Meditation Garden - Your Own Private Haven Of Peace And Reflection

The meditation garden is a natural haven of peace and reflection. Most meditation gardens are mounted in the backyard of one's home or on a larger scale in public spaces, as part of religious structures, government properties, hospitals, museums or any place intended to create a contemplative and serene atmosphere with elements of nature.

The Japanese were an early pioneer of the meditation garden and continue to influence garden design around the world. Following the ambitious design of the Imperial Palace gardens in the 7th century AD, the earliest known gardening manual appeared, the Sakuteiki. The text set out fundamental principles of the Japanese garden, which included the creation of the likeness of nature, the need for asymmetry and great respect accorded to the garden's natural surroundings.

This gardening tradition took a giant evolutionary step in the twelfth century when the Samurais took power in Japan. Zen Buddhism was the dominant faith of the feudal class, and as a result Zen priests began to design and manage gardens. It was determined that creative rock formations were conducive to their meditation practices, and this in turn led to what is today known as the Karasanui garden design, which creates an atmosphere evocative of mountains, oceans, islands and even sailboats by a strategic arrangement of gravel, sand and varieties of stone. In stark contrast to Tsukiyama gardens, which recreate famous landscapes, the Karasanui garden is an enclosed design encouraging a closer engagement between the human and nature, which is ideal for meditation. Today this remains a basis and foundation for meditation garden design in the western world.

Landscape architects in North America are increasingly in demand for home meditation garden developments. Psychological studies have revealed the "restorative" properties of meditation gardens, pointing out that the elements of fascination, beauty and isolation can lead to tedium-free stress recovery within minutes.

Meditation instructors are in general agreement on the basic elements of the home meditation garden: flat open area, enclosed space, special entrance, added focal point (this could include a bird feeder, statue or distinctive rock), easily accessible benches and/or chairs, soothing colors, contrasting textures and encouragement of a wildlife presence.

A special and often invaluable feature of meditation gardens in the West is the inclusion of a labyrinth. The idea of defining or enhancing a meditative space with geometric patterns goes back over 4,000 years and encompasses virtually all religious faiths and cultures. The eleven-circuit model made most popular by the gothic-era Chartres Cathedral in France is most often used by large and small-scale meditation garden designers. Unlike a maze design with which it is most often confused, the labyrinth contains one clear path with 180-degree turns towards a definite exit. In its life-size model version it is an excellent location for walking meditation, and in miniature it becomes a contemplative tool for the meditative practitioner.

An important benefit of meditation gardens is the therapeutic properties it offers to the infirm. Studies in the 1980's showed significant recovery acceleration for postoperative patients who were placed in a garden atmosphere. Patients who were allowed a level of control of garden spaces provided strong evidence of the garden's healing powers. Recovery time was so much faster that it is now believed that a sense of control over elements of nature will lead to a sharp increase in self-confidence. As a result, meditative garden spaces continue to appear on hospital properties across the continent.