Gift Guide:
The Zen Master (or someone who needs to find their zen)
A zen card set from The School of Life
06
$15 or $27
Either “Calming Places: 20 Guided Meditations to Soothe & Comfort” or the “Eastern Philosophy” card set from The School of Life make a great gift.
The “Calming Places” set focuses on soothing spirits by looking at places that can bring us calm: a beach, a woodland, a river, the stars, but also more domestic places – the company of friends, the pages of a good book, or a soft & reassuring bed. This set includes 20 “invitations to travel in our minds to places that can restore us to our best, most balanced selves.” – The School of Life
The “Eastern Philosophy” set looks at key concepts of the great Eastern thinkers – Confucius, Lao Tzu, & the Buddha – as well as the art & practices of many of their followers. The School of Life explains that, “Eastern philosophy has always had a very similar goal to Western philosophy: that of making us wiser, less agitated, more thoughtful and readier to appreciate our lives. However, the way it has gone about this has been intriguingly different. In the East, philosophy has taught its lessons via tea-drinking ceremonies, walks in bamboo forests, contemplations of rivers and ritualised flower arranging sessions.”
Get the Calming Places or Eastern Philosophy set from The School of Life.
Happylight therapy lamp by Verilux
07
$40-100
A what? Let’s have them explain it: “Sunlight is an essential ingredient for a healthy lifestyle, but many of us don't get the amount of daylight we need to experience its benefits. HappyLight® therapy lamps mimic sunlight to enhance mood, energy, sleep & focus - but without the UV rays. We make the best products to help with common problems such as winter blues, sleep disorders, light deprivation, jet lag, shift work & other symptoms alleviated by exposure to healthy light. Our HappyLight® therapy lamps are full spectrum, 10,000 lux, & come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.” This lamp (there are 6 different models, ranging in price) makes for a unique gift that can actually be beneficial for someone’s health, especially for anyone you know who gets stuck inside a lot.
Zen garden sandbox set by 1Man1Garage
09
$39
This miniature zen garden comes as a laser-cut 3D wooden puzzle that your recipient assembles. The kit comes with a unique combination of beach glass, color glass gems, or other decorative stones, memento river stones, a tray, a small tealight candle, beach sand, and all the accessory pieces to make the sunset screen, japanese lantern, sand rake, arch bridge, shinto gate, & happy lucky kitty. Hopefully whoever you get this for finds assembling 3D puzzles relaxing and then it’s like 2 gifts in 1. Handmade by Etsy seller 1Man1Garage in Nashville, TN.
Sackville signature grinder
11
$40
“Remember that grimy-ass grinder your ex had in college? Well, this is not that. Our 4-Tier Signature Grinder in soft brushed gold serves such strong looks that you won’t want to hide it away in between uses. With four tiers including a mesh keif screen, keif bowl and diamond-sharp teeth for the perfect fluffy ground flower, it will outperform all others too. Get a grinder who can do both, you deserve it.” – Sackville
Books
Zen as F*ck journal by Monica Sweeney
17
$14
“A beautiful, uplifting guided journal for when you just don't give a f*ck...The road to serenity is ahead, and it’s paved with a f*ck-ton of profanity. When quiet meditation and peaceful mantras aren’t enough to cut through the bullsh*t and brighten your day—hold close the pages of Zen as F*ck. On each and every page, you can give the good around you a warm f*cking hug and kick the bad on its ass. Journal your way through positive affirmations and cathartic-as-f*ck activities on your liberating journey toward something pretty close to happiness. Sprinkle, scatter, or set off a glitter-bomb of happy vibes onto your trail of tranquility with Zen as F*ck!” – Goodreads
The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet boxed set by Benjamin Hoff
18
$12-30
Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life by Jen Chillingsworth
19
$11
“Many of us are already doing what we can to adopt a greener lifestyle. We recycle, try to reduce our waste and plastics, choose organic food when shopping, eat less meat and opt for environmentally friendly cleaning products. Yet we often wish we were doing more and it can be overwhelming to know where to start
Live Green is a practical guide of 52 changes - one for each week of the year - you can make to your home and lifestyle to reduce your impact on the environment. Tackling all areas of your life from your cleaning routine, home furnishings, food shopping, fashion choices, natural beauty and Christmas, this book has all the ingredients to help you achieve a more sustainable year
From making your own eco-friendly cleaning products, buying vintage furniture, making your own moth repellent and improving your natural beauty regime to creating a capsule wardrobe and creating your own ethical Christmas decorations - discover how to get the most out of life by living with intention” – Design Museum Shop
Do Your Om Thing: Bending Yoga Tradition to Fit Your Modern Life by Rebecca Pacheco
20
$17
A book by Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn
21
$10-16
Thich Nhat Hahn is a world-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author of over 100 books. We recommend either “Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life” or “The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation”, although his cute Mindful Essentials series (How to Sit, How to Eat, How to Love, How to Walk, How to Relax, How to Fight, & How to See) are also really giftable – select a couple that apply most to the person you’re gifting or go for a collector’s set of all 7. It’s a tough decision between “Peace Is Every Step” and “The Miracle of Mindfulness”. Check them both out and go for whichever one you’re drawn to more in your gut.
Get Peace Is Every Step or The Miracle of Mindfulness from Alibris or find them at your local independent bookstore (the former, the latter).
