a treat rather than a chore. Additionally, bean bag chairs can promote better posture, which is crucial for overall health and maintaining focus during your practice. By making your meditation space more inviting and comfortable, a bean bag chair can help you stick with your meditation routine and enjoy all the benefits that come with it.
Designing Your Meditation Room
Designing the perfect meditation room is all about creating a space that feels peaceful, comfortable, and free from distractions. Start by choosing a spot with plenty of natural light, as this can lift your mood and help reduce stress. Keep the room simple and uncluttered, using light colours on the walls to enhance the sense of calm. A bean bag chair is a wonderful addition, providing a soft and supportive place to sit while meditating. Consider adding a few plants to bring a touch of nature into your space, and pay attention to the sounds in your environment—soft background music or gentle nature sounds can help you focus and relax. The goal is to create a meditation space that feels like a retreat from the world, making it easier to sit, breathe, and release stress.
Creating a Peaceful Atmosphere
A peaceful atmosphere is the foundation of any successful meditation practice. To create this sense of calm, choose soft lighting and calming colours that invite you to relax. Comfortable furniture, like a bean bag chair, can make it easier to settle in and focus on your breath. Adding gentle sounds—such as the rustle of leaves, flowing water, or soft music—can help mask distractions and deepen your sense of tranquillity. The more inviting and serene your meditation space feels, the easier it will be to let go of daily stress and truly embrace the practice. By thoughtfully creating a peaceful atmosphere, you’ll support your overall health and make meditation a soothing, restorative habit.
Importance of Natural Light
Natural light is a powerful ally in any meditation space. It not only brightens the room but also helps improve your mood, reduce stress, and promote a sense of calm. Exposure to natural light can regulate your body’s circadian rhythms, supporting better sleep and overall health. To maximise the use of natural light, position your meditation space near a window or utilise mirrors to reflect sunlight throughout the room. Avoid harsh, artificial lighting that can feel jarring or distracting—instead, opt for soft, natural light that encourages relaxation and focus. By filling your meditation space with natural light, you’ll create a peaceful, health-promoting environment that makes it easier to meditate and unwind.
A Bean Bag for Meditation Can Improve Focus
1. Set Small and Low Goals
You may have heard of meditating monks walking across hot coals and not feeling a thing. That’s probably never going to be you! And why should it be? You do not need to commit yourself so profoundly to meditation that you’re silent for the rest of your life. Don’t be afraid to start small or to embrace the silence that comes with meditation—every step counts.
Additionally, it would take the rest of your life to achieve that level of meditation. Instead of setting that as your goal, why not set small, timed intentions for your meditation practice? I want to meditate for a full minute without getting distracted by my thoughts. When you can do one minute, aim for one and a half. While that doesn’t sound like much, time spent meditating is different from time spent on anything else. If you try, 15 minutes can feel like three or three minutes can feel like 15. It’s usually whatever your body needs the most - a long or a short rest. You don’t even have to start with a full minute. Meditation can be as simple as taking one intentional breath. Don’t think one breath counts? The fact that you had the self-discipline and self-awareness to take a break and breathe says otherwise.
2. Use Meditation to Alert Yourself to Habits
Do you bite your nails? Or jitter your leg? Or do something all the time you wish you wouldn’t do? Meditation can help you fix that. And not by putting pressure on yourself and getting critical when you find yourself biting again. How? You can use meditation to phase out habitual behaviours. Next time you catch yourself doing whatever you’re trying to stop, stop and take a deep breath. Take three if you can. You’ll start noticing when you engage in your bad habit more and be able to cease it more efficiently. After you’ve finished with your three breaths, think about which one made you feel better. The breaths washing through and nourishing your body or your bad habit? Then, if you have a second, think about what led you to engage in that bad habit this time. Was it a stressful meeting or an unhelpful conversation? A loud sound? Noticing is the first step in everything related to meditation and self-awareness. As time goes on, you’ll see your habit more quickly and be able to replace it with breaths. The goal of this practice is to quit your habit altogether and reward your body with breath when you’d usually engage in the habit. Eliminating clutter is important for reducing stress in a meditation room, so consider tidying up your space before starting your practice. Visual or auditory elements, such as bright lights or background noise, can distract you from your meditation, so try to minimise these factors to maintain focus.
3. Understand the Main Goal
Too many people try meditation and give up because they think they're not good at it. They can't stop thinking and are distracted by random thoughts. They believe the goal of meditation is to achieve an undistracted, silent mind for as long as they plan. But it's not, at least not for a very long time. The goal of meditation, in the first year or the first few years, is to notice your distractions more quickly. You're training your mind to concentrate on one thing. Just because another thought entered your mind doesn't mean you've failed or that you have to start over. It means you need to acknowledge that your mind has drifted and moved back towards meditation. Initially, you may spend two-thirds of the meditation distracted by a random thought. That's fine! What matters is how quickly and gently you return to your concentration. Don't get mad at yourself if you see thoughts scrolling through your mind; notice that they're there and re-focus. It's going to take time and work, but you'll find a blank mind.
