Everyone can benefit from a tranquil, quiet place to escape from the daily stressors. Whether it’s financial worries, family tensions, health issues or some other worry preying on your mind, retreating to a space dedicated to meditation will help soothe your anxieties and reduce stress levels.
An outdoor or enclosed patio is an excellent area to set up a meditation room. Places where you can see, smell, feel, and hear the soothing aspects of nature will not only induce a calmer state of mind, but will help improve your meditation practice. A meditation space on your patio, no matter how big or how small, can be a great place to unwind and recharge whenever you prefer, whether you are meditating or not.
Here are a few themed design ideas on how to transform your patio into a tranquil zone suited for meditation and relaxation:
Aromatherapy focused
Surround and fill your patio with dense shrubbery and tree to create a sense of seclusion. These bushes will serve as screens from prying eyes and from the noise of bustling streets. Pick shrubs that are known to have aromatherapeutic effects, like lavender (which is good for de-stressing) and dwarf citrus trees (which is energizing and good for improving mental clarity). Also bring in flowers and other herbs known for their therapeutic effects, like chamomile, gardenias and peppermint. Not only are the floral accents and greenery a great way to beautify your patio, it also helps transform the space into an aromatherapy haven, ideal for meditation.
Water themed
Water plays a major role in many meditation practices as the sound of gently trickling water can help relax the mind. In order to release daily stresses and anxieties, some meditators need a focal point to focus on in order to still their thoughts, therefore, designing a patio space around an outdoor water feature can ensure that the area is meditation-friendly. The sound of the running water also helps drown out external distractions, like birds and traffic that can interrupt relaxation. With a water wall, fountain or pond as the central point of interest, the rest of the patio design should stay simple so as to not detract from the main water feature.
Eastern inflected
Elements from the Far East are considered a natural pairing for mediation, as the practice originates from Asian cultures. Clean, minimalistic design allows positive energy to flow throughout the space. Create a private oasis with spare, weather-treated wooden or bamboo furnishings and an impeccably landscaped stone garden with a water feature. Flowering fruit trees, ornamental grasses and live bamboo should be the primary plant life in the patio. The color palette is muted, but harmonious, inducing a sense of calm and peacefulness. Use minimalist outdoor furniture like the sets from Velago.
Recovery retreat
Meditation is a great healing tool when recovering from an injury or illness—chronic or otherwise. Create your own recovery retreat in your patio with comfortable furniture, soothing colors, and natural screens like horsetail reeds, ornamental grasses or bamboo. Be sure to incorporate plenty of plants as just seeing trees and flowers can speed up the healing process.
You can also combine the different ideas from across all themes to incorporate the ideas you like best. Aromatherapy would be very beneficial in a Recovery Retreat room. The clean lines from Eastern-inflected patios serve as a natural jumping point for a water-themed room. Mix and match to create your ideal design for a meditation room/patio.
Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer from Los Angeles. She recently remodeled her home office to incorporate a meditation room and absolutely loves it–it’s the perfect getaway space from the everyday stresses of home and work.
