5 Ways to Make Your Home Sanctuary
By: Ignite Yoga Dayton
Tags: Home Improvement, Yoga, Home Decor, Relaxation, Meditation

Since the pandemic began, feeling at peace in our homes has become more valuable than ever. Now, not only are our homes the place where we go to relax after a long day at work, but it’s where we might need to be doing both some relaxing and some work-from-home. Our homes are where we rejuvenate ourselves. We nourish our bodies with warming foods from our kitchen, and we recharge each night in our beds. But, despite this, sometimes our homes can be a place of stress.

Our homes might be the place where we sit opening bills at the kitchen table, we get in the occasional fight with our loved ones, and where we see chores piling up around us. And that’s okay. We’re all human. We’ve all let the dishes pile a little too high. We’ve all left an essential task to the last minute. But, we all also deserve to feel happy and at peace despite any stress around us. When you come into our Dayton studio, we’ve made the sanctuary for you, but at home it’ll take a little planning and organizing. So today, we want to share some simple ways to make your home sanctuary. After all, creating a space you feel safe and calm in is one of the best ways to cultivate self-care.

Jane Antonovich, Feng Shui expert and author of Spirit of the Home: How to Make Your Home a Sanctuary, helps people create spaces that feel nurturing, supportive, beautiful, and rejuvenating. Often with just a few changes, a room can be transformed into a beautiful place of comfort. Jane stresses not to worry about “the latest kitchen gadgets or ‘this season’s colors,’” but rather to focus on questions like, “how does it make you feel? How would you like to feel?”

Here are a few things you can do to help create that nurturing, supportive space that Jane referred to.

How to Make Your Home Your Sanctuary

1/ Find where you already find peace in your home and replicate it.

Is there a room in your house that you love? Or maybe you just enjoy any chance to sit in your backyard or on your balcony. If you love being outside, try to take some of those outside elements inside with some indoor plants or a bouquet of flowers. Maybe you used to feel at peace in your bedroom, but now that it’s become your home office as well, you struggle to find that calm. In this situation, you can try changing your bedroom environment, depending on what you’re doing. If you’re doing a little work, maybe you’ll open the curtains, play some music, and diffuse some energizing essential oils. Then at night, you can turn down the lights, light a soothing candle, and listen to a meditation before bed.

2/ Think about your senses.

Try to activate all of your senses in your home. What textures feel calming and relaxing to the touch? What scents make you feel right at home? Do you have a favorite color? Or maybe you can give a Feng Shui Bagua map a try. By looking to your senses, you’ll be able to create a sense-based space that will keep you nurtured and relaxed in many different ways. PS — we have some Young Living oils ready for pick-up in the studio!

3/ Create a zen zone.

It might feel overwhelming to turn your entire home into a sanctuary. If so, simply focus on creating a zen zone, a place you can always go to relax. This space can be anywhere. It can be a nook in your bedroom, a part of your desk, or even in your bathroom. Here you can put all of your energy into creating a space that calms you. Try adding candles, flowers, and soft blankets where applicable. You can even add some happy pictures or create a mood board if you’re feeling inspired. You can use this space for any mindfulness exercises like journaling, or for your meditations.

4/ Use your favorite places in the world to inspire you.

Think of the places outside of your home that calm you. Perhaps it’s the beach you used to vacation when you were younger. Or maybe there’s a coffee shop you always go to after a busy day. No matter where those spaces are, try to think about what makes the places so relaxing. You can think about the lighting, the meaningful touches (a zen garden?), and the design (minimalist or eclectic?). You can take little pieces from your favorite places and bring them into your home for added peace.

5/ Clear your space.

Marie Kondo is an expert declutterer who famously only keeps things in her home that “spark joy.” While this type of decluttering may not be possible for everyone. It is important to know that extra clutter can really way you down psychologically. Try taking 5 minutes a day for a week to declutter a few spaces. You can recycle some old papers in your office or donate some clothes you don’t wear anymore that collect dust in your closet. The important thing is to clear out the old and leave space for some clear, positive energy.

It may take a little thought, but creating this space can make a world of difference for your yoga and meditation practice. We hope you enjoy your new peaceful, nurturing space!

Looking for more relaxation in your life? Learn more about our in-person and online yoga studio by clicking here.

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