Your sanctuary is your place for daily personal retreat into peace, away from the busy-ness of your daily life...like a refuge, a haven, a protective and safe place. It’s your personal place for yoga and meditation practice, for peaceful reflection.
The more you practice yoga, and meditation the more benefits you will get for your life: more joy, clarity, creativity, better balance in your life, better sleep, more serenity and calm to face your everyday challenges. So it’s important to find ways to come back to your practice every day, or as often as possible.
I discovered that one of the most important keys to a successful and consistent home practice is to have a dedicated space in your home, a sanctuary that you can retreat to for yoga and meditation. A place where everything you need for your practice is set out before your eyes, accessible and ready to use in an instant.
A sanctuary will greatly enhance and inspire your practice. Everything in it, from the colour of the walls to the furniture and the meaningful items you place in it, will contribute to creating a calming, supportive and protective atmosphere, a place where you will feel instantly peaceful. So that you can focus on your practice, avoid distractions, and be comfortable in a space that is completely YOU - no matter how big or small it is.
What will your home practice sanctuary look like? May these 10 tips inspire you to create it now.
1. Dedicate space to your practice - Find a place in your home where you can be quiet, calm and undisturbed, a spot that will feel like home for your practice. You may be fortunate to have an entire room available. Most likely, it means finding a small space in your study, living room or bedroom where you can leave your yoga mat unrolled, your meditation cushion ready to use, ritual tools ready and inspiring objects displayed. It doesn’t matter how big or small your dedicated space is. What matters is the energy and intention you put into creating that sacred space, how you make it personal, and how you care for it. Ideally you should be able to close the door and practice in seclusion, without distractions. Any space you can dedicate to your practice will help make it easier and more motivating to practice every single day.
2. Get the right essential tools -choose your props with care - Each prop you choose should be useful to you in your practice. If you choose well, you will use and love your props for years. Prefer props that are high quality, made by eco-conscious and socially-conscious companies (like HUM, of course!). Choose beautiful fabrics, textures and colours that will contribute to the harmony of your sanctuary. CLICK HERE to discover my 6 must-have yoga props.
3. Colour your world - Can you choose the paint colour for your space? At least you can choose the colours of the objects you want in your sanctuary. Choose colours that create a serene, peaceful and calming atmosphere, like the benefits of a contented quiet mind, like the benefits of yoga and meditation. Quiet and calm can also be joyful.
4. Surround yourself with inspiring artwork - photos, prints, mandalas, paintings, statues, etc.
5. Create an altar - Don’t let the word “altar” make you nervous. In the context of your home practice sanctuary, an altar is simply a personal place to focus your intentions and is essential for any journey involving a spiritual practice such as yoga or meditation. Your altar can be a small table, a low chest, a corner of your desk, a shelf, a window sill, a movable tray… anything you can comfortably sit in front of on your meditation cushion or your yoga mat. It is the place to hold meaningful objects that will inspire your practice and are symbolic of your journey. Make it your own source of inspiration, a tiny personal oasis of beauty.
6. Choose power objects for your altar with intention - What you choose to place on your altar becomes symbolic of what is happening in your heart and head. But your altar is not just a place to collect objects. There is a certain energy created by your focus and intention that turns your altar into a very special and powerful place. So choose your objects carefully. They should be personal, inspirational for your practice. It could be images of people who inspire you, your carefully chosen ritual tools, elements found in nature, crystals, statues etc.
7. Awaken your senses - It is so important to pay careful attention to every aspect of your sanctuary. Everything, including the decor, the objects you choose and the props you use, should turn your practice into a mindful, sensorial experience. Awakening and paying attention to all five of your senses is a wonderful way to ground yourself in the present moment and to stay focused on your practice and it's a beautiful and personal way to practice yoga and meditation.
8. Honour yourself by choosing beautiful, meaningful and inspiring items for your sanctuary. Decorate with care and mindfulness, ensure that everything works together harmoniously.
9. Honour your practice by keeping your sanctuary fresh, clean and uncluttered (clutter = disharmony). Practice regular space clearing rituals with Palo Santo or wild white sage. Treat your sacred space with reverence.
10. Let them know - Hang a special "do not disturb" sign (download one here), a note or a particular scarf on the door that will politely indicate to others sharing your home that you are practising and should not be disturbed for the time of your practice.
HUM RESOURCES:
Get Your FREE Guide to Kickstart Your Home Practice
How to Make Your Home Practice a Haven of Peace and Calm
3 Books for a Sustainable Home Practice
12 Tips to Start Your Daily Meditation Practice
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