I have been thinking about our private space for devotions or contemplation or even relaxation. Do you have a fixed place within your home - a safe place to simply be you, where you can be silent, pray, meditate, or simply curl up and rest? A corner somewhere where you feel at peace or where you can obtain that peace?
It is important that we all have somewhere we can be, where we can remove those metaphorical masks that we all hide behind and yet be comfortable. I am not talking about creating a shrine in your home or even a chapel, but having access to this inner most place and how you might aid your focus once there is important. A place where there could be a special picture or photograph, a warm throw on a comfortable chair, maybe a view from a window or maybe blinds to shade that view, flowers, incense, a cross or rosary beads, a well thumbed and helpful book etc.
I read this article "How to create a small space Meditation Corner" and whereas not everything about it I totally agree with, I do think that we should think about our safe withdrawal space, our prayer space our "me" place.
written by Kayti Christian
"1. FIND A CORNER IN YOUR HOME. This can be anywhere in your home. It can even be outside if you’re fortunate enough to have a yard or live in a warmer climate. It will preferably be somewhere that you can sneak away to without being disturbed.
As noted above, you may find that your meditation corner exists in multiple places—your space may not allow for you to take up a corner or wall at this time, and that’s okay. Keep your items in a small basket and set them up on your bed or coffee table whenever you need them. 2. SELECT FIVE OBJECTS TO FILL YOUR SPACE. Of course, you can select more (or less)—but I think five is a good round number for most of us. We want to be intentional about the items we choose to bring into this sacred space. Think of it as a ‘things I’d bring to a deserted island’ activity; you want to select the objects that calm you and bring you back to yourself. For me, it’s candles, book quotes, and travel nostalgia. For others, it may be incense, a worn book of poetry, prayer beads, plants—you get the idea.
“Select the objects that calm you and bring you back to yourself.”
Now that you have your objects, you can either place them in your corner or gather them in a basket. I personally like seeing the items displayed when I walk past the corner throughout the day.
I want to emphasize that you should start with what you have in your home and with the items that bring you the most comfort and joy—but, of course, it’s nice to invest and treat ourselves when we can.
3. VISIT YOUR CORNER FREQUENTLY. You can use your meditation corner whenever, really. I visit mine in the morning when my house is quiet and the light is soft. It’s also a nice transition space while working from home. I sometimes retreat to the corner for a moment after work to destress and shift my mindset. The time spent in your corner each day can look different—you may want to journal or stretch or simply sit—but try to commit to some semblance of a routine. It’s always easier to engage in self-care or spiritual practices when we’re feeling like it, but that’s not always when we need them most. By having a prearranged date with our corner, we can nudge ourselves there even when we don’t feel like it.
“It’s always easier to engage in self-care or spiritual practices when we feel like it, but that’s not always when we need them most.”
Lastly, if you have children, you may even find it helpful to create a meditation space with your kids. This is similar to a calm-down corner, which is often used in school classrooms to help children release anxiety and frustration in healthy ways. Children, like adults, can benefit from quiet spaces to help with self-soothing and, this safe space could be especially useful during the safer-at-home period.
Remember, a corner is a just corner. There are no special powers to this practice other than that it encourages us to show up for ourselves and carve out moments of rest throughout the day. May your meditation space offer you that gift and be exactly what you need it to be. And may it offer you a sliver of peace at home, in this year and for many after. "
I think this gives us all much to think upon and maybe to address as well. We need to be bold enough in this new year of 2021 to try something out and if we are unhappy with that idea after a time to start afresh again. To consider our prayer times, our unwind spaces our comfy zone is hugely important and it doesn't just happen, we do need to work at it, just as we need to work at our devotional times, our restlessness, our times of questions, or brain fog. Answers to things are rarely "a flash in the pan" experience.
Enjoy being creative in your home and trying something new! It doesn't matter how big or small your home is, there is always a corner. Rotate in the space, how does it work now? How is the light, or indeed the dark? What is around you - does it need to be there or is something missing? Have fun!
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