Gifts for
the Spirit

Thomas Merton's contemplative renderings of the great Taoist classic — where East meets West in luminous prose. A perennial favorite of the Abbey.

The 14th-century anonymous masterpiece of Christian contemplative prayer, newly annotated for the modern reader. The foundation of Centering Prayer.

Chogyam Trungpa's bracing and liberating inquiry into the ego's subtle strategies for co-opting the spiritual path. Essential reading for any practitioner.

Thich Nhat Hanh's gentle, luminous guide to present-moment awareness. The book we most often place in a beginner's hands. Timeless and immediately practical.

Hand-strung on silk thread, lightly fragranced with pure sandalwood oil. 108 beads for japa, mantra practice, or simple tactile presence. A beautiful daily companion.

Seeds from the sacred Bodhi fig tree, the species under which the Buddha attained awakening. Naturally pitted and irregular — each bead wholly unique.

Deep midnight-blue lapis lazuli, the stone of wisdom and clear sight. Twenty-seven beads — one quarter of the traditional 108 — strung on elastic for daily wear.

Handrolled in Nepal from thirty-one botanical herbs and resins, including juniper, spikenard, and white sandalwood. The scent of the monastery at dawn.

Boswellia sacra from Oman, the same resin offered in temples since antiquity. Burned on charcoal, it opens the atmosphere of a room for prayer and contemplation.

Traditional koh craftsmanship from Kyoto, using sustainably sourced aloeswood (jinkoh). Deep, unhurried, contemplative — a scent that invites silence.

Traditional round zafu, hand-sewn in navy linen, filled with organic buckwheat hulls. Lifts the hips to allow the spine to settle naturally upright. Arrives with a cotton carry handle.

A wide, flat zabuton in indigo cotton, cushioning the knees and ankles during extended sitting. Pairs perfectly with our zafu. Also beautiful as a contemplative seat alone.

A firm, supportive bolster for restorative poses, Yoga Nidra, and body scan practices. Organic buckwheat hull fill, covered in warm gold linen. Adjustable fill zip.

A six-inch Tibetan singing bowl, hand-hammered in Nepal from a seven-metal alloy. Rich, long-sustaining tone. Includes a wooden striker and silk cushion. Each bowl is unique.

Cast brass incense holder in the form of an open lotus, the universal symbol of purity arising through difficulty. Suitable for stick, cone, or resin incense on charcoal.

Pure beeswax tapers, hand-dipped in the tradition of monastery chandleries. Their warm amber flame and faint honey scent bring a quality of living light to any altar or practice space.

Our own blend of lemon balm, tulsi, passionflower, and a trace of ashwagandha. Brewed before sitting, it softens the nervous system without inducing drowsiness. A gentle invitation inward.

First-harvest ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan, presented in a hand-stamped gold tin. The preparation itself — slow, attentive, complete — is a practice in its own right.

Organically grown Withania somnifera, the revered adaptogen of Ayurvedic medicine. Taken in warm milk before bed, it supports deep rest and nervous-system resilience across the whole arc of practice.