I began meditating back in early high school. Developing a meditation practice has helped me grow into a better human and access more peace. I fell so much in love with mindful practice and the peace and joy it instilled in my life that I became a certified meditation instructor.
Here’s the thing, you can start meditating right here and now without the purchase of a single item. However, if you do plan on cultivating a life long meditation practice there are a few items you might want to consider investing in to make the process a bit easier and encourage a daily meditation practice.
Best Meditation Cushion
A meditation pillow can be so central to cultivating a meditation practice. If you’re trying to sit upright on the floor in a proper meditation posture, your butt, legs, and feet can get sore digging into the ground beneath you. A meditation cushion like this one will help you stay comfortable for those longer duration meditations.
Best Yoga Mat
If you’re like me and enjoy meditation in the park or on the beach, you may want to invest an easily portable yoga mat like the one I bring on the go. Getting an extra cushioned yoga mat is ideal for meditation on the go as it rolls up nicely and offers support for your travel meditation practice.
Warm Lighting
You’re going to want some form of soft and warm lighting to add to your meditation space at home. I use this warm Himalayan salt lamp to make my meditation space feel cozy and welcoming for meditation practice. Having some form of lighting in your room or meditation space is good to keep you awake and alert during meditation, especially if you like to meditate early in the morning or late at night.
Incense
This is my at home incense set up for meditation practice. I love to burn sage or incense during a meditation session as the smell gives me something to focus my mindful awareness on and reminds me to return to the present moment.
Incense has long been an important part of meditation and spiritual practice. Burning a bit of incense can be the perfect thing to set the mood for your meditation session. You can get a simple incense set on Amazon for as little as $6.60.
> see my article “How to Use Incense For Meditation”
Tibetan Singing Bowl
Some of my favorite meditations have included a Tibetan singing bowl. A singing bowl has that classic pure vibratory sound that can be used to focus in mindful practice. The hum of a Tibetan singing bowl can remind you to recenter yourself. The chime of a Tibetan singing bowl is a great way to begin and end a meditation session and a meditation set up just isn’t complete without one.
Candles
An easy and cheap way to enhance your meditation set up or mindfulness session is simply by lighting a few candles. You can get these for a couple cents at your local dollar or grocery store. The flame can be a great visual anchor if you like to keep your eyes open during a meditation session. In addition to a being a great visual focal point, the aroma can promote peace and relaxation in your meditation space.
Best Meditation Apps
A fantastic tool to add to your meditation tool belt is a meditation app. There are tons of free meditation apps out there, however you may want to consider a subscription to one of the most premium apps as well. Here are a few of my favorite meditation apps:
- Waking up by Sam Harris – $119.99 per year
- The Headspace app – $69.99 per year
- The Calm app – $69.99 per year
- Insight Timer app – free
Mala Meditation Beads
Meditation beads have been used for thousands of years as a way to focus the mind and calm the body. Mala beads are simple but effective, just like meditation is basic but can have profound effects on your mind and life. You can get a super handy Mala bead bracelet on Amazon for fairly cheap.
Plants
What makes a room or space feel more homey than adding plants to it?! Adding another lush growing life force into a meditation space can give it a sense of lightness and purity. As you grow through your meditation practice, so too will your succulent or little fern grow.
Water
Simple and straight forward but never the less make sure you have a bottle or glass of water with you in your meditation space to stay hydrated, happy, and healthy.
Final Thoughts
Congratulations! You’re ready to start building your meditation space and mindfulness habit. Although these items are entirely optional, they really can help enrich your mindfulness and meditation practices. If you find starting up your meditation habit to be a bit difficult, a few of these items on this list might just do the trick.
> see my article “7 Best Types of Meditation: Which is Best For You?”
Hi, I’m Ryan. I’m a meditation teacher, spiritual seeker, and founder of nurtureyourspirit.org. I’m glad you’re here! I founded Nurture Your Spirit because of my love of meditation, spirituality, and spiritual awakening.
