Meditative Spaces

Sample chapters in this book are: A Blank Canvas: just as one of the basic disciplines in meditation is to clear the mind, these spaces present the minimum to the senses, with the emphasis on colours, tones and perspectives that soothe and reduce tension. Connecting with Nature: natural materials, including wood, stone, water, earth, canvas and plants establish a calming link with the underlying essence of the environment. Nature is a fundamental source of spiritual well-being, and some of these spaces use its elements as icons, whether a particularly beautiful naturally shaped stone as a focus of meditation, or the trickle of water through a bamboo pipe into a stone basin. Focus of Attention: views outwards, if carefully constructed, can be an aid to attention rather than a distraction. This is a modern evolution the ancient Chinese and Japanese tradition of the "borrowed landscape," in which the external is brought into the carefully designed view from within. Temporary Structures: because contemplation and concentration are highly individual activities, the space need not be large - and can be portable or temporary, for use within a living area or outside. These imaginative structures, which vary from a portable tatami room in aluminium with sail-like awnings to a cube frame that simply defines a notional space, are all collapsible, in accord with the personal, flexible principles of meditation.