Outdoor Meditation Ideas:
Spending time outside is both healing and relaxing. Nature has a way of making us feel at ease and truly connected with the self. Some of the common activities you could do involve, taking a bike ride, going for a nature walk, playing with your pets, or even just siting out on your front porch, enjoying the fresh air. However, we’re excited to discuss outdoor meditation. Specifically, outdoor meditation ideas to get that feeling of complete connection of self to your environment.
Outdoor meditation is a transcendental experience that may just enhance the already powerful effects of meditation. Here, we’ll show you how you can meditate outside, and provide you with some great ideas for outdoor meditation spaces!
Why You Should Try Outdoor Meditation:
First, let’s talk about why you should try outdoor meditation. You might be wondering why you should meditate outside at all. Most individuals first choice or thought is to meditate indoors, due to a variety of factors. However, there are several hidden benefits that may only come with meditating outdoors!
As we mentioned previously, nature helps to enhance the effects of your meditation. Meditation is already known to reduce anxiety symptoms, manage stress symptoms, depression, and can (if done regularly) help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. However, when you choose to meditate outside, these health benefits may become amplified.
In addition, being outside allows you to deepen your meditation and awaken your senses. In the outdoors, many people feel more alert and energetic. This is due to your exposure to the fresh air, sunlight, and other natural elements.
Now of course, this doesn’t mean that you should go out and meditate in a rainstorm, but when the weather is nice, outdoor meditation can really help give you a new and exciting meditation experience. We feel as though nature is naturally healing for the body and mind. Adding meditation into the mix can truly change your practice and individual sessions.
If you’re new to meditating it may be helpful to find a place, (whether that be inside or outside) where you have complete silence. Some are able to meditate and truly hone in on the practice even with slight distractions. Some have even become accustomed to using music for mediation. However, if you’re a beginner, we recommend you finding a distraction-free area.
How to Meditate Outside:
Exactly how should you go about meditating outdoors? Truth is, there is not one perfect way to meditate. Each session for each person may vary. Specifically, the purpose or how we choose to meditate can vary slightly from person to person.
We’ll help outline the basics of outdoor meditation. With a few general tips, you can take your meditation to a very satisfying level.
Find The Time:
To reap the benefits of meditation, you need to meditate on a regular basis. Furthermore, as with anything in life, you get better with practice. You don’t have to necessarily create a schedule, however, finding time to meditate throughout the week, will help tremendously. If you can dedicate just a 10-15 minute window into your day, it would help tremendously to get started.
If you don’t have 5 minutes free, we suggest you re-evaluate your daily routine. Learn, prioritize, cut unnecessary daily stressors out. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here, but you have to have a few minutes to yourself for your own sanity.
It’s helpful if you don’t know where to start, or new to the meditation practice, to try guided meditation. Guided meditation, you’ll be physically, (or by audio), guided through a session.
This is a great way to get started!
Location Is Key:
Once you know you have the time to meditate (or at least have a plan in mind), start looking for a meditation spot. You’ll want to find a place that is peaceful and relaxing. The location does not have to be entirely silent, but make sure that you can concentrate for a dedicated amount of time.
Ideally, this will be a place that you’re familiar with or already connected to in some way. Location is important, so take your time scouting for the best spot.
Safety is also something to always keep in mind. You want to feel safe and secure as you meditate. At the same time, you want to feel connected to nature, as well.
Some people choose to meditate in their backyard, with their own special set-up, while others make it a point to travel outside the vicinity of their home, to another intimate place. This could be a favorite family spot, a park, your favorite stream/lake, the beach or even simply an open field.
Get Comfortable:
Meditation does not have to be uncomfortable. In fact, it’s all about making yourself as comfortable as possible. Comfort should be always on your mind.
Even before meditating, make sure you have thought-out this process. Are your wearing clothes that are comfortable and loose? What’s the climate like? If it is hot outside, wear fewer layers, or cold, vice versa.
What’s the terrain like, do I need further meditation supplies, like cushions or pillows?
Sit in a position that is comfortable, paying attention to your body as you settle into your practice. It may be a scenario where you learn each session how you can make subsequent sessions better and more comfortable.
Use A Cushion For Better Posture:
Posture is crucial for a meditation practice. It’s best to practice with good posture, keeping your spine in alignment as you meditate. Whether be it for 5 minutes or 30.
Having good posture in any activity is important for the long-term health of your back. To get in a good position, it’s helpful to have something like a meditation cushion with you, or something that lets you make subtle changes to your bodies alignment.
Cushions can be a great additive for your practice, as they can help and allow you to meditate for longer periods of time.
Don’t Get Distracted:
Finally, the last step of outdoor meditation is to relax and stay undistracted. You might hear noises, people walking by, conversations, dogs barking, or birds singing. Let all these sounds wash over you and allow yourself to focus on each breath and your body.
In addition, make sure your electronic devices are off or put them in airplane or silent mode. A ringing or buzzing phone is an easy way to get thrown off your goal. Much of our time is spent on technology, so while you meditate outside, try to detach from electronics and social media.
Surely, it’s tempting to look at your phone or use apps, but outdoor meditation is meant to help you look within yourself and find inner peace. Let yourself go and let loose from your everyday world as you know it.
Outdoor Meditation Ideas For Outdoor Spaces:
In addition to setting yourself up for meditation, setting up your meditation space is also important. We’ll go over some outdoor meditation space ideas, to help get you settled in.
Add Pillows, Cushions, and Furniture to Your Space:
Most people make outdoor meditation spaces in the comfort of their own backyard. In this location, you can add as much decoration and furnishing as you want, customizing the look and feel as you desire.
Purchase high quality meditation cushions or pillows for your outdoor space. In addition, a bench or chair, can add a nice touch. Paying attention to colors can also play a role. Soft colors, or colors that are more calming, may be different for each person. Oftentimes, for meditation you’ll see a lot of earth tones.
- Neutrals; like beige, and browns
- Greys
- Rust oranges, blue’s or shades of purple
Add a Fountain:
A fountain is another commonly used prop for a meditation area. Water is naturally relaxing and can certainly improve your meditation. You can also get fountains for a fairly cheap price.
Alternatively, a pond could be added to your meditation space, but this is a more costly option. Fountains are less of a hassle to install and upkeep. It could even be a small one that sits on a table, or stand, but still gives you that waterfall/running water type sounds.
Lighting in your Meditation Space:
Lighting can be very important, as well. You can add paper lanterns, stringed lights, or even candles to create the perfect atmosphere/ambience in your backyard for meditation! Light helps soften outdoor spaces and can aide in increasing concentration by getting you in the right mood and fine tuning your emotions during you sessions!
Consider Adding an Awning:
Finally, consider adding some kind of covering or awning to your meditation space. This will help protect the area and give you additional privacy during sessions. Add a canopy to your space. Alternatively, create a hut or other structure to protect your meditation space from the elements and excessive sun exposure.
There are many ways to go about creating a perfect outdoor meditation space. These are just a few helpful ideas that will guide you to get started on your journey.
Final Thoughts!
Be sure to share you outdoor meditation spaces and share your tips on how to meditate outdoors on our blog. Thanks for stopping in, we hope to have you here again soon!
Resources:
- https://mindworks.org/blog/meditating-outside-nature/
- https://www.hayneedle.com/tips-and-ideas/outdoor-meditation-space-ideas/- https://yogisurprise.com/meditation-outside/
