Meditation Accessories

Meditation accessories create a wonderful ambiance during contemplation. Meditation accessories make wonderful thoughtful gifts and will fit any budget. Because meditation is extremely popular now there is an abundance of meditation accessories available, from incense and scented candles to meditation chairs and meditation pyramids. Though we may be alone with our thoughts, it cannot be denied that humans are tool-using creatures. Even in something as cerebral as meditation, there are still things that can guide us and aid us in our quest to know ourselves and our universe a little better. Meditation accessories come in all shapes and sizes and through judicious use, your contemplation can be made even more rewarding.

While there is a view of meditation as being something that is done in a very ascetic fashion, meditation accessories and tools have a long history.

One famous meditation accessory is the Tibetan singing bowl, a type of standing bell that is made in India, Nepal and Bhutan. When struck, the sides and rim of the bell vibrate, producing an entrancing, delicate sound. This sound is known to resonate with certain brain states, particularly ones that encourage deep thought and rumination. As you focus on the sound of the singing bowl, you can feel an answering tremor from inside yourself.

Incense, a preparation of organic, aromatic material designed to release perfumed smoke, has been used in various religions to add a certain atmosphere and spiritual state of mind for thousands of years. The sense of smell, though comparatively weak for humans, nonetheless is the sense that is most closely associated with memory. Incense can be used to invoke a certain state of mind. If you meditate with a certain type of incense, you can train yourself to enter the state of contemplation as you smell the fragrant smoke.

Another common type of meditation accessory is the meditation stone. While any sort of stone can be used, it is very simple to find beautiful semi-precious stones that feel "right" to you. You can use the stones to aid in your ruminations, concentrating on their physical properties, letting their associated qualities wash through you. Clear quartz, for example, is said to be a stone that promotes sharpened visions, while amethyst is a stone meant for a more spiritual reflection.

If you have the space, one thing you can do for yourself is to create a small place in your living area to house your various meditation accessories. If you wished, you could even devote this space to meditation practice. A yoga mat on the floor is a good way to keep yourself mindful of what you are doing, and keep you comfortable at the same time, while you can have a small shelf devoted to your incense and candles. It can also be a very satisfying experience to give things like singing bowls and meditation stones their own "home." Some people feel it is important to make sure that their tools have their own space.

There are no rules for your meditation accessories except the ones you choose to abide by. Remember that they are tools, and they are not the end goal, and as you use them, find yourself opening up to thoughts and reflections that you were once closed to.

By Alicia Bold