Ok, I know this is supposed to be a gift guide for someone in your life who practices mindfulness and meditation, but let’s be real: You actually don’t need anything fancy to meditate. You can do it eyes open or closed, standing or seated. All you need is yourself and your intention.
But some people — me included — like to set up a space with intention, which welcomes us to our practice. And when someone gives me a gift specifically for my meditation space, it is extra special.
Seats, stools, and cushions for meditation are so personal that they’re hard to give as gifts, so I’ve curated this list of items I either have already or want for my practice that I think would be helpful to others.
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(All prices are as of the publish date of this post, do not include taxes, shipping or other fees, and are subject to change.)
Candles that double as timers
Unplugging from electronic devices is one of my goals when I meditate, so I don’t like checking my phone for the time, but I also didn’t want to buy a clock just for meditation. I stumbled upon special meditation candles that burn for a specific amount of time. It’s perfect because I like to burn a candle during meditation anyway.
This kit comes with 20 candles that are 100% pure beeswax and burn for 20 minutes, a chime candle holder, a glass bottle filled with wooden matches with a striker on the side, and a heart-shaped rose quartz. It’s wrapped and packaged with obvious care and is ready for giving.
Buy 20-minute candle kit ($27)
The two gift sets I ordered from the shop above arrived with the lingering scent of incense or something like that. I buy beeswax candles because I’m sensitive to fragrances, so if you or your recipient is the same way, I would go with this 20-Minute Candles with Candle Holder kit instead. It doesn’t come with matches or the rose quartz heart, but I do prefer the style of the candle holder.
Buy 20-Minute Candles with Candle Holder Set ($26)
Match striker dome
This match striker dome by Shamblin Shop is a work of art with a practical purpose. I like that I don’t have to pick up the holder to strike the match like all the other matchstick holders I saw.
I didn’t link to a specific product because she seems to sell out a lot, so I think I just got lucky with mine. She also sells match strikers shaped like a cone or a witch’s hat (which I was tempted to buy), as well as hobbit holes.
Buy from Shamblin Shop ($30)
Blanket or shawl
If you’re like me and you tend to get cold when you meditate, having a blanket nearby would be helpful. I’ve been admiring The Essential Turkish Cotton Blanket is a lovely blanket for meditation. It’s soft but big enough to cover you without weighing you down.
The Bali Market also offers awesome Turkish towels that are lightweight, fast-drying multitaskers for travel — and they make great shawls too. I use them for my regular bath towels at home, I’ve purchased several as presents, and I use one as a shawl for meditation or chilly mornings.
Buy The Essential Turkish Cotton Blanket ($98)
Buy Turkish towels ($44)
Unique meditation necklace
Meditation can be done anywhere, but sometimes staying mindful can be tough when you’re out and about in the world.
The Hydrean Meditation Necklace is a lovely necklace that claims it can help us stay mindful in the moment when we really need it. The Etsy listing shows a video, but I’m still not super clear how it works (my guess is that you use the notches a bit like the beads on a mala). The listing says instructions are included, but I’d prefer if they didn’t shroud the process in mystery.
Buy The Hydrean Meditation Necklace ($50)
Books
Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice by Thich Nhat Hanh is a wonderful little book for new beginners or those who want a refresher.
It provides basic instructions for meditation and setting up a space at home. I like this one because it’s short and sweet, providing a low barrier to entry for people looking to begin or return to their meditation and mindfulness practice.
Buy Making Space on Amazon ($10)
Destination: This Moment is my book of illustrated haiku-structured poetry that takes the reader through a journey of mindfulness and cultivating an open heart.
Buy directly from the printer or on Amazon ($15)
Singing bowl, bell, or chime
Sound is an important part of my ritual when I meditate. I ring my singing bowl before and after each sit, and it helps me ground myself and settle into my practice.
I have a singing bowl on my altar, but I want this Fair Trade Tabletop Temple Bell on my work desk to ring when I feel the usual work stress and frustration.
Buy Tabletop Temple Bell ($18)
Tiny table or altar shelf
I’m not sure why, but I’m slightly obsessed with this tiny Altar Table with angular sides. It’s about 4″ square; one of the reviews says the stylish uneven sides decreases the usable space of the table, but it looks so great that I wouldn’t mind the smaller surface area. It can be used as a riser for statues, candles, or anything else you want to place on your altar.
I was bummed when the seller told me this table is not available in a larger size, but if the 4″ works for you, I’m jealous!
Buy this tiny Altar Table ($31)
Gold and white bud vase
This tiny vase is adorable. About 4 years ago, my coworker bought a batch of them for an event, and I’ve been infatuated with it since then — so much so that I thought about swiping one after the event was over (I didn’t though).
This is a lovely way to display a little sprig of greenery or a few flowers, but the vase also looks great on its own without anything in it.
The gold part is painted on, and you can see the brush strokes a bit. If that’s going to bother you or your recipient, I’d skip this one.
Buy gold and white bud vase ($16)
Zen stone garden
Although I don’t personally use aromatherapy, I immediately liked the look and feel of this Amethyst Aroma Stone Zen Garden. I’ve been really into amethyst lately because I spent a few weeks thinking it was my birthstone, but it isn’t — oops!
I like that the statue is a minimalist design and the design on the plate. (It comes with one plate, but the photo shows two so we can see what the plate looks like underneath the stones.)
Buy Amethyst Aroma Stone Zen Garden ($36)
In closing
Like I said before, you really don’t need anything fancy to meditate, but a thoughtful gift from someone I love uplifts my space in a special way and helps me practice gratitude that much easier. Buying a gift for someone’s meditation space or altar may be a little intimidating since it is a deeply personal space.
But a gift from the heart is precious, even if your loved one finds a different place in their home other than their altar.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska
Teena Merlan 