Meditation can be difficult, irritating, and terrifying at times, whether you’re a newbie or even an experienced practitioner. Although you don’t need something elaborate to meditate, setting aside a space in your house for it and including particular items and tools might improve your practice. There are many tools available to assist and guide your progress in meditation.
Using a tool specifically meant for meditation will help you meditate more effectively, comfortably, and easily. They aid meditators in concentrating on their practice by enhancing posture, providing comfort, or assisting in increased attention regulation.
The meditation tools we have listed below can often be found in meditation classes or retreats. Almost all of them are easily available to purchase and have been used by many practitioners over the years.
While it is not mandatory to use these tools during meditation, having them around can be a motivation for you to sit for meditation and build a habit.
The below-mentioned tools work on your sensory abilities to tap into your vibrational frequencies. They are also helpful in enabling you to sit upright and avoid fidgeting, which is one of the major causes of distractions and aversions to meditation.
Here are 6 meditation tools that will help you deepen your practice.
1. Mala Beads
Prayer beads known as Malas are used for Japa meditation (mantra recitations) and counting breaths. For both beginner and seasoned meditators, mala beads are an excellent tool.
Mala beads are widely employed in Buddhist practices like counting breath pauses and loving-kindness meditation. In Hinduism, the mala beads are often seen in the hands of a priest or hung around the necks of saints/sages/sadhu.
Different religions have their interpretation of mala beads or rosary (as it is often called in English). But the main purpose is to keep a track of the mantras or verses of the holy book they are reciting.
A typical mala has 108 beads. To keep track of our breaths or the number of times we have recited a mantra while meditating, we count the beads as we go from 1 to 108 while we practice meditation. This also helps us to maintain our concentration.
The most common materials used to make the beads are crystal, semi-precious and precious stones, sandalwood or Bodhi, or seed. They typically have a guru or Meru bead, which is a larger bead, followed by two smaller beads or a tassel.
In addition to providing support for the remaining beads, the three end beads of the mala mark the culmination of the mantra repetitions.
Concentration can be improved just by holding the beads in your hands. Mala beads can be used to seek centring, count prayers, concentrate on breathing during meditation, and a host of other things. It could intensify your meditation techniques, help you breathe more slowly, and help you become more self-aware.
2. Meditation Chairs and Cushions
The use of meditation chairs and cushions help by enhancing comfort and encouraging proper posture. They are compact enough that you can easily place them in your meditation room or corner. It will serve as an invitation to sit down when you see your cushion there.
For people who usually meditate on their knees, the meditation chairs are a crucial tool for safeguarding the knees.
The meditation pillows are an easy yet efficient approach to sustaining concentration throughout your meditative practice while minimizing any uncomfortable discomfort brought on by extended sitting.
The best advantage of these meditation chairs and cushions is that they help in correcting your spinal alignment. They help in maintaining your posture throughout your meditation practice so that you are not distracted by frequent adjustments of your posture.
The comfort brought to your knees and sitting bones help you easily get into a meditative mindset and deepen your meditation practice.
Moreover, meditation cushions are also one of the best meditation tools to bring on retreats or wherever you travel is this.
3. Incense and Candles
The use of incense is prevalent in almost all religions. You can see them being lit at a deity’s alter, at homes, or in religious places. They are often burned to serve as an offering to religious figures and also serve the purpose of cleansing negative energy.
Additionally, incense can also be used to enhance your meditative practice through its fragrance. There is a variety of fragrances available these days that are soothing and calming to the mind.
There are many different scents of incense for meditation, which is formed from a mixture of oils and spices. It is made in a variety of shapes, including cones, clusters, and sticks. To place them neatly, a wide variety of incense holders are also available ranging from sand-filled dishes to plates, and bowls, to more intricate carvings and figures.
And if you think that the smell of incense is too strong for you, you could always opt for scented candles. There is never a shortage of wonderfully scented candles in the market for any of your moods!
Candles are much more long-lasting than incense and have a larger variety of fragrances. You can light a soothing scented candle whenever you sit for meditation and let the smell calm your mind.
Additionally, candle flame represents the fire element and is a good way to instill an aspect of nature into your meditation session. It is also used as a form of an open-eyed meditation technique known as trataka which helps with strengthening the eye muscles and enhancing concentration.
4. Tibetan Singing Bowl
The potent influence they have on the psyche makes them among the best Buddhist meditation tools you can purchase. Tibetan Singing Bowls, Suzu gongs, and ring gongs are just a few of the names they go by.
Tibetian singing bowls are commonly regarded as an easy approach to improving your meditation technique while readjusting your energy and fostering health and wellness. They are quite fascinated with their beautiful tones and soothing vibratory qualities.
You’re developing awareness of your senses of hearing and touch by including them in your meditation routine, which is often referred to as sound bathing.
The use of these singing bowls can increase the effectiveness of deep breathing and meditation in reducing stress.
The frequency of the Tibetan singing bowl you choose should stimulate your body to loosen, unwind, and become engrossed in the sound. It also acts as a symbolic act to encourage your meditation by ringing one of these instruments at the beginning and finish of your practice.
5. Mandala
Mandalas are vibrant geometric patterns that are supposed to encourage wisdom and compassion. In addition to representing the unity of the universe as a whole, mandalas are believed to represent ancient knowledge that spans the universe.
Mandalas typically contain a single, recognizable central point from which a variety of symbols, shapes, and patterns expand. They are used during meditation as a way to focus the mind, steer it away from external diversions, and guide it in the quest for greater knowledge.
Our focus is drawn to their center right away due to their symmetrical shape. An almost hypnotic experience can be induced by a mandala.
The mandala’s layout captures the attention in such a fashion that racing thoughts can stop.
The mandala encourages the individual who is meditating. Mandalas are a common meditation tool used by Buddhist monks to cultivate compassion and healing.
The recurrence of shapes, colors, and patterns encourages practicing present-moment mindfulness. So, choose a Mandala whose design or significance speaks to you as it can greatly help you in attaining a deep level of meditative state.
6. Crystals and Stones
When used in meditation, crystals and stones can provide a wide range of sensations since it is thought that they have particular resonances that can increase the body’s vibration. Using crystals while meditating can increase the potency of your intentions.
Also read: Crystals and stones of 7 Chakras
As crystals and stones significantly aid in improving focus, lowering anxiety, and relaxing the mind, they are among the best instruments for meditation. You can anchor yourself into your true self by holding these stones in your hands or placing them on a body during meditation because of their weight and composition.
It’s critical to ensure that you focus on the correct variety of crystals because various crystal varieties possess various spiritual powers. Reaching deeper meditative levels or healing any specific ailments you’d like to focus on can be made easier with suitable crystals.
Some recommended crystals for beginners are clear quartz, amethyst, selenite, tiger’s eye, and turquoise.
Finding crystals that are related to your seven chakras is an easy approach to introducing them into your practice. Another way is to create a crystal grid or place them around your meditation seat. Most people also hold them in their hands to assimilate their power in a better way.
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