The best gifts for yoga lovers are things they will use every week: a grippy mat towel, cork blocks, an eye pillow for the final rest or a class pack at their own studio. The best meditation gifts make the daily sit easier to begin, like a meditation cushion, a singing bowl, a quiet timer or a practice journal.
Below are 20 ideas for the yogi or meditator on your list, sorted by how they practice, then one from our own shelf: ceremonial cacao and two small handcrafted cups.
Three questions to ask before you buy
- How do they practice? Hot or strong classes call for grip and towels; slow classes and seated meditation, for bolsters, blankets and cushions.
- Studio or home? Studio regulars carry their kit. Home practitioners need the props a studio would lend.
- What is missing from their kit? If they already own a mat, blocks and a strap, skip the gear and look at the experiences below.
12 gifts for yoga lovers, by how they practice
For the studio regular
- A grippy mat towel. A towel with silicone grip underneath keeps hands and feet from slipping once they sweat. Match it to their mat's length and pick a machine-washable one.
- A class pack at their own studio. Ask the front desk for a gift card or a month of classes, and check when it expires.
- A mat bag with a pocket for keys and a phone. Check that it fits their mat: thick mats need a roomier bag.
- A mat spray for wiping down after class. Check their mat's care label first; some materials need a very mild cleaner.
- A travel mat, light enough to carry to class and thin enough to fold into a suitcase.
For the home practitioner
- Two cork blocks and a strap. Blocks bring the floor closer and a strap extends their reach. Cork is heavier and firmer than foam, which is lighter to carry.
- A bolster, a long, dense pillow to lie over in restorative poses. It doubles as a meditation seat.
- A woven cotton blanket. Folded, it lifts the hips or pads the knees. Unfolded, it keeps them warm in the final rest.
- An eye pillow, a small, soft pillow, often filled with flaxseed, that rests over the eyes in savasana. Choose a washable cover.
For the one going deeper
- A workshop. Studios often run longer sessions on one theme, such as arm balances, backbends or yin.
- A retreat day of practice, good food and time outside, an easier yes than a weekend away.
- A book by a teacher they admire, on philosophy, anatomy or sequencing. Find out whom they follow first.
8 meditation gifts for someone who sits every day
Shopping for meditation gifts for him or her? Start with how long they have been sitting. For a beginner: the cushion, the timer or the journal. For someone who has sat for years: the bowl, the mala or a day of silence.
- A meditation cushion and mat. A round, firm cushion (a zafu), filled with buckwheat hulls or kapok, raises the hips, which makes cross-legged sitting easier for many people. A flat mat underneath (a zabuton) pads the knees and ankles. A zippered cover lets them add or remove filling to set the height.
- A meditation bench, a low wooden bench for anyone who would rather kneel.
- A singing bowl, a metal bowl that rings when struck and hums when a mallet circles the rim: one tone to open a sit, one to close it. Each sounds different, so listen before you buy.
- A quiet timer or a small clock with a soft chime, so the phone can stay in another room.
- A warm shawl. Sitting still gets cold, and a wrap kept just for practice soon becomes part of it.
- A mala, a string of beads for counting breaths or mantra repetitions.
- A practice journal, a plain notebook for a line or two after each sit: what they practiced, for how long and what they noticed.
- A course or a day of silence at a local meditation center, or a year of the meditation app they already use, if it sells gift subscriptions.
A warm cup before or after practice
Some people sip a small cup of cacao before a gentle flow or a morning sit, others after class. Many people describe a warm, steady calm; others simply enjoy making it. We make no promises about what it does for a practice.
A daily cup is 10 to 20 g (1 to 2 tablespoons of pieces) whisked into 6 to 8 oz of hot water or milk at about 180°F. Before a strong or heated class, stay at the small end, since a rich drink can feel heavy in a forward fold.
By amount, cacao's main stimulant is theobromine, a mild one, so people sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants may feel it. A 20 g cup also has about 16 to 32 mg of caffeine. The low figure is USDA's; published lab data for baking chocolate run about twice as high, because cacao varies from bean to bean. See the full caffeine numbers for cacao.
A note for the giver: anyone pregnant or nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition should check with their healthcare provider first. Cacao and chocolate are toxic to dogs, so keep the cacao out of a dog's reach.
What to give
- Two of our handcrafted 4 oz ceramic cups, made by a local family of artisans, to start a small practice corner at home. One 6 to 8 oz drink fills about two.
- A ½ lb Starter of our single-origin ceremonial cacao from Peru, about 20 daily cups: 100% cacao in small pieces, nothing added, that melt into hot water or milk in about a minute.
- The 1 lb, our most popular size, about 40 daily cups, for someone who already loves cacao.
The co-op we source from gives 2% back to the producer communities, and we donate another 2% of every sale to For the Love of Mateo.
For a slower ritual, our ceremony guide sets aside time for a simple cacao meditation, eyes closed and following the breath. New to cacao? Point them to our beginner's guide to ceremonial cacao.
For the yoga teacher on your list
Regulars can pool together for something bigger, such as a workshop or training the teacher has mentioned, and sign one card with a line each about a class that stayed with them.
If they open class with cacao or hold cacao circles, give the 3 lb, our largest size, and send along our guide to serving ceremonial cacao to a group, with amounts per person.
Put it together
One thing for the mat, one for rest and one warm thing make a complete gift: a mat towel, an eye pillow and a ½ lb Starter with two small cups, plus a recipe card for their first cup. For a meditator, swap the towel and pillow for a cushion or a bench, and a warm shawl.
Ordering for the holidays? Order by Wednesday, December 16 for delivery by Christmas. Our cacao and cups gift set comes ready to give, and our page on giving ceremonial cacao covers gift sizes and holiday shipping. For someone who would rather rest than stretch, see our self-care gift ideas.
Common questions
What is a good gift for a yoga teacher?
A handwritten note about a class that stayed with you, paired with something practical, such as a contribution toward a workshop they have mentioned or a book by a teacher they admire. If they serve cacao in their classes, a larger size of ceremonial cacao lets them pour for the room.
Do people drink cacao before yoga or meditation?
Some do, sipping a small cup before a gentle class or a seated meditation, or after class. It is a food, not a shortcut to a deeper practice. Keep the cup small before a strong or heated class, and have it earlier in the day if you are sensitive to stimulants: cacao contains theobromine, a mild stimulant, and about 16 to 32 mg of caffeine in a 20 g cup. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medication or manage a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first.
What is a thoughtful meditation gift?
One that fits how they sit, so find out first. Someone who sits cross-legged on the floor may want a firm cushion that lifts the hips; someone who finds that uncomfortable may prefer to kneel on a low bench; someone who sits in a chair needs neither. If you cannot ask without spoiling the surprise, a gift card to a local meditation center lets them choose.
Is a yoga mat a good gift?
Yes, for a beginner who does not own one. For a regular, only if you know exactly which mat they want: mats differ in thickness, grip, size and material, and preferences run strong. Otherwise, a gift card lets them pick their own.
