A Guide to Transforming Your Bathroom Into the Perfect Meditation Space

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While the hectic pace of today’s world may seem to indicate otherwise, it’s a fact that meditation is now more popular than ever. From modern interpretations such as mindfulness meditation to traditional eastern practices like vipassana, countless people across the world are discovering how rewarding it can be to turn their focus inward for a while and simply be. Since relaxation is at the very heart of meditation as a concept, it makes perfect sense that your bathroom could serve as an ideal meditation space in the home. If this sounds like something that might be right for you, we’d like to welcome you to our comprehensive guide on transforming your bathroom into the perfect meditation space.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then let’s begin.

 Step 1: Eliminating clutter to create a blank canvas

 No matter which school of thought you subscribe to when it comes to meditation, one thing is common to all of them: a clear mind. One of the first areas to focus on when creating a meditation space in your bathroom is the way your physical space can impact your mental one. Have you ever tried to do anything mentally taxing when sitting at a cluttered desk? If so, you’ll already know that physical clutter can lead directly to mental clutter – and that’s the last thing you want when you’re trying to centre your state-of-mind. It’s also a great idea to pick a space on the floor where you’ll sit during your meditation. Depending on your flooring, you may also want to consider investing in a comfortable blanket, some cushions, or even a beanbag to use for support as you relax.

Of course, there are certain things that you can’t do without in your bathroom – shampoos, toothbrushes, and all those other everyday things – but you can still install some discreet storage to keep them out of sight. Did you know you can even find whirlpool baths with built-in hidden storage? Pretty nifty – and ideal for de-cluttering your bathroom in preparation for the ideal meditation space. Even better, these storage options can be a fantastic place to stow your blankets, mats, cushions, and so on in between meditation sessions.

 Step 2: The role of scent and aroma

Next up, you should consider the impact of your olfactory senses; that means, in a nutshell, making your bathroom smell nice. Your sense of smell is connected directly to the brain’s centres for both memory and emotion, which explains why certain smells can bring back old memories. Meditation is all about clearing your mind of conscious thought, so a passing whiff of toilet bleach isn’t exactly going to help you reach nirvana.

To aid in honing your meditative mind, we’d recommend using subtle aromas which won’t overpower your sense of smell, but instead induce a state of calm contemplation. According to research, there are a few essential oils fragrances which help with both relaxation and mental focus. Examples of stress-busting scents include lavender, chamomile, and even trusty vanilla – all of which have been proven to reduce stress hormones and induce a state of relaxation. How you get these aromas into your bathroom is up to you, but scented candles and diffusers are both fab options.

 Step 3: Relaxing the body, relaxing the mind

So, you’ve decluttered your space and you’ve got the aromatherapy on the go, what’s the next step to meditation perfection? Well, as you’ll know, one of the central goals of meditation is to enter a state of pure relaxation for both the body and the mind. De-cluttering and the right scents are a great start, but before you begin any meditation session, you can give yourself a helping hand by relaxing your body too. There are plenty of ways to do this, and – luckily – you’re already in the best place in the home to get the job done.

Enjoying either a bath or a shower before meditation is a truly excellent way to relax your body and, in turn, relax your mind. In fact, there have been numerous studies which have proven scientifically that taking a bath can reduce your blood pressure, improve your circulation and oxygen intake, as well as the well-known musculoskeletal benefits of a hot soak. This is especially true for whirlpool and spa baths, the jet systems of which provided a massaging effect to bolster the beneficial effects. All of these come together to leave you feeling calm, relaxed, and ready to take your first steps towards nirvana. While any bathtub will help you reap these benefits, if you really want to push the boat out, you could always upgrade your bathroom experience by investing in a premium whirlpool bath – their affordability may just surprise you. 

 Step 4: Setting the scene with light and sound

 Meditation is a practice which involves almost all of your senses – with the exception of taste (unless that’s your cup of tea, of course). In fact, focusing on your core senses is a key aspect of mindfulness meditation, where the goal is to anchor your mind in the present moment. Your experience of the immediate surroundings, including smell, sound, and even ambient light can all assist in setting the mood for meditation and help you achieve the desired state of presence. Naturally, you won’t want to overpower your space with strong light, so we’d recommend using a dimmer switch where possible to lower ambient light to a comfortable level.

Another good option, if you’re able to do so, is to install an underwater LED lighting system to cast a gentle light across the room. These LED-based systems allow you to pick from a spectrum of different colours to suit your mood and aid in relaxation. The subtle drift of the water’s caustics will reflect around the room and create a meditative experience unlike any other. Underwater LED systems like these harness the power of chromotherapy: a traditional therapy based on the idea that certain colours can assist in your wellbeing – ideal for use in a bathroom meditation space. We’d also recommend the use of a water-safe speaker, or even a smart device like a Bluetooth speaker shelf, to play some soft ambient music as you meditate. There are lots of great options for meditation background music available either on music streaming platforms or YouTube; just pick the one you like, hit the “repeat” option, then relax.

Step 5: A few final tips on making the most of your bathroom meditation space

 When you’re carefully crafting your own personal meditation space in the bathroom, it can be easy to forget that it’s a functional room too. After all, the last thing you want when you’re finally immersed in the present moment is for a knock at the door to bring you crashing back down to earth. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow the simple tips below which all relate to how best to use your bathroom meditation space once it’s been created:

• Be sure to let other members of your household know exactly when you’ll be using the bathroom for meditation, and how long you’ll expect to be. (Just try not to drift off for too long!)
  
• Because the bathroom is multi-function, we’d recommend you leverage the storage we discussed above to store things such as blanket, mats, cushions, etc. Making these lightweight and easy to store will make your life much easier should the urge to meditate find you at random during the day.
  
• Decide how accessible you’d like your meditation space to be. By this, we mean that it’s a good idea to consider who else you’d like to share your space with when you’ve got it all set up for meditation. Remember that the bathroom means different things for different people, so it can be nice to keep your meditation space as your own personal sanctuary which you’re able to set up, whenever you need to, in just a few minutes. As with meditation itself, setting up the perfect bathroom meditation space is all about removing friction.
  
• When using your bathroom meditation space, try to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Because meditation is all about looking inward, even having something like your mobile phone in the same room can be a distraction – yes, even if it’s turned off! Of course, you should always take care with regards to health and safety, but with that said, we’d always recommend that you make your bathroom meditation space a place of peace, calm, and personal sanctuary. That means no ring tones and push notifications!
  

We hope you’ve enjoyed our comprehensive guide to transforming your bathroom into the perfect meditation space. The next steps? Soft music, some scented candles, and some slow breathing seem to be the order of the day! If you still have questions about meditation, there are plenty of great resources online to guide you – and for anything related to bathrooms, you can always call our friendly team anytime.