I’ve become interested in how to create an indoor Zen space in my home. This idea came about as a way to find comfort after losing two beloved pets in the space of one year.
“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you?” – Rumi
Finding Comfort While Grieving:
I looked up the meanings of various herbs and flowers. For instance, rosemary is a sign of love and remembrance.
I’ve chosen pots of herbs and flowers to surround myself with to signify my feelings.
People find comfort after losing loved ones in all kinds of ways. None are right or wrong.
Creating An Indoor Zen Space:
When creating an indoor Zen space, start with the five elements of Zen: earth, fire, water, wood and metal.
These five things work together to balance the energy in your environment.
In the dictionary, one of the meanings listed for the word “Zen” is a state of calm attentiveness.
The word “Zen” can be used in the traditions of Buddhism. I’m using it in my attempt to find a sense of peace. For me it has nothing to do with religion.
My emotions while grieving were all over the place. I needed to find a sense of balance because grief can be a roller coaster.
“The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.”– Koun Yamada
Honoring Lost Loved Ones With A Zen Space:
For me, this space I’ve created is many things. It is a place to honor my loved ones. It’s a soothing place where I feel closer to them and remember them.
Think of it as an affirmation. I have used affirmations in the past to guide myself to a better place.
Let intuition be your guide.
Affirmations have been shown to help you with the tendency to be stuck by negative experiences.
It becomes a mindset.
Here are the 5 steps I kept in mind when creating my Zen space:
1. Choosing The Right Spot
I wanted this space to be where I spend the most time. So I ended up choosing a space near the patio doors in my living room.
While I went about putting together my Zen space, I thought of what Marie Kondo wrote> “Discard anything that doesn’t spark joy.”
She felt that by decluttering the external elements of your environment, you were at the same time decluttering your internal environment.
If you have a cluttered home, your mind tends to be all over the place. I must have order. That is what relaxes me. Having a place for everything and everything having its place.
2. Decide What Sparks Joy
For seating I used wicker. Surmising that wicker would be more earthy and natural and with more texture.
There are house plants and you can hear water running in the background. I love the sound of running water. Rainy nights and thunder soothe me.
One’s home says a lot about them. Use your own personality and ideas of comfort to create your Zen space.
3. The Water Feature
I ordered a water feature for my patio.
But running water indoors would be important in my Zen space.
“Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth.” – Heinrich Zimmer
I knew I wanted soft light as well as natural light. That is why I chose the space next to the patio doors. I wanted light in the space for house plants to flourish.
Soft lighting is important to my frame of mind.
5. Promote Calmness With Plants
Plants purify the air; thus purifying the space.
I brought the ponytail palm in from outdoors. It is so pretty with its long wavy leaves.
The shape of these leaves is even calming to me because they remind me of waves in the ocean.
Do You Need A Space Like This In Your Life?
I did a lot of reading before I began to create my space.
The entire point of creating a Zen-like space is to enable relaxation. To provide clarity and promote serenity.
How To Be Good To Yourself:
I usually say to people who’ve experienced a great loss: “Be good to yourself.”
But how exactly do you do that? How can you be good to yourself in a time of mourning and sadness?
For one thing, by creating comforting spaces. By surrounding yourself with things that promote calm.
Bring nature inside to enjoy. Let water be your music.
What Do Rocks Represent In A Zen Space?
The symbolism of the stones in a zen garden is one of the most important design elements.
Upright or vertical stones can be used to represent trees, while flat, horizontal stones represent water. Arching stones represent fire.
Zen gardens use rocks and gravel or sand to recreate the essence of nature. The swirling patterns give a complete look to a Zen garden.
These lines are important as they have a calming effect on the mind.
In older times, monks used to re-rake the patterns of the sand in reference to their mind.
Possible Elements For A Zen Space:
- water feature
- candles
- leafy purifying plants
- natural light
- serene color palette
- soft meditative music
“Serenity is the tranquil balance of heart and mind.” — Harold W. Becker
Plants I Used With My Water Feature:
- Pineapple sage
- Spider plant
- Lemon balm
- Golden pennies
- Prayer plant
- Peperomia
First I cleaned all the dirt off the plants till the roots were bare. Then I burrowed them down in the plant medium provided with the water feature.
I made sure that all of the plants were non-toxic to pets. Ivy doesn’t bother my house plants. But it was important to me just the same.
I wanted the entire space to be non-toxic.
Zen Gardens For Buddhist Monks:
Zen gardens were originally created as places for Buddhist monks to meditate and absorb the teachings of the Buddha.
Modern Japanese zen gardens are meant to be serene places where the mind can be at rest, and you can experience a state of calm tranquility
Something as simple as reading inspirational zen quotes can make all of the difference in your quality of life.
This is an interesting take on creating a zen space. I usually decorate my indoor zen with Buddha wall art. I think that plants definitely help bring more calmness. Do you usually go with authentic plants?
Sounds wonderful and inviting for everyday living. What a lovely idea! Hope it brings you the peace you need.
I think creating a comforting place for contemplation and meditation is such a good idea. Your space makes me think about how I might do that in my home. My sister died in February and I am spending a lot of time with overwhelming paperwork and other stressful activities, and all of that and running back and forth doesn’t touch dealing with the grief. Even for those who aren’t grieving, a calming place would help them with the little things we face everyday and be ready when they do need comfort as bigger things come along.
