When you think of meditation gardens, what comes to mind? Probably words like contemplation, self-reflection, and awareness, things we usually take for granted. Meditation is about getting to another state of awareness.
Developing and maintaining the engagement required to perform your meditation can be challenging without the proper environment. For those busy bees with hectic personal and professional schedules (probably most of us), it can be challenging to find moments like these.
This clutter and chaos in our minds are why we need meditation now more than ever. That’s why Meditation gardens exist, considered an escape from the never-ending stream of noises, traffic, and thoughts that bombard your daily life.
What are meditation gardens?
5 Free Meditation Gardens That Will Bring Out Your Inner Yogi
Keep reading to find out where you can find genuinely authentic, de-stressing meditation gardens that will arouse your senses and invite you to relax your thoughts:-
1. The Tranquil Zen Garden, Kyoto
©commons.wikimedia.org
Buddhist meditation? In Zen Buddhism, art practices, like Zen gardens, play a central role in their method of meditation and understanding. Around the 11th century, Zen gardens began appearing outside Buddhist temples. The gardens were to provide the monks with a place to walk and contemplate Buddha’s teachings. The design evokes a mood of tranquility, peace, and harmony.
How does it work? Zen gardens recreate nature using natural landscape elements like gravel or sand with rocks. The ripple effect of water reflects in whirling patterns in the sand. On the other hand, they use beautiful rock formations to create mountains or to simulate islands. The garden design aims to create the perfect meditative mood and provoke people to contemplate life.
Also read: The top secret garden ideas for your backyard
©Smithsonianmagazine
According to the Smithsonian, in 2002, a research team at Kyoto University cracked the Zen code. Relying on computer models, they found that the garden’s rocks—when viewed from the proper angle—subconsciously evoke the tranquil outline of a branching tree.
Not lucky enough to fly to Kyoto? You can easily have a simplified version of this Zen garden in your backyard just by using these same elements.
2. Garden of Five Senses, Delhi
©visittnt.com
The project designed by Pradeep Sachdeva and associates for Delhi tourism & transportation development corporation was conceptualized to answer the city’s need for leisure space for the public, for people to meditate, socialize, and unwind. The garden of five senses is not purely a meditation park. It is a space with various activities, encouraging public interaction and exploration.
The Garden of Five Senses won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2002. The traditional brick and stonework are offset by concrete columns, mosaic work, and carefully chosen planting effects. Accordingly, this project represents a role model not only for landscape design but also for architecture.
©twoyearsingandahar.wordpress.com
Designed to stimulate a person’s sensory responses to the environment, as the name suggests. A beautiful composition of color, fragrance, texture, and form promotes the awareness of touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste.
If you want to get more up-close and personal with landscape designing, check out our compilation of Landscape Architecture books and tutorials, all for free.
3. Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, California
©kolpgs.blogspot.com
The Japanese Garden design techniques have inspired this modern-day garden to use a contemporary approach. Additionally, this garden is ranked among the top in North America. It is a Kyoto-style Meditation Garden and is part of The Osmosis Day Spa in California.
They have developed their design from the teachings of Japanese landscaping and meditation practices. However, the design does not neglect the different geographical locations. Accordingly, with careful adaptations for California’s climate and culture, the Zen gardens help you to embrace nature in silence.
©tripadvisor.com.pe
Through a labyrinth of plants, stones, and water elements, the garden tells an ancient tale of liberating the mind from the everyday perturbations of the modern world. The garden is intentionally quiet, calm, and serene. After spoiling yourself with a massage in the day spa, it is precisely what you would need. Not a massage person? Get into the meditative mood by sipping herbal tea in the Japanese tea garden next to the Meditation Garden.
4. The Tai Chi Meditation Garden Project, California
©taichimeditationgarden, Facebook
Do you have the attention span of an ant and think meditation is just “not tailored to you”? This garden will calm your mind! Tai Chi is not just a martial art but a meditation technique and spiritual practice. Practitioners use graceful movements as meditation to provide relaxed focus, quiet the monkey mind and release inner tensions. Interestingly, they usually use the term “Meditation in motion” or “Moving meditation” to describe it.
Turtle Bay Exploration Park has donated a site to build the Tai Chi Meditation Garden next to the Sundial Bridge in Redding. Interestingly, members of Redding Tai Chi are working to develop the park for Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, dance, and other low-impact, meditative exercise. However, the garden is currently under construction. This project, blending art and nature, serves people of all ages.
5. Marilyn Oshman Meditation Garden, Texas, USA
©full.orangeshow.org, Pinterest
If you think meditation gardens are only in Asian countries, think again! In a fast-paced city like Houston, places we can go to relax and reflect are necessary. The Meditation Garden at Smither Park is just that. The designer is the visionary artist and builder Dan Phillips. It allows the public to take a few moments and gather their thoughts and reflect. Marilyn Oshman is your place to read a book, enjoy a picnic, or practice yoga to refresh your mind. You can even rent out for special events.
Remember, getting into the meditation mood mostly does come from within. In our current times, it is not that easy to find a serene place. It is something we have to work for and create. Therefore, Thich Nhat Hanh, the famous Vietnamese Buddhist, says, “We try many ways to be awake, but our society still keeps us forgetful. Meditation is to help us remember.”
