Meditation space

There is a great book by Kathleen McDonald titled How To Meditate. It definitely comes from the Buddhist perspective, but in it she makes the case for having a meditation setting where you enjoy being. Meditation is something you want to do, and environment goes a long way in promoting that.

The photo is the altar I created. I'm still in the beginning stages of my schools practices, so I have received no formal instruction, if any exists, on what an altar should have on it. So i made my own.

The elements of course reflect a few things relative to my schools particular flavor. Namely the pictures of the lineage of the teachers and the deities we honor. But if you aren't Buddhist, and don't care to be, do something else.

But let me tell you about the thrift store reality of my altar, and meditation setting. Th box there is a piece we bought at Target years ago. It used to be my whole alter, and when I need to move stuff, it all went inside and then became portable. The other wood you see, the base , top, and backing, are objects I made from plywood to look like the great Diamond Stupa in Colorado. I did that because I read somewhere that a stupa on the altar is auspicious. I didn't want to buy one, and I had this sheet of plywood, and hey! Let's go to a different dimension.

The big Buddhas was a gift, the pictures of my teachers and the lineage I downloaded or purchased for a few dollars. The offering bowls, the little brown wood incense bowl, and the green water container are all thrift store purchases. The malas were both made from items on hand, and granted, one is fresh water pearls and the other lampworked beads, but that's what we have on hand. The prayer flags I got in mailers from The Campaign for Tibet.

The black cushion on the right I purchased when a member of a Meditation Center in Minnesota. On the other side of the altar is a bench I made, which I sit on, and the little desk for the items I read before I meditate.

The overall cost is minimal, there is more elbow grease, but I like my space under construction. Mind you, I still need to paint the stupa. And in your own meditation space, you can have whatever you want.

My computer, which is directly to the left of my altar, is on a door I painted checkerboard pattern. I am still hunting down pictures of my heroes, which include Paul Wellstone, Walt Whitman, and the Dalai Lama to hang somewhere around my work area as inspirations. It's the same concept, I just expanded it to my work area. So what ever you want, or not to place, in your meditation setting, feel free.

Now let's discuss a question that will come up. Isn't all this stuff in my meditation setting distracting to what I am trying to do? That's true for a while. It also serves as a reminder of your purpose, and in my case, the several things are symbolic, and it helps focus my mind on what is important as well as fueling insight meditations.

So make your space comfortable and attractive. it will improve your meditation.