5 Ways to Add a Meditation Space to Your Tiny House

You’ve decluttered and culled. You’ve downsized and minimized. Now you’ve moved into your new tiny house, but something is missing. With such a small space and barely any room for a bathroom, what sometimes goes by the wayside is a meditation space or spiritual corner.

A tiny meditation space in a tiny house can still be meaningful.

A meditation space doesn’t have to include a cement Buddha, crystals or beads, but it should be a space that is spiritually meaningful to you. It can be as small as a corner on a bookshelf or as large as a full loft. This is merely a place that allows for contemplation, prayer, decision making or even a restful nap.

Alan and Venita have a loft dedicated to meditation, but you don’t need one this large.

1. Adopt versatile seating

It’s a little difficult to meditate or pray while standing. A good meditation space should have some comfortable seating. This can include a full armchair or a simple pillow or cushion on the floor. When not in use, this pillow can be placed on a sofa or tucked away in a closet. The Zafuko Zafu meditation cushion is a foldable cushion used in Thailand. The height on this cushion is adjustable and it folds up to be tucked away under a chair or in a closet. Another handy meditation chair is a BackJack chair. These adjustable floor chairs allow for back support and can be used a variety of ways.

2. Choose appropriate lighting

It’s also difficult to meditate or pray if you have lights glaring in your eyes. How amazing is the light shed by the votive candles at at Catholic church? Small candles barely take up any space and can designate a special meditative space in a tiny home. Other ways to light a meditation space is with a small Himalayan salt lamp, some string lights, or even an inspirational nightlight that only takes up one plug.

3. Ban the alter clutter

A meditation space alter can quickly get cluttered with inspirational books, posters, statues and other “meaningful” objects. Carefully curate your space with items that truly help your meditative practice. This could mean you don’t have any religious or significant objects at all or you periodically go through them and declutter.

4. Select a scent

Scents that remind you of your prayer or meditation time and space can bring instant calm. Items like naturally scented candles, incense, flowers and even scented wood can add a special detail to any space, especially a space dedicated to meditation.

5. Embrace natural sounds

Same as scent, it’s best if a meditation space is free of distracting sounds. Turn off the TV, the computer, and your phone to enjoy either the breeze or other natural sounds. If you need to keep your phone on, there are some great apps or YouTube channels that send out restful sounds or guided meditations. One of the best ways to enjoy some quiet time is to hang a wind chime either inside or outside your tiny house.

 

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]