4. Do it Daily
There are some things that, if you do a couple of times, you're way more likely to do again. Like drugs. But unlike drugs, meditation is something you should do again and again. And as you do it more, you're more likely to continue. That's right. You can increase your likelihood of an extended meditation streak by not skipping the practice in the first three days. After the initial three days, you're already on a roll. That doesn't mean you should forget about it on day four, but you know what we mean.
5. Relax Your Body
Meditation isn't just a treat for your mind; it's also a benefit for your body. Did you know that meditation is a proven tool for lowering your blood pressure? To experience the full physical benefits of meditation, ensure your body is as relaxed as your mind. You can start this process by relaxing your jaw. If that's new to you, clench and unclench it right now, paying attention to how relaxing it feels. You want to feel your chin move down and a little out away from your neck. These should be small muscle movements-someone would only see them if they were staring at you intently. Once your jaw is unclenched, find a half smile. You don't need to cheese like you're getting your grade two photos done, slightly turn up the sides of your mouth. It may feel like your mouth didn't change position at all, but practice it in the mirror a few times to get a better sense of it. You'll see that a subtle smile turns your face happier by about 10%. Finally, roll your shoulders back and move your neck around; if the movement feels good, proceed. Most people hold a lot of stress on their shoulders and work all day with them hunched over. Imagine sliding your shoulder blades down your body and slightly together. This motion will also straighten your spine, putting it into an almost neutral posture. The trick is not to lose focus while you're meditating.
6. Find a Breathing Pattern You Like
There is a school of thought that believes in holding your breath between exhaling and inhaling. There is truth to some of what they think. But truth or not, don't force yourself into a breathing pattern you don't like. Some people find the breath-holding or gap between breaths sequence difficult and unnatural. That's fine-they should find another model that they enjoy. In general, you want your exhale to be longer than your inhale. Try the five-seven pattern at the start. Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts. You can use your heartbeat if it's obvious to you in your space. Want to give your body a break between breaths? Try the five, seven, three methods. You take a three-second count before inhaling again after you exhale. Another thing to know about meditative breathing is that it's almost always done by breathing through your nose and out through your mouth. But there's no wrong answer. If you have a cold and breathing through your nose isn't an option-don't skip your meditation! Natural light helps improve concentration and encourages a sense of calm, so consider meditating near a window if possible.
7. Use Guided Meditations
Some people never leave the comfort of guided meditations. Even if they’ve been meditating for ten years or more. Guided meditations give people structure and gentle guidance throughout the meditation process. A calm voice usually speaks over some white noise-like nature sounds. They remind you to breathe and offer suggestions on what to focus on. Some may even suggest mantras for you to repeat. Many people also benefit from following a structured meditation course, either through an app or an online program, to help them stay motivated and focused. The downside of guided meditations is that it’s hard to find any that are less than ten minutes long online. If you’re starting, ten minutes can seem like a long time. Try listening to a ten-minute guided meditation for sleep before bed. That way, if you don’t finish your meditation, it’s because you fell into a peaceful slumber. Choosing calming colours for the walls contributes to a peaceful atmosphere, so consider this when setting up your meditation space.
8. Cool Down
Think of meditation as a little workout for your brain. You don't want to jump right back into what you were doing before you let your mind recover. Just like you wouldn't run three miles and then immediately sit back down at your desk and start typing. You'd slow to a walk and then do some stretches to cool your body down. Do the same thing when you've finished your meditation. Stretch a little and give yourself thirty more seconds to let your brain return to its non-meditative state. And yes, that counts as making your meditation 30 seconds longer!
Meditation Tips
Wherever you meditate, whether on a lounge or a Buddhist prayer cushion, follow the meditation tips above. Bean bag chairs are a great option for every member of the family, including kids, and can provide extra seating for guests during gatherings. They offer the benefit of comfort and support, making them ideal for practising meditation and helping you feel grounded during your sessions. Bean bag chairs can also be used in an office or in front of a computer screen to enhance comfort and improve posture, offering ergonomic benefits over traditional office furniture. Their fun and playful design adds enjoyment to your meditation space, making it more inviting for both adults and kids. Consider creating a dedicated meditation space at home—bean bag chairs contribute to a calming, family-friendly environment that encourages relaxation and mindfulness. Even if it takes you way longer than you thought to have a clear brain for just ten seconds. Consider creating a Zen meditation room. A quiet corner is essential for creating a meditation space. There’s a reason they call it meditation practice because that’s what it takes — the commitment to learning and willingness to take the time out of your day.
