Zen home : how to invite serenity into your life
I’m so happy to host Chloe Taylor, editor and chief of the blog Smooth Decorator for a guest post. Chloe wrote a beautiful post on decorating tips for creating a zen atmosphere at home and I’m a firm believer that we are affected by our environment. Thus, home environment, decor, lighting, etc. are all important aspects of nurturing the mind body and spirit. Please enjoy Chloe’s post below.
Although people often associate Zen with Bonsai trees, meditation and Buddha, this is not all there is to it. The main goal of Zen activities is to create a mindful and relaxing atmosphere that helps you feel more in touch with nature and your deepest thoughts. However, this state of mind is not that easy to achieve in today’s busy world full of many distractions, which is why you should make yourself a home Zen oasis and treat it as your very own peaceful escape from the world. Here are some ideas that can help you make the most out of your Zen-friendly home.
Treat nature as your friend
One must consider developing a meaningful relationship with nature in order to pursue a Zen path. There are several ways for you to do so, with the most obvious one being to bring more of the outside world indoors. Plants are natural air purifiers, plus they can be stunning decor elements in any Zen home. There’s basically no limit to how many plants are good for one’s home – the more you have, the better (as long as you can freely move through the home).
Another way to make your home more nature-friendly is by investing in eco-friendly, sustainable furniture. This type of furniture might be more expensive right now, but it really pays itself off in the long run, since it is created with the sole purpose of being long-lasting and with having the environmental benefits in mind.
Let the light guide you
An important part of every Zen home is lighting, which should be kept as natural as possible. A good way to invite more light into your home is to completely remove the curtains, as well as any kind of window covers. Natural light will stimulate brighter thoughts by raising your dopamine levels. On the other hand, you should try avoiding strong sources of artificial light because they are too stimulating for achieving a peaceful state of mind. Stick to the rule of three and try having maximum three sources of lights in every room, placed further away from each other.
Create a stress-reduction corner
One of the biggest enemies of a Zen state of mind is stress. Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress when it comes to our minds, but our body also suffers from daily amounts of stress. Notice that symptoms of stressful experiences aren’t always obvious, and some of them might be hiding just underneath your skin. The toxins that gather in our skin pores should be released at least three times a week through sweating, which is a natural way to help your body reduce potential stress-related consequences. The best way to help your body relieve stress in a Zen-friendly way is to invest in a nice home infrared sauna. Infrared waves have been shown to reduce inflammation, trigger endorphin release and also improve blood circulation. Unlike traditional hot stone saunas, infrared waves are more effective in raising your core body temperature without raising the temperature of the whole room, which makes these saunas ideal for home use.
Declutter your mind and your life
A cluttered home is no Zen home. The ways of Feng Shui are closely related to Zen philosophy, and the main idea of Feng Shui stands behind the way the home’s energy (called chi) flows through the home. Chi enters the home through the front door, and it starts circulating around the home. If it hits a clutter, it gets stuck and these trapped pockets of energy can have a disturbing effect on one’s overall home atmosphere. In order to avoid this, you should focus on creating a clutter-free home that enables energy to flow evenly all around. Moreover, when your home is free from clutter, your mind is getting closer to becoming decluttered, as well. Organizing your thoughts should be the final step to achieving a true Zen state of mind, and clearing your home from all of the unnecessary clutters will help you get there. Remember that embracing Zen is not only a way to change how your home looks, but rather a way to achieve a completely different overall life perceptive.
Meet our guest blogger
Chloe is a journalist from Adelaide and the editor-in-chief of Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Beside all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time.