Meditation Gifts

Explore a curated collection of thoughtful meditation gifts for the mindfulness enthusiasts in your life. Find the perfect present that nurtures their practice, from meditation cushions and essential oils to guided meditation apps. Discover meaningful and serene gift ideas to support their journey toward inner peace and well-being. 

Meditation Gifts Explained

Meditation offers an array of benefits, from improving mental health to spicing up one's love life and managing pain. 

Meditation and mindfulness can help lead a meaningful life, remove negative energy, and relieve stress. 

Have you ever tried focusing on your breath without being sidetracked by endless thoughts? It's more complex than it seems. 

But, a surprise gift to enhance or deepen a loved one’s meditation practice can make things easier, especially if they want a proper meditation routine.

For those with a meditation corner or space at home, consider presents like soothing candles, comfortable meditation stools, and calming lamps. Bring that peaceful aura right into their sanctuary. 

Starting their meditation journey? A virtual mindfulness class subscription or a deck of mindfulness prompts can set them on the right path and help them stay in the present moment and connected. 

Remember, regular meditation practice isn't confined to silence and stillness. Gifts like cozy attire, trail shoes, and wearable crystals could be perfect for those who find peace in movement.

Here are the best meditation gifts for the beginning meditator in your life. It could also be an excellent gift for a meditation newbie, such as a loved one wanting to practice mindfulness.  

Best Meditation Gift Ideas

1. Meditation Cushion

A meditation cushion is likely a must-have to practice mindfulness for longer periods. Believe it or not, sitting for meditation can be quite physically demanding, especially as you advance to sitting for long periods. Therefore, a regular yoga mat won’t do the job.

It may come as a Zafu or take another shape. For example, you can also purchase a Zen cushion or pillow. 

You can even use a regular couch pillow as a cushion when you're just starting. However, as you improve your practice and lengthen the time you sit, you’ll want to invest in a regular meditation cushion built for the course.

You'll need one because, in many ways, a meditation cushion is different than a regular couch pillow. For one thing, it is firmer. Most practice cushions are full of buckwheat (or sometimes beans). 

The goal of your pillow is to keep your knees lower than your hip bones, so it has to be firmer. This is especially true for the most common meditation position: cross-legged and resting your knees before you. 

2. Zafu

What is a Zafu? This funny name may sound like it’s referencing something from outer space, but a Zafu is just a type of meditation pillow. A traditional Zafu is generally circular and usually substantial to support you during your practice.

In particular, you want your Zafu to support your hip joints to rotate easily outward, and (as stated above) it should help your knees rest lower than your hips when you practice meditation while seated. This will make sitting for long periods much more comfortable. 

If your knees are higher than your hips (as is when sitting cross-legged on a flat surface like the floor), your sacrum will be positioned vertically or even tilted backward. Instead, you want your sacrum listed at a 30° angle while sitting.

Like other meditation accessories, most Zafu pillows are full of buckwheat hulls. You can choose the color, design, and fabric for your Zafu. There are a variety of options available to meet your unique taste. 

3. Zabuton

A Zabuton goes along with a Zafu most of the time. A Zafu and Zabuton set is a common choice for meditation seating. You’ll often see this set up for practitioners in meditation centers.

Zabutons are meditation mats that settle beneath a Zafu or other meditation pillow to cushion the knees and feet. Depending on the position you choose to take on your Zafu, a Zabuton can provide added comfort and stability. 

It is the foundation for a Zafu. Like Zafus, Zabutons come in various colors, designs, and fabrics. They are usually filled with a polyfill similar to regular pillows. 

4. Meditation Chair

Some individuals may desire a meditation chair over a meditation pillow or cushion (Zafu or Zen). In this case, you can use a regular chair for sitting in, but as with a couch pillow, you'll want to advance to a legitimate chair as you continue your practice.

Many individuals who find it difficult to kneel, bend their knees, or sit on the ground for long periods will choose a chair over a meditation pillow or meditation mat.

What is a meditation chair? A meditation chair can come in a range of styles. Often, it looks like a regular, comfortable chair with a back and legs, but the key difference is that the legs are extremely short. For example, it will only rise four to eight inches off the ground.

