YBTT Feed Feed YBTT YBTT Comments Comments Feed Feed YBTT YBTT Indoor Indoor Zen Zen Gardens Gardens Steps Steps To To Cultivating Cultivating A A Mindful Mindful Practice Practice Comments Comments Feed Feed alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate IFRAME IFRAME https https www www googletagmanager googletagmanager com com ns ns html html id id GTM GTM PH PH SZ SZ Skip Skip to to content content YBTT YBTT YBTT YBTT YBTT YBTT YBTT YBTT BUTTON BUTTON Menu Menu Balance Balance Heal Heal Transform Transform BUTTON BUTTON Menu Menu Balance Balance Heal Heal Transform Transform Indoor Indoor Zen Zen Gardens Gardens Steps Steps To To Cultivating Cultivating A A Mindful Mindful Practice Practice May May October October by by Kira Kira YBTT YBTT Share Share Tweet Tweet Pin Pin Share Share Shares Shares Indoor Indoor zen zen gardens gardens Indoor Indoor zen zen gardens gardens Zen Zen gardens gardens have have been been used used for for thousands thousands of of years years These These Japanese Japanese inspired inspired designs designs are are not not only only landscaping landscaping masterpieces masterpieces but but also also objects objects of of meditative meditative contemplation contemplation Indoor Indoor Zen Zen gardens gardens are are a a simple simple and and creative creative way way to to cultivate cultivate mindful mindful practice practice inside inside Much Much smaller smaller than than traditional traditional outdoor outdoor varieties varieties you you can can use use them them conveniently conveniently at at home home or or in in the the office office They They are are easy easy to to use use simple simple to to maintain maintain and and fun fun to to design design Better Better yet yet they they are are a a great great way way to to cultivate cultivate mindfulness mindfulness Indoor Indoor Zen Zen gardens gardens Despite Despite their their small small size size indoor indoor Zen Zen gardens gardens maintain maintain many many of of the the traditional traditional aspects aspects of of the the outdoor outdoor Japanese Japanese rock rock gardens gardens after after which which they they are are modelled modelled Designs Designs are are stylized stylized based based on on the the Buddhist Buddhist tradition tradition of of simplicity simplicity Common Common elements elements incorporated incorporated into into Zen Zen gardens gardens both both indoor indoor and and outdoor outdoor varieties varieties include include carefully carefully selected selected stones stones or or rocks rocks sand sand moss moss shrubs shrubs small small trees trees and and running running water water Despite Despite their their obvious obvious difference difference in in size size at at the the very very essence essence both both indoor indoor and and outdoor outdoor Zen Zen gardens gardens invoke invoke the the feeling feeling of of nature nature The The origin origin of of Zen Zen gardens gardens There There are are many many kinds kinds of of Zen Zen gardens gardens some some of of which which date date back back thousands thousands of of years years The The Ryōan Ryōan ji ji Temple Temple in in Japan Japan for for example example is is home home to to one one of of the the most most preserved preserved kare kare sansui sansui or or dry dry landscape landscape style style Zen Zen rock rock gardens gardens from from the the th th century century These These gardens gardens are are artistic artistic creations creations that that have have been been used used traditionally traditionally as as vehicles vehicles for for contemplation contemplation self self reflection reflection and and beautification beautification True True to to the the essence essence of of Zen Zen Japanese Japanese gardens gardens inspire inspire mindful mindful meditative meditative practice practice through through their their simplistic simplistic graceful graceful design design In In the the words words of of Shunmyo Shunmyo Masuno Masuno Japan Japan s s leading leading garden garden designer designer In In Japanese Japanese culture culture rather rather than than emphasizing emphasizing the the form form of of something something itself itself more more importance importance is is placed placed on on the the feeling feeling of of the the invisible invisible things things that that come come with with it it restrained restrained elegance elegance delicate delicate beauty beauty elegant elegant simplicity simplicity and and rusticity rusticity Like Like the the Buddhist Buddhist tradition tradition from from which which they they emerged emerged the the gardens gardens reflect reflect discipline discipline and and require require care care and and maintenance maintenance It It s s believed believed that that in in these these sacred sacred spaces spaces the the gardener gardener and and nature nature become become one one and and through through this this you you can can witness witness the the fusion fusion of of nature nature and and art art Modern Modern science science s s take take on on Zen Zen gardens gardens It It s s believed believed by by some some professionals professionals that that the the appeal appeal of of these these Zen Zen gardens gardens is is due due to to the the tree tree like like fractals fractals present present in in their their design design Fractals Fractals are are geometric geometric forms forms that that are are visible visible as as tiny tiny patterns patterns that that repeat repeat themselves themselves in in such such a a manner manner that that they they appear appear collectively collectively to to resemble resemble their their larger larger form form Fractals Fractals in in nature nature can can be be seen seen in in snowflakes snowflakes or or branch branch patterns patterns in in trees trees Each Each snowflake snowflake is is composed composed of of many many micro micro snowflakes snowflakes arranged arranged in in the the same same form form as as the the big big one one they they together together create create Looking Looking at at fractals fractals is is also also found found to to be be of of therapeutic therapeutic value value as as it it is is known known to to reduce reduce stress stress and and promote promote relaxation relaxation IFRAME IFRAME about about blank blank IFRAME IFRAME https https www www youtube youtube com com embed embed kff kff GsbagQo GsbagQo feature feature oembed oembed How How to to use use an an indoor indoor Zen Zen garden garden Choose Choose a a prominent prominent location location Place Place your your indoor indoor Zen Zen garden garden in in a a prominent prominent location location where where it it can can be be easily easily seen seen but but not not in in the the way way where where it it can can get get bumped bumped Sand Sand is is no no fun fun to to clean clean up up Calm Calm your your mind mind Before Before you you attempt attempt to to start start arranging arranging the the stones stones or or raking