Each year, enlightenment seekers embark on pilgrimages to Buddist temples or remote villages in China, Japan, Korea and other zen-centric locales. They’re searching for a way to find themselves, create balance in their lives and understand how the forces of the universe can bring them peace, enhanced intuition and prosperity.
But what if I told you that you can achieve the same benefits of zen without leaving your front door? Today, I want to share with you how to create a zen space in your home.
This is a special space in your home or office that is strictly dedicated to meditation, deep contemplation or prayer. It’s where you’ll be able to pause from the pressures and stressors of your daily life and where you can unplug, meditate and reflect in peace and quiet.
Understanding Feng Shui
There is an ancient Chinese art of spatial energy balance called feng shui. The word “feng” means wind, and “shui” means water. These elements of wind and water are the cornerstones of Chinese spiritual health.
“Good” feng shui is associated with good health, good fortune and good energy. While “bad” feng shui is associated with misfortune, bad energy and negativity.
Feng shui is based on the idea that whether you’re in your home, at the office or in your garden, your surrounding space is composed of energy, and when the energy is arranged correctly, you experience good luck, better health, better relationships and prosperity.
Feng Shui Has Literally Changed My Life
My experience with feng shui started 20 years ago when a feng shui master came to my house and introduced me to the basic principles of the practice. One day later we had many of what are called corrections.
We moved our bed (and one of the beds of our children), moved some furniture in our living room, changed the direction that my desk faced, decluttered my office, removed a painting, added a few plants, and placed a few crystals around the house. Then, we placed a small globe in what was described as my “wealth corner,” determined the best place for my wife and me to meditate, and placed what’s called a Chinese money frog inside the entrance to our house.
My wife and I were pleasantly surprised at the huge difference it made in our lives and the lives of our children! Over the last 20 years, it has led to major increases in our income, business opportunities, and a number of invitations to speak internationally—that’s what the globe in the wealth corner was all about. In fact, after I started being gone overseas so much, my wife Inga demanded I remove it.
We’ve also experienced smoother and better relationships, better health, better sleep and a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment. Overall there has been more ease, fewer obstacles and more flow. Generally, in every area of our lives, success has been more effortless.
How to Create a Zen Space in Your Home
One of the best aspects of this has been to create a sacred space for meditation and deep inner work. Some people dedicate a whole room to this—a meditation room that is off-limits except for meditation, prayer, spiritual reading, journal writing and a place to repeat their affirmations, and do their visualization exercises. For my wife and me, it is just separate corners in our bedroom.
Once you have decided where your sacred space will be, you can decide what to put into it. It could be as simple as a meditation bench or a chair, or it could be an elaborate altar with objects that are sacred to you on it.
This could include pictures of people whose qualities you admire and aspire to, pictures of your spiritual teachers such as Jesus, Buddha, Ekhardt Tolle or Byron Katie. It could include crystals, flowers, plants, sacred objects and gifts you have been given, a set of prayer beads, and spiritually uplifting books like the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita or a book of poems by the Sufi poet Rumi.
Reduce Clutter
Clutter in your outer world is a reflection of clutter in your inner world.
You want your meditation space to be a place that helps you create a clear mind, so keeping it free of clutter will help you do that.
My sacred space is simply a cushioned meditation seat, with a few sacred objects nearby. These include a small bell that was blessed by the Dalai Lama, a piece of amethyst, a feather that was given to me by a shaman in the rainforest of Ecuador, a medal from Medjugorje, a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina where the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared in 1981, several books written by spiritual teachers, and my gratitude journal.
My sacred space also includes a couple of good speakers so that I can use music to deepen my meditations. Two of my favorites are “The Angels of Comfort” by Lasos and “Music for Deep Meditation” by Inner Splendor Media.
You can also use guided meditations and visualizations which will help to keep your mind from wandering when you first start meditating.
Whether your sacred space is a whole room or simply a special chair in one corner of a room, when you create it with the intention of consistently using it for the purpose of connecting to God, Source, Infinite Intelligence, the Quantum Field or however you refer to your Higher Power, you will create a space that every time you enter it or sit down in it, will anchor you into that deeper connection.
Your Turn
Okay, here’s your homework to complete after reading this article. First, start by taking some time to declutter your life. Even if you just spend 30-minutes clearing away some clutter, you will start to feel the impact of it. Imagine what 30 minutes a day would add up to over a month—that’s about two eight-hour days. That can make a real difference in your life.
Now, create a dedicated sacred space for meditation and contemplation. When you apply the principles of how to create a zen space in your home, your pilgrimage to better health, more opportunities, closer relationships and greater prosperity can happen every day in the sanctity of your own living space.
And for some additional resources on meditation and mindfulness, download my free four-step meditation guide. Remember, nothing will change for the better until you do.
As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre—and watched it grow to a billion dollar market. As the driving force behind the development and delivery of over 100 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® franchise, Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success. Jack is America’s #1 Success Coach and wrote the life-changing book The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be and Jack speaks around the world on this subject. Check out his newest book The 30-Day Sobriety Solution: How to Cut Back or Quit Drinking in the Privacy of Your Own Home. Follow Jack at www.jackcanfield.com and sign up for his free resources today!
Image courtesy of Elly Fairytale.