Seems the effect water has on allowing one to fully relax, etc might have some healing helps too, with physical problems. I hope so for you, especially, Brenda!! I like the idea of having a plant in memory of someone. I cannot have indoor plants and the neighbor cats are determined to spray the outdoor ones my kids left here for us…so I hope they survive. Maybe I need to find some small plants that cats do not like to surround the arrangement with…
Brenda, this post is so inspiring, as a way for any and all of us to practice self care. I can feel the peacefulness of the space you created right through the computer screen! It makes me think about creating such an indoor space in my own home. The water feature is so pretty. I have one outdoors, but this would make a lovely one for indoors. Wishing you peace and serenity as you sit in your “zen” space.
Everyone should have a calming place to sit and think or meditate.
What an inspired idea, Brenda! I think the water fountain is especially wonderful. It occurs to me that I might like one in my bedroom to help me fall asleep and calm my mind. And the fact that you can have plants in the fountain is especially nice. You’ve done a beautiful job putting the space together and I know it is going to help you and those of us that copy your idea. Thanks so much for sharing it and may it bring you peace and healing as I know it will.
I hope everyone who doesn’t have such a space creates their own little oasis.
Brenda, this looks and sounds so peaceful. I believe that we all need to do whatever it takes to make ourselves feel better for however long we need it. Take your time, relax, rest, remember your sweet Gracie, Charlie and Abi and whatever else you would like to have a little respite from. Take care, Elizabeth
Thanks, Elizabeth. I plan to do just that.
I’ve had spots like this periodically and yes, they did have a calming effect. Thanks for sharing your spot and how you created it.
Do whatever brings you joy. We should all practice self-care because we need it to get through the trials life brings.
This is beautiful, but I’ve always felt that all of your rooms held zen like quality of calming serenity.
Have you tried cds with sounds of crashing waves or rainstorms? They help me sleep when I ask Alexa to “play rain.” Just close your eyes and drift away…..
I have two sound machines I keep tuned to rain and burbling water.
This is lovely, Brenda. My “zen” space is one of our spare bedrooms…the room that used to be Phil’s room. It has a twin bed in it, so it can serve as a guest room if need be, but I used that bed for relaxing and reading and sometimes napping. My small desk is in there, which looks out into our backyard, and is very calming. I have tons of plants in there, a bookcase full of non-fiction books, a comfy chair, my yoga mat and some other exercise stuff (I do yoga and meditation in this room), a diffuser for essential oils, and lots of plants.
Sounds like you’ve already built your “zen space.”
I love your zen place Brenda!
It’s perfect for you!
My zen place is my den where there’s more sunlight than any other room.
Actually it’s my daughter’s and grands space too when they come over and want some quiet time. They all love that room and it’s their fav spot in my house! Lol
It makes me happy that so many of you already have your zen space.
I used to like to cross stitch, but the squares and holes are much smaller than they used to be!! I know this, because I’m currently working on a small Christmas ornament, and it’s taking me a long time to finish. I love the space you created! Warm, cozy, relaxing. Someplace to just breath. In my house, I have a sunroom that has 2 chairs, a table with a lamp, and lots of pretty plants! AND… my exercise equipment, which kind of kills the joy, but I literally have NO Other place to put it! In fact, I had plants on the equipment for the longest time, until recently, when my sister and my son shamed me for not using it, lol. So I cleared them off, and tell myself at least I have a pretty room to work out in, lol. I also have a small reading area in my bedroom to relax and enjoy a good book. As long as I don’t get lazy and plop all my clean laundry on it when I bring it to my room to “put away.” I heard somewhere, “Don’t put it down. Put it away.” That little mantra really helps me get motivated to do just that. I’ve been staying on top of a lot of chores, because I keep telling myself that. Plus I have a shirt that says, “Just Do It.” You know, like the Nike commercial. So I’ve been trying to make some relaxing spaces in my house and keeping on top of the tidying up, to make me feel happier in my house spaces. It’s a work in progress, but it’s important to do. We all need it for out mental health. I have a small water fountain and a lantern with a fake candle. I think you’ve inspired me to add them into my sunroom, to create a little more zen.
Do whatever brings you joy and comfort. We have to learn to be good to ourselves and not wait for others to do nice things for us.
There you go ~ healing yourself again! Gentle hugs ~
We’re more in control when we attempt to heal ourselves. That control is empowering.
I love this idea and I’m going to attempt to copy it if it’s okay with you?
I haven’t lost anyone lately but I’m going to confess I miss my husband terribly and he’s been gone 16 years.
I’m 1 of those people that keeps everything to myself and will smile and act like all is well.
I deeply appreciate that list of plants that are safe for our kitties,my house panther is a chewer of all things green,even fake plants and Bella and I would be heartsick if something happened to him.You enjoy your day and your Zen space.
Of course it’s okay! That’s why I wrote it. So you all could maybe create a space for yourself. I admit I feel so much better with the soothing sound of that water going 24/7. And one thing I hadn’t thought of until I turned it on yesterday: It helps to muffle the noise from upstairs! Everyone deserves a place of love and light and comfort.
I’m thrilled for you that you’ve created a space in your home that helps you ‘be good to yourself’. I’ve learned the importance of self-care and being good to yourself is a huge part of self-care.
I’m in the process of creating a spot in my bedroom where I can sit and hopefully start enjoying what I miss so much in my life – reading! Months ago I created a small space in my living room where I while away the hours enjoying my love of things related to handwork.
All part of self care!!!
Enjoy your day, Brenda!
Oh, how I miss handwork! I just loved hand-piecing quilt tops and embroidering and crazy quilting. You do it for both of us.
Ironically, Brenda, I think about you quite a bit when I’m doing my handwork projects. I know you miss it so much.