What is meditation?

When I was 17 I was given the gift of learning how to meditate, a week of instruction from a former monk. It was a rare and magical opportunity to learn from someone that had lived a life dedicated to the practice for 11 years. I was given a personal mantra (more on mantras in another future blog post!) and shown how to meditate. It was by far one of the best gifts I’ve been given. Looking back now, decades later, this introduction on how to meditate opened the doors to a practice that I couldn’t imagine my life without. And it’s my hope that if you have the desire to learn how to mediate, you, too, can navigate through the initial stages of resistance and frustration and find ways to help make it joyful and fun so you can feel its miraculous benefits.

So what is meditation? To me meditation is an invitation to experience “divine intelligence” connecting through you, as you. It allows you to calm the constant thoughts in your mind, so you can hear the universal intelligence within. When we step out of our busy life to connect to the energy within, we are embraced by all-that-there-is. We are embraced by the energy and power of the very moment instead of our future to-dos and emotions. We are greeted by the consciousness of it all: divine intelligence, source energy, the divine, God, the Universe, (whatever you feel comfortable calling it) and our soul gets to experience what life really is: pure consciousness, pure potential. And in this state of consciousness you feel a profound comfort and joy and boundless spaciousness for the very moment you are living. You experience a limitless freedom because the chains of your thoughts have been lifted and your mind gets to experience what you really are…consciousness. And this sense of freedom can feel expansive and euphoric.

But not all meditation sessions feel euphoric; you will most likely experience some resistance and frustration, especially in the beginning. These feelings are heightened because the mind is not used to entertaining silence, it’s used to constantly processing thoughts. As you learn, take comfort in knowing you’ll have days where you won’t be able to sit still and find the silence between the thoughts, but if you continue with your practice you will have the opportunity to experience sessions that feel expansive and even blissful. On these blissful days for me, I feel enormous gratitude and love for the experience of life and the connection to all things.

But how do we do learn to quiet the mind and silence our thoughts? We learn to quietly pay less attention to our thoughts. We learn to allow the thoughts to come but not to entertain them anymore. To not get tangled up in them where they move you from one thought to another to another. We learn to distance ourselves from them, to not label them good or bad, judging them as “oh no, here’s another thought, I must suck at meditation”. We learn we are not our thoughts. We learn to notice them, but not to lose ourselves in them and we do this by following the rhythm of our breath.

How to meditate

Come sit with me on a cozy cushion and let’s begin.

Find a space where you’ll be comfortable, uninterrupted and can relax for at least 30 minutes.
Set a timer on your phone for 20 minutes, and make sure the alarm sound is a pleasant one to hear after meditation.
Sitting cross-legged, close your eyes and place your hands in your lap. Palms can be facing up or down — whatever feels good to you.
Take three deep, slow breaths, fully inhaling and exhaling each time. Shake off any stiffness from your body and give your upper body a few stretches.
Place your focus on your breath. Focus on the sound, the rhythm and the feeling in your body of your chest moving up and down. You may want to take one or two more deep breaths to tap into this feeling of focusing on your breathing. As your attention flows from focusing on your breath, to a thought, or to a chain of thoughts, simply witness them as if you are separate from them, and gently return your focus back to your breathing. This back and forth of focusing on your breath, to observing a thought, to focusing back on your breath, will feel like a game of ping pong (especially in the beginning). Allow the game to play out gently. Don’t try to resist a thought happening or place judgement on yourself for having a thought — simply begin again. Allow the thought to float by just like a cloud would move across the sky.
If you hear a sound in your environment or a sensation in your body, gently allow yourself to hear or feel it without judgement and take your focus back to your breathing. Sometimes I can feel the rhythm of whatever sound is happening in my environment, which can act as another type of anchor for me to focus on, just like how you are placing the focus on your breathing.
We use the rhythm of the breath as an anchor to help gently cease thoughts so we experience gaps, moments of no thoughts. And within these moments of no thoughts, you get a peek of what pure consciousness feels like.
Add that is the purpose of meditation: to get to the moments of no thoughts, where you will be welcomed by consciousness and the expansiveness of your inner soul.
After 20 minutes, allow yourself to sit for another 5-10 minutes to give your mind and body time to gently come back to your outer world. If you jump up too fast after meditation you can feel dizzy or get a headache so ease into coming out of your mediation.

