Without a doubt, the lawn is a great place for meditating and practicing yoga. With nature and fresh air surrounding you, you won’t have any difficulty experiencing peace and calm as you work on your poses and breathing techniques and enjoy the health benefits they offer.
However, you can still elevate your outdoor space and turn it into the perfect spot for practicing yoga and other meditation techniques. You can do this by creating a meditation garden.
Leading lawn care pros in Red Oak, Texas say that a meditation garden can be any space surrounded by nature that enables you to disconnect, rid yourself of your worries, and find inner peace and clarity.
However, certain elements can make it easier for you to slow down, be quiet, reflect, and achieve a mentally and emotionally calm state. These are the features you should incorporate in your meditation garden.
When designed and created correctly, a meditation garden can give you a more intimate, tranquil, and peaceful vibe that will make you pause and contemplate a view or focal point effortlessly.
Key Elements of a Meditation Garden
Adding the right features can turn your lawn into the perfect meditation garden.
If you want to have a great spot in your home where you can meditate, here are the seven elements you need to create a meditation garden:
1. A flat area
Since you need a yoga mat to do yoga and other meditation techniques, the first thing you have to do is find a level area where you can use this accessory and do all your poses safely.
You can choose a place on your turf, dirt, sand, concrete, or wood. However, make sure it is a flat space that will allow you to maintain your balance so that you won’t encounter any difficulties and accidents.
Additionally, consider the area’s maintenance requirements. If you choose a grassy space, you have to cut the grass regularly. On the others hand, you will have to remove weeds frequently or end up having an untidy and uncomfortable place to meditate if you pick a bare dirt area
If you have the budget, consider having a wooden deck built as your meditation area. Aside from being flat, it will be a great functional and eye-pleasing addition to your outdoor space.
Also, even if wood is hard, it yields slightly to force, which means it can help cushion your fall and prevent you from sustaining a serious injury when you slip and fall.
2. Green plants
Various studies show that the color green offers several health benefits. It soothes the eyes and relaxes the mind, helping it achieve mental clarity.
Due to these reasons, green plants should surround your meditation garden.
You can grow hedges, shrubs, and trees to surround and separate your meditation area from the rest of your lawn. These plants can function as a fence, sound barrier, or soothe your tired eyes and facilitate your meditation.
To avoid spending too much time growing and caring for these plants, choose native varieties that are low-maintenance and easy to grow.
3. Flowers
Other colors have different effects on your mood, too. Blue, for instance, can calm the mind and facilitate clearer thoughts. Yellow, on the other hand, imparts a warm emotion and can make you feel happier.
You can choose from a variety of flowering plants to add color to your meditation garden. To ensure you have foliage that serves their purpose, choose ones with hues, patterns, and shapes that make you feel calm.
You can also grow potted plants if you can’t cultivate them on garden beds.
Don’t forget to plant some fragrant flowers to add an aromatherapy aspect to your garden. Aloe, lavender, and rose are some plants you should consider growing.
And to avoid spending too much time looking after your flowering plants, choose low-maintenance native perennials and seasonal varieties.
4. Water feature
Water is another natural element that can give people a sense of peace and serenity. Due to this reason, adding a water feature in your garden can help you relax and feel calmer.
When you have a pond, fountain, or any other water feature, the sound of the running water can also mask the other distracting outdoor noises. Because of this, you can focus more on your meditation.
Aside from ponds and fountains, you can also consider having a garden waterfall, birdbath, and stream as your water feature.
5. Shade
Shade is also crucial in a meditation garden. After all, you will have a hard time meditating if you are sweating profusely under the hot sun.
If your lawn has plenty of trees, find a flat area under one so you are shaded as you meditate or do your yoga poses.
If your yard does not have tall trees or the flat surfaces are not near any, you can use a patio or large outdoor umbrella in your chosen space as you grow a large tree. Poplars, weeping willows, and the Thuja giant green are excellent options.
In case you don’t want to grow a tree, aside from an umbrella, you can opt for a canopy or pergola.
6. Stones, pebbles and sand
Japanese Zen gardens have several elements that you can borrow to make your garden more conducive to meditation. These include pebbles, stones, and sand.
Pebbles, stones, and sand provide an interesting contrast to the green elements in your garden. Moreover, they add a sense of strength to the space.
Aside from incorporating stones and pebbles as decorative features around the garden, you can use them as pavers. Be creative when designing the pattern and path so you have another eye-catching feature in your garden.
Lastly, an area with raked sand is an easy yet lovely element to add to your garden. Aside from being a beautiful feature, it will also enhance the tranquil vibe in your outdoor space since this feature looks like water ripples or waves.
7. Curved shapes
Finally, try to incorporate curved shapes in your garden. This is because circular, elliptical, and winding features are more relaxing and calming to the eye and mind.
Additionally, curves, particularly in pathways and walls or barriers, prevent you from seeing the entire space immediately, causing you to slow down and take more time to observe your surroundings.
Start by creating curved or S-shaped pathways using stones and pebbles. Circular fountains and elliptical walls are also excellent options.
When creating a meditation garden, keep in mind that you don’t have to take on this project yourself. If you want to have the perfect space, you can always get help from providers of landscaping and lawn care services in Waxahachie, Texas.