The modern day home has become more than just somewhere to lay your head down at night. In fact, modern home design is increasingly being centred around the notion of creating an oasis.
This essentially means using your home for multiple functions. These functions can range from a home office or artistic studio to somewhere to practice hobbies such as yoga and guitar.
While the idea of turning your home into a multifunctional haven is appealing to most, there are a few things to consider before converting a spare bedroom into a yoga studio. In fact, you will want to think about everything from insect protection to sound barriers.
This way, you can create the perfect backdrop that complements the ethos of zen yoga – simple breathing to help physical alignment, energy flow, and mindful awareness. All of which is a little hard to achieve if you have an insect buzzing in your ear.
Understanding Zen Yoga
At its core zen yoga is a gentle and compassionate practice. Combining simple breathing and movement techniques, zen yoga helps individuals with their mental and physical health.
In terms of mental health, zen yoga doubles as a great coping mechanism for stress. With the ability to slow down your heart and breathing rates, zen yoga works to counteract the flight or fight stress response. This allows the body to enter into a state of calm.
In regards to physical benefits, zen yoga can soothe muscle tension in the body. In addition to this, it works to increase things like flexibility and strength levels. A lot of people also gravitate towards Zen yoga because it can help with feelings of alertness and energy.
These benefits, whether mental or physical, stem from Zen Yoga’s emphasis on three key principles. Firstly, you have physical alignment. With the spine perfectly centred and upright, you can achieve the right posture which then helps to put the mind in a state of enlightenment.
From there, the focus is shifted to energy flowing into the body. In the zen tradition, energy flow takes the practising individual into a state of nondual awareness which better allows you to guide energy through the body. It also works to influence emotional health.
The last principle is that of mindful awareness. The teachings of Buddha show that mindfulness can lead to a path of happiness and liberation. With Zen yoga postures, you can better focus on the body to release tight areas. All of which helps you become more free in life.
Designing a Zen Yoga Space
With zen yoga so beneficial to mental, physical, and spiritual health, it’s not hard to see why more people are looking into designing yoga spaces in their very own homes. The ability to sit with your feelings and work through them can help relieve stressors both big and small.
Before transforming an area in your home, it’s important to design with purpose. This means first looking into the best location in the home for your yoga area. For example, placing this room next to a high-traffic area such as the kitchen or kid’s playroom might be counterintuitive when it comes time to find your zen.
Once you’ve found a relatively low-traffic area within the home, think about the room itself. How is the interplay between the lighting, ventilation, decor, and layout? While access to natural light is a great mood booster, it’s important to set the scene when it comes to practising zen yoga. As such, consider different window treatment options.
Ventilation is also key. With this in mind, when looking into window treatments, you may want to consider how the blinds you use will work with or hinder any access to natural air. In a practice that revolves around breathing, don’t underestimate the importance of airflow.
Decor and layout will also play a large role in creating the perfect Zen yoga space. Think about the colour palette first of all. Do the colour of the walls and the accessories work together to immediately make you feel calm, or, are the hues tending towards being a little cool?
In terms of decor, you might want to incorporate elements of minimalism. By choosing furniture that is both practical and multifunctional, you can have an outfitted space that doesn’t take up too much floor room. All of which gives you the space you need to practice.
Importance of Bug-Free Spaces in Yoga
Something that seemingly flies under the radar is the importance of bug-free spaces in yoga. While you might want to open a window to let both light and air in, you may also unwittingly introduce insects into the space.
The constant buzzing sound or the feeling of something landing on your skin can be both distracting and unhygienic. When you’re trying to practice zen yoga and get into a mindful state, these distractions can prove disastrous. All of which can work to increase stress levels rather than reduce them.
Introduction to Retractable Fly Screens
With the simple sound of an insect buzzing enough to derail you from thoughts of wellness and enlightenment, having mitigation solutions in place is paramount. However, any mitigation solutions need not impinge upon notions of letting natural light and cool breezes in.
Enter retractable fly screens.
Equal parts inconspicuous and functional, retractable fly screens work to let the light and air in, all while keeping insects and other creatures out. Designed to feature a roll of mesh that is spring-loaded, the fly screen mesh rolls out of the cassette to provide discrete but complete protection.
Fitted either horizontally or vertically, retractable fly screens feature soft closing mechanisms.
With both pack-up and set-up measures seamless, retractable fly screens always complement homes. Rather than making opening doors or windows a hassle, it’s as easy as extending the mesh from the cassette. This means that whether you’re about to start a yoga session or you’re packing up for the night, your window solutions can be tailored simply and effectively.
This ease of use makes retractable fly screens a must-have for Zen yoga spaces.
Firstly, equal parts are easy to use and maintain, and there is a certain no-hassle nature to these solutions. This means that you can devote your time and energy to finding your inner zen, all while the insects are kept at bay and the cool winds are blowing. All that is required of you is some low-maintenance cleaning every now and again.
Secondly, retractable fly screens are compatible with a range of different architectural styles. This means that you don’t have to compromise on elements of aesthetics or functionality when designing your yoga studio. Additionally, retractable fly screens come in a range of colours.
Final thoughts
For a lot of people, their home is their oasis. A place to live, work and play. A place to relax, explore and connect. It’s this mindset that has seen a rise in creating specific spaces in the home to work and indulge in hobbies.
One such hobby is that of practising zen yoga.
At Artilux, we can help make the process of turning a space in your home into a zen yoga studio as seamless as possible thanks to our range of retractable fly screens. With the ability to let the light and air in, all while keeping bugs out, our screens help you to set the scene.
If you’re ready to create your own zen yoga studio space or another kind of oasis, contact the team today. We can help provide your special space with a unique mix of practicality and functionality.
