5 gifts for mindful giving
the meditator's Christmas gift guide
The purest form of meditation must surely be that which involves the mind and little else.
Of course, meditation requires little else and nobody should be put off because they don’t have the right ‘stuff’.
That said, there are some little bits and pieces that you can include as part of your practice to help foster a conducive, comfortable and sensorial environment for mindfulness.
Here are 5 gifts (with links) for mindfully giving the meditator in your life this season (or, you know, yourself. No-judgement…). I use them all at some time or another and enjoy turning to them to change, enhance or track my experience.
P.s. I bet Santa meditates, what else does he do for 11 months of the year? Don’t answer that.
A warm blanket
If, like me, you choose to live in a country where heat is not naturally abundant, a soft, warm (let’s go for stylish, too) blanket is going to be a welcome part of your meditation kit. Drape it over your shoulders and/or your lap and let the heat envelop you as you enter into conscious awareness. Remember, we’re sitting or lying still whilst meditating so the body temperature will drop, and there’s nothing worse than being distracted by your own discomfort. This recycled wool number from the The Tartan Blanket Co. should do the job nicely, and it comes in a range of calming setts (that’s Scottish for lots of nice colours…)
A simple seat
I do all of my meditating sitting down. You can also lie down but in my experience that increases the chances of falling asleep. The goal is to be comfortable, but not too comfortable, making sure we keep an upright posture and open airways for breathwork. But you do want to make sure that your bum and legs are well-supported. Ive been using this bamboo, folding and padded meditation bench for most of 2024 and it’s perfect for all of the above. Plus it makes you look like you’re floating.
Incense sticks and holder
From speaking with various people who have meditated before there seems to be a lot of division when it comes to the use of scent to support mindfulness. On one hand it can be distracting and, if too strong, overpower the senses. On the other, I find it a wonderful scene-setter on occasion, especially to engage the olfactory. With sense of smell being so evocative, using a ‘signature’ meditation scent can help centre us in the practice. I stock up - way too much - from a small store local to me called Caoba. They have tonnes of different scents and also sell simple stick holders, too.
A singing bowl
Singing bowls, those little gold/bronze instruments that make the classic ‘ting’ sound, look lovely on the shelf. But they are also a very effective ‘bookend’ - no, not for actual books, but for gently signalling the start and the end of a meditation. I use a little one that makes a lovely, deep tone, that comes with a mallet, base and travel bag. Admittedly they’re not so easy to use for private meditations when you’re on your own, but they are excellent for those leading a group or class to help set the tone for a peaceful yet focussed experience. Plus, you should see how quickly people fall silent in a room when you give it a ding…
Insight Timer
When I first started meditating some 7 or so years ago I used some apps to help me understand the basics and guide me through it. These were great for about a year, but I now use a teriffic app called Insight Timer, predominantly as a way to time my meditations. It even has a range of digital singing bowl sounds to choose from (trust me, these are a lot easier on the ear than an iPhone alarm). There are tonnes of free features, from the aforementioned timer to guided meditations, relaxation scripts, music and the rest. There’s also a Plus version (with free trial period) if you want to gift a subscription.
So there you have it. Happy holidays (did I mention that meditation is one of the best ways to get through it all?)
You’re always welcome here.
JR
*no commercial affiliation with any of the brands or platform. Some links to Amazon for ease of navigation but support your local retailer where possible.