raking the the sand sand take take a a moment moment to to quiet quiet your your mind mind and and draw draw your your attention attention to to your your breathing breathing Rearrange Rearrange the the stones stones or or pebbles pebbles When When you you have have found found yourself yourself in in a a calm calm meditative meditative headspace headspace begin begin to to rearrange rearrange the the pebbles pebbles Take Take note note of of the the feeling feeling and and texture texture of of the the stones stones surface surface as as well well as as any any blemishes blemishes or or impurities impurities of of the the stone stone Always Always position position rocks rocks in in a a manner manner that that the the the the best best side side is is facing facing forward forward Draw Draw patterns patterns in in the the sand sand Once Once you you re re pleased pleased with with the the layout layout of of the the stones stones choose choose either either a a rake rake or or a a thin thin tool tool like like the the back back of of a a paintbrush paintbrush to to begin begin tracing tracing simple simple deliberate deliberate lines lines in in the the sand sand This This process process should should be be done done mindfully mindfully using using the the slow slow drawing drawing motion motion to to bring bring your your focus focus back back to to the the present present moment moment Most Most often often the the patterns patterns in in the the sand sand are are done done in in such such a a manner manner that that they they appear appear to to resemble resemble water water features features like like waves waves or or gentle gentle ripples ripples Enjoy Enjoy the the quiet quiet While While active active in in your your Zen Zen garden garden practice practice try try to to limit limit outside outside distractions distractions Cultivate Cultivate silence silence in in your your physical physical environment environment and and stillness stillness in in your your mind mind If If you you re re doing doing this this activity activity at at work work and and it it isn isn t t possible possible to to block block out out all all noise noise consider consider listening listening to to meditation meditation music music to to help help keep keep your your attention attention on on your your practice practice Slow Slow down down Zen Zen gardens gardens are are meant meant to to mirror mirror elements elements in in the the natural natural world world Because Because of of this this their their creation creation should should be be done done slowly slowly and and deliberately deliberately Nature Nature does does not not rush rush and and neither neither should should you you Reflect Reflect on on the the simplicity simplicity Nearing Nearing the the end end of of your your practice practice step step back back and and admire admire your your work work Take Take note note of of the the beauty beauty in in its its simplicity simplicity and and the the artistic artistic expression expression of of your your creation creation Notice Notice the the textures textures angles angles and and positioning positioning of of each each element element Rake Rake away away the the design design After After taking taking a a few few moments moments to to enjoy enjoy your your creation creation gently gently wipe wipe away away the the design design and and return return the the stones stones to to the the side side of of the the garden garden Raking Raking over over the the design design helps helps you you become become aware aware of of the the impermanence impermanence of of life life and and that that each each moment moment is is sacred sacred It It also also encourages encourages you you not not to to become become attached attached to to material material items items states states of of being being or or even even this this moment moment It It too too shall shall pass pass Return Return to to your your garden garden Essential Essential to to the the practice practice of of Zen Zen is is self self discipline discipline Establish Establish a a daily daily ritual ritual that that involves involves spending spending a a few few minutes minutes with with your your indoor indoor garden garden Allow Allow the the full full benefits benefits of of its its simplicity simplicity therapy therapy and and ancient ancient wisdom wisdom inspire inspire wellness wellness and and become become part part of of your your regular regular mindful mindful practice practice Whether Whether at at home home or or in in the the office office indoor indoor Zen Zen gardens gardens offer offer you you an an artistic artistic way way to to experience experience mindfulness mindfulness and and the the beauty beauty of of nature nature s s simplicity simplicity Things Things to to keep keep in in mind mind with with Zen Zen gardens gardens Simplicity Simplicity is is key key in in all all Zen Zen garden garden designs designs Whether Whether you you choose choose a a dry dry sand sand garden garden or or a a planted planted herbaceous herbaceous one one with with live live elements elements the the general general rule rule of of thumb thumb is is less less is is more more There There is is no no wrong wrong way way to to use use your your Zen Zen garden garden but but to to not not use use it it at at all all Keep Keep in in mind mind you you aren aren t t being being graded graded on on your your design design Everything Everything you you do do will will soon soon be be wiped wiped away away so so you you can can start start over over and and repeat repeat the the process process Don Don t t worry worry on on creating creating a a beautiful beautiful end end product product It It s s the the process process that that matters matters for for this this practice practice not not the the symmetry symmetry of of your your rocks rocks or or Picasso Picasso like like reflections reflections in in the the sand sand Be Be creative creative and and allow allow this this simple simple exercise exercise to to inspire inspire your your mindful mindful practice practice Share Share Tweet Tweet Pin Pin Share Share Shares Shares Categories Categories Balance Balance Leave Leave a a Comment Comment Cancel Cancel reply reply Comment Comment Name Name Email Email Website Website Post Post Comment Comment Footer Footer Menu Menu About About Us Us Privacy Privacy Policy Policy Terms Terms of of Use Use Contact Contact YourBodyTheTemple YourBodyTheTemple com com Important Important Disclaimer Disclaimer The The information information contained contained on on YourBodyTheTemple YourBodyTheTemple com com has has not not been been evaluated evaluated by by the the FDA FDA and and is is not not intended intended to to diagnose diagnose treat treat prevent prevent or or cure cure any any disease disease All All statements statements are are solely solely for for informational informational and and 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