DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas – how to create a harmonious mini oasis

In modern world everyone needs something that helps his body and mind relax and find peace. A Japanese garden is a place for meditation, quiet contemplation, haven of peace and tranquility in the hectic lifestyle where a person can achieve harmony, balance, opportunities to meditate, relieve stress. We will show you some beautiful DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas and will give you some useful tips how to create a harmonious mini oasis.

DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas – free yourself from stress

DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas are becoming more and more popular and an affordable way for relax. A mini Zen garden is very soothing and can be arranged on every desk or coffee table. It is the perfect gift for friends, employees or partners. It is believed that the creation of the lines with the small rake frees your mind and gives inspiration and the ability to create. While contemplating your mini Zen garden, you will have the opportunity to feel a new kind of relaxation that will allow you to feel harmony in the heart and mind. Tabletop Zen gardens include the main elements of Zen simplicity, sophistication, asymmetry, they are able to provide peace and harmony in your home, to restore the disturbed balance of Yin and Yang and improve your mental health.

Zen is the essence of Buddhism and symbolizes serenity. It is the way to reach a sense of balance through meditation. For modern people, achieving harmony, peace and balance is often an impossible task and maybe that is one of the reasons for the growing popularity of Japanese landscape design  in public areas and DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas. Many people are attracted to the opportunity to take a small rake and create different shapes of sand, rearrange pebbles to suit your mood while empty their head, calm down and recharge. This is also used in Feng Shui as an element of spiritual development or as an element of Feng Shui meditation or altars to the connection with the inside world.

DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas – what do you need to know?

What is a Zen garden? Japanese rock gardens, also called “dry” are often called also Zen. A Zen garden is a miniature stylized landscape that is created with carefully arranged rocks surrounded by gravel or sand, which represents raking waves in water. Water features, moss, rarely trees and shrubs can be used. A Zen garden is usually relatively small, surrounded by a wall, and usually the viewer can see the whole of it while sitting out. Zen gardens were created in the temples of Zen Buddhism in Kyoto, Japan during the Muromachi period. They mimic the intimate essence of nature, not its actual form and serve as an aid to meditation about the true meaning of life.

DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas are miniature rock landscapes s which have been used for centuries by Japanese as homemade miniatures and a tool for meditation and spiritual growth and anyone can make a miniature composition of his own. Tabletop Zen gardens consists of a small tray with rocks, sand and miniature rake. Sometimes mini house plants are included as well. The most distinctive features of Japanese gardens in general, are minimalism, simplicity, harmony and balance.

The symbolic meaning of the elements in a mini Zen garden has roots in the traditions and beliefs of Japanese people. One of the major differences between Zen garden and most othe is the lack of live elements. Sand symbolizes water, which attracts money, and with the help of the rake wave shapes are created. Rocks symbolize serenity and constancy. The composition of the rocks must be asymmetrical, reflecting the natural landscape. The traditional composition of Zen gardens features rocks in a group of three where one of the rocks is the major one and two minor are on the sides. Some people prefer to add a small candle as it helps them relax. Like outdoor rocks, the components of a mini landscape are as simple as possible. Rocks represent mountains, sand symbolizes water and a rake is used to create the waves. The goal is to create a small-scale landscape as seen from a cliff on the coast, or a view of the coast while relaxing on the shore.

DIY Tabletop Zen garden ideas – how to arrange a mini rock landscape on our own?

How to arrange a tabletop Zen garden? Where to place it? It can be arranged anywhere. It takes as much space as a laptop. You can buy the basic elements form a store or you can gather them by yourself. Despite the fact that it is a miniature version of a real one, it has to be visually pleasing with clean, flowing lines and carefully placed elements which have a unique look. It is important to leave an empty space around the elements of your tabletop Zen garden, it should not be crowded with ornaments and decorations. Remember that minimalism and simplicity are your guidelines.

You shall need a rectangular container. Japanese rock gardens always have a rectangular shape. The advisable depth of the container is not less than 5 cm or a little more.

Fill half the depth of the container with fine sand as it will allow you achieve a smoother and well-groomed appearance.

Place the rocks in the container arranged in groups. The core group usually consists of 3 rocks. One stone standing upright, the other can be flat. Try to make it look as natural as possible.

To create the water element you should use the rake. Draw waves, curves, circles or something that has a meaning for you.

Tabletop Zen gardens can be placed anywhere and are a magnificent decorative element for any interior. You can add other elements, although that is an escape from the strict rules, but if you wanted to add a candle or a Buddha statuette – just do it. Remember that it is your place for relaxation and stress relief.