About Altars and Asans

The simple act of reserving a space for your spiritual practice sets the intention that meditation is important to you. Whether it’s a whole room designated for spiritual practice or a corner of your bedroom, whether simple or elaborate, you have begun. By meditating in the same spot, you will build spiritual energy.

Create the space in any way that has meaning for you. Your altar can be as simple as a windowsill, or as decorative as an Indian temple. Regardless of size, an altar with a photo of your teachers, saints or deities can serve to inspire devotion while you practice and provides a place to offer flowers or incense, rest your mala, or light a candle. The important thing is that it inspires and invites you to meditate, and helps to create an atmosphere of stillness and peace.

Your meditation area is also a place to keep an asan for meditation. The asan is a personal square of cloth that is large enough to sit on while you meditate. Use this only for your own practice and nothing else, in order for the asan to accumulate your subtle energy over time and improve your meditation. Your asan can be twenty or thirty inches square or so, depending on your size. Anandi Ma recommends wool because it holds energy very well. If you are allergic to wool, you can use silk or cotton instead or placed on top of a wool asan.

Your sacred space is now complete. Every time you walk by or sit there, your mind will be brought to the divine.