What’s common among all chairs is that they put you in an optimal position for meditating comfortably. Different designs are available to help with different postures and possible physical difficulties that may make a meditation cushion impossible. 

5. Meditation Mat

A meditation mat may be a Zabuton or similar to a yoga mat. Most importantly, a meditation mat goes beneath a meditation pillow or cushion to provide a foundation for the cushion. If sitting cross-legged, your knees can rest on the meditation mat for added comfort. 

6. White Sage Smudge Stick

Many mindfulness meditation instructors and practitioners will burn sage to enhance their meditation experience. It is a helpful way to open up the senses and encourage clarity and focus on their spiritual journey.

If used for meditation, the burning of sage is called “smudging.” 

The smudging ritual aims to cleanse the energy in your space. The practice involves lighting the sage with a match and letting it gently burn for a few moments. 

The sage can then be gently waved until a stream of smoke begins to come off the sage. The comforting, calming scent is perfect for starting a meditation session.

Alternatively, you can gift a pack of incense sticks that promote the same smudging effect as long as they are made from natural materials. 

7. Meditation Timer

Most meditative practice sessions are timed, but you'll need to time yourself if you meditate alone or in a small group without an instructor. This means investing in a meditation timer for yourself or whoever you offer a perfect gift to.

Meditation timers can be regular kitchen timers or watch timers. You can even use the timer on your phone. 

Still, finding a timer you designate, especially your meditation timer, is even better. It’s generally good practice to keep your phone out of your meditation space, as it can be distracting if you’re constantly getting notifications.

Moreover, it’s good if your meditation timer has a soft and delicate alarm so you are not awakened to a loud and abrasive sound from your meditative state. A bell or soft gong sound can be good to come out of meditation.

Consider a sand timer or hourglass to go with something analog (non-digital). Just be sure you know how long the hourglass runs. 

8. Tibetan Singing Bowl Set 

The sound of Tibetan singing bowls can calm you in an instant. That’s why they’re perfect for getting into the spirit of meditation. A Tibetan singing bowl set ranges in shape and diameter. 

Often, several will be used at once during Buddhist religious ceremonies or as accompaniment for chanting.

A mallet is used to play the bowls and make them sing. The mallet can be guided around the bowl rim or strike the bowl gently to produce soothing sounds.

The signing bowls release beautiful sounds that calm the mind and raise internal vibrations, promoting stress relief and creating space in a busy mind. Singing bowls have positively affected physical health, including inflammation and chronic pain.

It’s a perfect meditation gift for those who connect and resonate with the sound and look to heighten their vibrations, balance all the seven chakras, and reduce stress.

9. Meditation Shawl

Some people may find it comforting to wear a meditation shawl during meditation practices. Even though it’s unnecessary, a body-covering meditation shawl (a meditation blanket or prayer shawl) can shield the body, providing additional comfort and a sense of security. 

Some practitioners like meditation shawls because they believe the closeness of the covering cultivates the accumulation of energy created during meditation.

10. A Beautiful Journal

Journaling is an essential part of the meditation process. While you might be achieving great results on self-reflection and personal growth during your practice, putting it into words is a powerful tool to strengthen the effects of this spiritual practice. 

Journal is a simple yet fantastic gift to encourage yourself or your loved ones to go the extra mile within the mindfulness journey and write positive affirmations. 

Other Thoughtful Gifts For Those Who Meditate

1. Mala beads – for those who practice mantra meditation and need to count their mantras
2. Aromatherapy necklace
3. Chakra pendulum
4. Meditation books
5. Guided meditations subscription
6. A gift box containing the seven chakra stones
7. Meditation gift card
8. Chakra essential oil spray
9. Healing crystals and chakra stones
10. Zen garden to grow at home

References

Meditation: In Depth | NCCIH

What Is Sangha? - Lion's Roar

Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study

The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics

19 Meditation-Related Gifts Everyone Will Love  

Disclaimer

The contents of this article are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is always recommended to consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related changes or if you have any questions or concerns about your health. Anahana is not liable for any errors, omissions, or consequences that may occur from using the information provided.