Birthday gift for a Buddhist
February 10, 2012 6:46 PM Subscribe
I need to get a gift for my female friend who has started studying and practicing Buddhism. Can anyone give me suggestions on a good gift?
Card carrying Buddhist here!
- Zafu. There are many variations on meditation pillows - this one's pretty much classic.
- A small Buddha statue suitable for a home altar. There are a quizillion of these and shouldn't be hard to find in boutiques that have an "Asian" feel. If there's a tea store near you, they very often have them.
- Everything I've read by His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been wonderful. The Universe in a Single Atom is my favorite and I've read quite a lot of his stuff.
- See also Pema Chödrön. Start Where You Are is an excellent, well, starting point.
- Tibetan Art Coloring Book. I have this and it's really lovely. Very detailed/painstaking, but also very relaxing to color! (Also Buddhist Paintings Coloring Book is nice too, but the Tibetan one is spiral bound which makes it a little sturdier.)
- Tibetan Prayer Flags.
posted by sonika at 6:59 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
- Zafu. There are many variations on meditation pillows - this one's pretty much classic.
- A small Buddha statue suitable for a home altar. There are a quizillion of these and shouldn't be hard to find in boutiques that have an "Asian" feel. If there's a tea store near you, they very often have them.
- Everything I've read by His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been wonderful. The Universe in a Single Atom is my favorite and I've read quite a lot of his stuff.
- See also Pema Chödrön. Start Where You Are is an excellent, well, starting point.
- Tibetan Art Coloring Book. I have this and it's really lovely. Very detailed/painstaking, but also very relaxing to color! (Also Buddhist Paintings Coloring Book is nice too, but the Tibetan one is spiral bound which makes it a little sturdier.)
- Tibetan Prayer Flags.
posted by sonika at 6:59 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
Prayer bead chain with 108 beads. Or a donation to the local temple in their name.
posted by 256 at 7:14 PM on February 10, 2012
posted by 256 at 7:14 PM on February 10, 2012
Steer clear of the Tibetan stuff until you know what type of Buddhism your friend observes. I'd suggest the Pali canon.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:33 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by leotrotsky at 7:33 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
The lotus flower is a lovely symbol of Buddhism. You can find it on jewelry, candle holders and all sorts of things.
posted by NoraCharles at 7:38 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by NoraCharles at 7:38 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
Does she like to read? Buddhism factors into "Altars in the Street" and I really appreciated its take on living to the Buddhist ideals in modern life. It was something I read early in my experience with Buddhism and it really made an impression on me.
posted by phearlez at 7:39 PM on February 10, 2012
posted by phearlez at 7:39 PM on February 10, 2012
What form of Buddhism? Can't go wrong with a Lotus flower, like NoraCharles said...
posted by BeastMan78 at 7:52 PM on February 10, 2012
posted by BeastMan78 at 7:52 PM on February 10, 2012
A subscription to a newsletter or newspaper, like Snow Lion...?
A copy of 101 Zen stories (they're online but you can buy it).
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 3:44 AM on February 11, 2012
A copy of 101 Zen stories (they're online but you can buy it).
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 3:44 AM on February 11, 2012
For magazine subscriptions, Shambhala Sun is by far my favorite. Tricycle is also quite good.
posted by sonika at 3:56 AM on February 11, 2012
posted by sonika at 3:56 AM on February 11, 2012
Yeah, if she's a Zen buddhist, the Tibetan stuff will be kind of weird although I'm sure she'd be gracious about it. You know she's going to meditate regardless of tradition, so how about a meditation timer?
posted by desjardins at 6:37 AM on February 11, 2012
posted by desjardins at 6:37 AM on February 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by francesca too at 6:50 PM on February 10, 2012