Creating a meditation Space that brings you joy

Imagine your very own meditation corner, room or nook decorated in the colors, patterns, and style you love, adorned with items that bring you comfort, peace and joy. Doesn’t even the thought of such a personal space inspire and uplift you? After many years of meditating I learned some powerful tools that have motivated me to make meditation a routine, brought fun into my practice and given me joy:

Styling a meditation space that inspires my soul
Performing rituals to prepare me to meditate
Stimulating my five senses

These three things became my way of making meditation a 20+ year commitment. I’ve come to realize each one makes me feel good: my meditation corner brings me joy decorated in items I love and colors that spark joy; preforming certain rituals calms my mind and prepares me to meditate; and delighting my five senses offers peace and comfort to my body preparing it to meditate. They all simply make me feel really good, and feeling really good is fun!

The items I listed below have helped me elevate my meditation practice by delighting my five traditional senses and much more. These simple rituals I do prepare my mind and body for meditation. And creating a beautiful space I love brings me joy and encourages me to sit down and show up for my practice.

Candles can calm, uplift and center you, delighting both your eyes and nose. Candles are a big part of my meditation space and the ritual of using them creates a space that looks and feels peaceful. My favorite place to find them is Anthropologie — they have the dreamiest scents and the containers are beautiful! If you’re into DIY projects, you can also make your own candles from rolled bees wax sheets which smell Ahhh-mazing. You can find rolled bees wax candles from Amazon with all the supplies you need to DIY your own candles. I also use flameless candles, and even though these don’t give off any scent, they do illuminate your space beautifully. I’ve purchased mine from various places in the past but love this LED candle set from Amazon — they come in a set of 9 and you can program them for 2, 4 ,6 or 8 hours to automatically turn on and off and to repeat the cycle every 24 hours. The combination of all these candles will make your space look magical!
Roses are my meditation go-to item because they simply make me happy. I’ve created a ritual around going out into my rose garden when they’re in bloom, cutting a few and placing them in my favorite vases around my space. I love to smell them right before I close my eyes to meditate, deeply taking in their different scents. Find something from nature that you love and add it to your meditation space. Items from nature are great for grounding and connecting with higher consciousness.
Incense - I love the smell of incense as it can really relax you. My favorite is Nag Champa which is a classic, you can find it on Amazon or usually any health food store. I light incense before meditating and let it burn for a few minutes, filling my space with the most peaceful aroma.
Cake Stand - This is by far one of my favorite ways to use a cake stand, even more so than for cake! Cake stands make the perfect symbolic spiritual altar. A cake stand is raised higher off your table which can symbolize your highest intentions. I love that symbolism, and adding a cake stand to your meditation space adds that fun element — anything goes if it brings you happiness! Place items that represent your intentions, goals, dreams and desires. Choose items that have special meaning for you and that you feel a connection to. You can find the cutest cake stands for your meditation space (and parties!) in the shop. Choose from durable melamine if you have young kiddos, porcelain for a fancy option, or acrylic for a fun, trendy vibe.
Moon Phase Book - I love following the phases of the moon. It’s a powerful way to align your life with the power of the moon. My favorite moon books are Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon and Moonology: Working with the Magic of Lunar Cycles, you can find both on Amazon. I’m working on a blog post about this topic so stay tuned if you want to learn more about aligning your life with the phases of the moon. I’ll link it here once I write it. :)
Small Table - Any small table that you can place a few items on will work. There’s only one criteria…it brings you joy to look at. Mine is round and pink with a gold top and adds that perfect pop of pastel color which brings me joy. A little Feng Shui tip: round items promote clear communication and positive energy.
Your Favorite Mug - I know you have one and if not go get yourself one! Pour yourself a cup of tea, coffee or a glass of lemon and cucumber water in your favorite mug, sip a little before and after your meditation, delighting your taste buds with something comforting or refreshing. This is such a simple ritual that really calms and comforts.
Notebooks & Pens - Inspiration and awesome ideas always come when I meditate so be ready to welcome these and write them down. You can find inspiring notebooks in the arts and crafts section of the shop like the Dream Big, Time to Shine and Awesome Musings notebooks that come in fun, bright neon colors.
Inspiring Quotes/Art Work/Books - Decorate your meditation space with items that remind you of what your intentions are, what inspires you and what motivates you, so you take action. All these things help me align to my intentions, reminding me of my personal “why” and personal power to get me even more excited to connect to a higher power and co-create. I like keeping my favorite books next to my table and so I can flip to a page if I need guidance on anything. I also have a cute pink letter board where I add quotes to keep me inspired. Find artwork in the shop like the “You are Magic” rainbow art print to remind you of your magic and the power we all have to co-create our life and add a little pop of inspiration to your space.
Spiritual Card Decks - These are so fun for instant guidance and inspiring messages. They’re super easy to use, create a little ritual and pull a card or cards before your meditation for more understanding on something you may be going through, or ask a question for guidance and see what comes through. My favorites are the Work Your Light Oracle Cards and The Universe Has Your Back: A 52-card Deck.
Banners - They aren’t just for parties! They are so fun as home decor adding a colorful and cheerful backdrop to your meditation space. Decorating with them in my space brings me joy and that’s the whole point! Find the cutest banners in the shop for all types of spaces and life’s celebrations!
Blankets - Because meditation spaces are all about your joy, making them cozy and inviting is a must. My all-time favorite blankets are the Fireside Faux Fur Throw Blanket from Anthropologie and the Calvin Klein Michael Blanket from Bed Bath and Beyond. Once you feel these beauties you’ll thank me later, they are so comfortable and super soft and plush!
Pillows are a must for a meditation space! They make you feel supported and comforted. I’ve gotten mine from Coop Home Goods, Anthropologie, Bed Bath and Beyond and IKEA. The smaller character pillows are from the shop, which I add for support to help my lower back or prop up under my arms so they sit nicely on my lap when I’m sitting cross-legged. Plus these cute pillows make my space happy and fun! Check out the star and rainbow pillows in pictures below.
A Scarf and Heating Pad - I know this may sound odd, but wearing a scarf makes me feel wrapped in comfort. When thinking of adding items to your space, make it individual to you. What items do you love, what things could provide comfort to you? If you look down in the pictures below you’ll see my bright neon coral scarf, it’s super soft, and I love the color! I also have a heating pad I warm up in the microwave and lay over my shoulders, it’s the ultimate relaxer after a long day.
Large Floor Cushion or Couch - In the pictures below you’ll find my meditation space where I used a floor cushion to meditate on. I found my floor cushion from Crate and Kids many years ago.
Crystals - I love looking up the meaning of crystals and finding one that aligns with my intention. I’ll hold it while I tune into its energy and think of my intention. Crystals are a powerful addition to your meditation space as they illuminate energy that helps raise consciousness. Be sure to give them a cleanse after purchasing them to clear their energy and once a month, rinse them in water to clear out anything you want to release. Then place them by the light of the full moon. You can put them outside just after sunset and get them before sunrise the next day or place them near a window that will catch the light of the moon.
Room Spray - Any type of room spray will work, just make sure you love the smell and it calms you. You can also make a DIY room spray using essential oils mixed with water and witch hazel. Spray a little around your meditation space if you don’t feel like lighting candles or incense.
Sage - I keep a little sage stick near my meditation corner to clear my space before I meditate sometimes. Burning sage resets the energy in a room and home, clearing out negativity and old unwanted energy. Plus, I personally love the smell of sage. I do this when I want to invite new energy into my space, especially around the new moon (more on moon phases later!).
Head Phones - Sometimes I like to listen to music before I meditate to get me in the mood for a deeper connection and to get my to-do list out of my head, preparing me for meditation.
Rugs - For the their beauty and soft textures for my feet to enjoy!

