Zen definitions
As an adjective
The definition of zen is slang for feeling peaceful and relaxed.
An example of zen as an adjective is to have a zen experience, how you feel during a day at the spa.
As a noun
Zen is a type of Buddhism that focuses on awareness through the practice of meditation.
An example of Zen is a rock garden that is tended to meditate.The benefits of zennification (yes, I made that word up,) are the same benefits experienced with relaxation. The entire point of creating a more zen-like space, is to enable relaxation to be achieved in the first place. By producing a simplified home and/or work environment, we promote comfort, clarity and serenity. Who doesn’t want a piece of that?
The benefits:
- Stress reduction
- Thought clarification
- Muscle relaxation
- Healthier blood pressure
- Better sleep
- Sensation of calmness / peacefulness
- Improved self-esteem
- Activation / strengthening of logical thinking patterns
- Reduction in anxious thoughts
There are easy and cost-free steps you can take to start your transformation of old to new, cluttered to clear and complicated to simple. All it requires is some allocated time and good old motivation.
Give yourself some thinking space
A lot of people fail to realise just how much of an impact their living space can have on their day-to-day psyche. Dark, cluttered, unorganised, messy or dirty areas can add to any chaos or negativity going on in your mind. It can even be the leading source for these feelings, however slight they may be. Keeping a clean, pleasant living environment may seem like common sense, but creating a zen space goes a few steps further.
”The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
Hans HoffmanWhen we are in a spacious setting, we feel less constricted, confined and pressured. The mind has less stimuli to sort through as there are less objects beholding their individual vibrations scattered around miscellaneously. As well as the obvious practical reasons for keeping things “tidy,” the act of organisation itself positively impacts our mental state both instantaneously and in the long-term. For a tip on maximising your available space, look at your belongings as if you were just about to move house and needed to majorly downsize. You’d be continuously stunned at how much shit you don’t need, (pardon my french,) or even really want for that matter.
Introduce gentle greenery
Invest in low-maintenance, soothing green plants. Small bonsai trees, kitchen herbs or hanging terrariums is a zen masters best bet. Nature really does nurture the soul, and as a bonus, plants provide oxygen-rich air to nurture the body too.
Surfaces!
If you haven’t already seen the hilarious TV series Absolutely Fabulous, there’s a classic scene where main character ‘Edina’ starts having a fit over her household surfaces. She’s in such a state that she goes around picking things up and slamming them down a few inches away from where they just were yelling “SURFACES!” It’s pretty funny, and rings true if you share a household with messy people. Cluttered surfaces are neither practical, attractive or hygienic. Knick knacks should be few, and displayed in an allocated area. Appliances that you don’t use daily can be stowed away in cupboards or drawers. Organise any mail, receipts and papers as you receive them, using a folder to keep things together. The convenience of knowing where items are, or at least where to find them, will save you major time and agro. And you’ll be one step closer to your zenned-out paradise.
Colours matter
Colours have a massive impact on our moods, whether you realise it or not. Natural colours and earthy tones can help keep things in balance and create a calm space. Using soft tones in green, grey, white, beige or pink beige for example, are great for inducing relaxation. Matching a few throw pillows to the colours of the wall, or a carpet, can really tie the room together. ”Chromatic harmony between the various elements is very important, as well as the visual continuity between walls, furniture and floors.” – freshome.com
Dedicate a space
Wherever you live, dedicate a space where you can freely dance, do some yoga or give/receive a massage. Keep softness at your feet by using a natural-fibre rug to cover the floor. This is the space where good things happen. Time for meditation, creation, relaxation and contemplation. This could be a spare bedroom or a large area in the living room that is not filled with furniture. Who needs loads of furniture? Space is better!
Experience first hand the benefits of living in zen
There’s so much more to your ‘zennabilities’ than just creating a zen space. To truly become centred and balanced, you need to do the real work from within, and the rest will come naturally. At The School of Natural Health Sciences we offer courses in Meditation, Mindfulness, Yoga and Professional Relaxation Therapy amongst over 50 others. We feel passionate that holistic learning breeds holistic living, and we want to spread that in the world. Enrol today to take advantage of our New Year offers! Read our student testimonials and see for yourself how many lives have changed. If you’d like more information on any of our course please do contact us, we’d love to hear from you!.
