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There are several things you will want to do in order to prepare the scene and yourself for meditation sessions. You need to consider the setting of the location, the type of music you will use if any at all, the type of fragrances you might use, and you will want to purify yourself before a meditation when possible. Timing is also important when it comes to meditation. Preparing for meditation is not unlike preparing for ritual practices. Here are some tips on getting yourself and your setting fully prepared for successful meditation practices.

Setting

When it comes to choosing a setting for meditation, the most convenient place to choose is in your own home. Some people like to meditate outdoors, and this is fine provided the weather is suitable or that you have protection from the elements when the weather is bad. It is perfectly fine to meditate near a running body of water, a stream, a pond, or in a park if you desire. If you want the ultimate privacy however, your home will supply you with the privacy you need.

You have to choose a site in the home that makes you most comfortable. You can sit on the floor and meditate or you can sit in a comfortable chair. If you are prone to falling asleep when you become too relaxed you may want to avoid locations where you are lying down during meditation. If you choose to sit on the floor, you may want to invest in a small floor mat for the purposes of meditation.

Whatever area in the home you choose you will want the area to be orderly and organized. You do not want to be thinking about all the clutter you need to take care of during your meditation! The location needs to be a place where you can feel safe and secure while you are in a somewhat vulnerable position: this is especially true if you meditate with your eyes closed. You do not want your pets sneaking up on you as you meditate and startling you since it can disturb your meditation practices and ruin the mood.

Timing

Setting up a specific time to meditate every day is recommended, especially for the beginner. When you get into the practice of meditating the same time every single day the subconscious is triggered and the mind slips into an altered state of consciousness with greater ease. You can meditate morning, noon or night: whatever suits you best. It is not recommended that you meditate after consuming a large meal however since this hinders the body’s purification and it also lends to fatigue as your body works overtime to digest the foods you consumed. If you feel you will fall asleep during the meditation, you may want to do your meditations just before bedtime. If you find meditation invigorating, you might want to do your meditations first thing in the morning or during the afternoon when you need a energetic boost.

Music

Not every meditator uses music during meditations; in fact, many prefer losing themselves in silence. If this is what you prefer, make sure your setting is quiet and free from noisy disturbances. You can listen to music or use a vocally guided meditation. Some meditators prefer listening to instrumentals while others even enjoy listening to chanting or chanting themselves as they meditate. You can even hang up wind chimes in a meditation area, open up a window, and listen to the chimes as the air hits them. Further, some people like using Tibetan singing bowls to meditate with. The choice is up to you.

Fragrance and Décor

You may want to put flowers in the room where you meditate; strong scented flowers like lilacs and roses or lily of the valley can permeate a room quickly. You can also use incense to change the scents in a room too. Make sure the room you are in is decorated in a way that is conducive to relaxation; you might want to burn votive candles or you may feel more comfortable with works of art or statues in the room. Whatever helps you get into the relaxed mindset is perfectly fine.

Purification

Before you start your meditation session you will want to purify your body. You will feel refreshed after a shower, or you can wash your face and hands to freshen up. You can then smudge yourself using a smudge stick to free your aura of negative energies. To keep your body purified, you will want to do your meditations before you consume a meal. If you feel the need, you can cleanse the area and bless it where you will be meditating as well.

Attire

What you wear when you meditate is up to you. Your clothes should be loose fitting, and very comfortable. You do not want to be in the middle of your meditation and have to stop because you are too hot, too cold, or because your clothing is keeping you from being comfortable. Choose attire that you can relax in and enjoy your meditation session.

Incense can be used to help alter your state of consciousness. Whether you decide to meditate on your own or you used guided meditation offerings, the use of incense can help you establish a relaxed, calm, and tranquil state of mind. You can choose scents that are pleasing too you; you can make your incense selection based on the magickal properties of the incense, or you can use the most common incense used to induce relaxation.

The human olfactory system is subjective in terms of what it finds pleasing, and your sense of smell affects your mood, your concentration levels, your memory, and how you deal with stress. Researchers from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre have used pleasant smells in the past to help minimize the anxiety levels of patients when medical tests are performed. Meanwhile, researchers at the Duke University Medical Center have used scents to diminish mood swings and depression in menopausal women. These same benefits can be derived during meditation when incense is used: you can increase and improve your mood, lower stress levels, improve your levels of concentration, and balance your moods.

Some meditators like to use the smoke of incense as a focal point for meditation. You can watch the smoke rise up from the burner and simply free your thoughts as you look into the free-floating smoke. You will want to keep the burner or incense holder at a distance so that the smoke and scent do not overwhelm you. Make sure you place the burner on a surface where there are no nearby fire hazards as well.

If you plan on using incense for its magickal correspondences, you will need to find out what incense selections correspond with. For example, Amber is associated with healing, happiness contentment, and comfort. Angelica can be burned to gain understanding and insight into a situation. You can burn Anise to gain emotional balance. Cedarwood is a favorite for achieving mental clarity and for grounding. Chamomile can be burned for inner piece. Dragon’s blood can be used for the purposes of purifying the mind and it smells divine, or you might prefer Eucalyptus for purification. Honeysuckle is another popular incense used during meditation for the purpose of promoting healing, and Lavender is often used for tranquility and relaxation. You have many additional selections to choose from including Juniper, Lemon, Lilac, lotus, myrrh, Egyptian musk, Nag champa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Sage, Sandalwood, Strawberry, Vanilla, Violet, and Ylang-Ylang.

The type of incense that you ultimately choose will be up to you. You can choose from powdered incense which will require charcoal for burning, incense cones, incense sticks, and cylinders. In a pinch, if you do not have an incense holder, a large candle can be used to hold the stick in place, but you will need something underneath the incense stick to capture the ashes as they fall. Incense can be purchased for relatively little expense and an entire stick or cone can last you through your meditative session.