*The Amazon items listed above are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases to help support my blog and business. I only endorse products I’ve used and love. :)

I absolutely love adding these items into my meditation space and practice. They bring me joy, make it fun, and help me want to connect and sit down and show up for my practice. When designing your space think of your personal style and how you can design a meditation space that speaks to you.

Meet Pierre, the sweetest meditation partner! He always wants to hang out in my space, too. ;)

Meditation is a party for your soul

It’s my hope that you start your own meditation practice, create a sacred space of your own, and find rituals that resonate with you. And above all that you come to understand how meditation is an opportunity to get to know your deeper self and inner spirit, to see the limitless potential that lies within you and the inner guidance system that has always been there waiting for you to discover it.

Meditation is one of the greatest gifts; a gift where we get to slow down and hear our own inner thoughts and desires. Our dreams have the time to surface, solutions can be found in the silence and we get a chance to connect to the energy of it all; pure consciousness, pure potential. This experience is a celebration, a party for your soul to discover.

I would love to hear more about how you created a unique meditation space of your own. What items did you add to provide peace, comfort and joy? Let me know in the comments below!

If you want to dive deeper into this topic and learn more about how to create a sacred space in your home and transform a space for any type of peaceful practice, you’ll love reading the article, “Transformative Tips for Creating a Sacred Space in your Home,” written in collaboration with Redfin and other spiritual experts.