How to Create a Meditation Corner to Find Sanctuary from the Hate

Are you Black? Brown? An immigrant? A queer? Trans? Disabled? A woman? A migrant? Neuroatypical?

Yeah?

Do you have a safe, beautiful, sacred space in your home to pray to the God of your understanding for a better fucking world?

No?

WELL WELCOME TO THIS RELEVANT TUTORIAL.

I started my sanctuary when I got sober six years ago, and I cannot recommend it enough. Unless you want to burn the fuck out or turn into an extremist, if you are existing in this world today and you aren't praying and meditating or sitting quietly to reflect, I don't know how you are coping.

Let's make a beautiful space together.

Here are some of things we are going for:

http://blog.freepeople.com/2014/06/bring-5-feng-shui-elements-home/

http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=2354856595&group=0&frame_type=a&blog=1591075&link=aHR0cDovL2Zyb21tb29udG9tb29uLmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8yMDE0LzAyL2RvbnQtaGF0ZS1tZWRpdGF0ZS1jcmVhdGluZy15b3VyLW93bi5odG1s&frame=1&click=0&user=0

The principles of a mediation space can be summed up in this handy graphic:

Step One:

Find a quiet and clean corner of your home. Maybe you want a sun-drenched little spot, or maybe you want to do this in a closet where you can literally shut yourself away from the world. This is your spot. Make sure it is not in a frequently and commonly used part of your house, or, if it is, think about how you will make space and time to use it.


Step Two.

Get an old CD or DVD shelf, an empty drawer, or other wooden, upright empty shelf thing. You can find this on the street or in a thrift store for basically nothing. Also, you probably have one already. This is what I mean:

Step Three:

On the top shelves, put photos of people and things you love. Also put a photo of you as a child, smiling, to remind yourself of who you were before the world happened. You can also put momentos and beautiful things like sea shells or stones.

Step Four:

Put some plants and some candles or incense on the bottom shelves.... things that might seem like some hippy bullshit but are actually very calming and nice.

Step Five:

Sit or kneel in front of this shrine area, and find the shelf that is eye level to you while you are doing that. On that shelf put a sacred image or an inspiring and calming quote, or a beautiful painting. Something very dear to your heart that you can look at while you meditate.

Or, if you are using a small box, just put all the stuff together. Like this.

http://www.avablakecreations.com/

http://fuckyeahaltars.tumblr.com/post/30043595805/babalon156-this-is-out-small-living-room-altar

If you don't want the box, just display your plants, your little stones or crystals or coins or mementos, your quotes and photos, etc, in an aesthetically pleasing way.

http://anahata.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b62369e2017c389accf7970b-pi

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2009/01/altared_spaces_how_to_create_a.html

Lastly, get a nice cushion or soft little rug and put it down so you feel comfortable sitting. You can stick the cushion under your bed when you are not using it, which is what I do.

Take some time for yourself, and remember the good in this world.

Xoxox,

Emily