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Key Takeaway
A meditation altar table is a personalized sacred space to enhance your spiritual practice with meaningful items.
Whether you’re a devout yogi or beginner meditator, a meditation altar is the perfect way to create a sacred space in your home or meditation room. It acts a reminder to set aside time for yourself and your connection to the universe or cosmos.
Healing crystals, dried flowers or herbs, rejuvenating candles, therapeutic essential oils, and small statues are just a few of the special spiritual talismans you can add to an altar table to help you set an intention for your meditation practice.
But what makes the perfect meditation table and how should you decorate an altar table for your unique spiritual practice?
Here’s everything you need to know about creating a meditation altar, or table, filled with peaceful, positive energy.
Contents
- 1 Quick Picks: 7 Best Meditation Tables
- 2 What is a Meditation Altar?
- 3 What do You Put on a Meditation Table?
- 4 Top 7 Unique Meditation Tables
- 4.1 Altar Starter Kit. Small Portable Altar with Hemp Altar Cloth, Sage Spray, 2 Soy Wax Candles, Seven...
- 4.2 DharmaObjects Solid Indian Elm Wood Hand Carved Shrine Altar Meditation Table (Small, Dark)
- 4.3 ENSO SENSORY Kiri Altar Table - Premium Japanese Meditation Table & Shrine Stand - Folding Chabudai...
- 4.4 SONGMICS Laptop Desk, Folding Lap Tray, Bamboo Bed Desk with Tilting Top, Small Drawer, for Home...
- 4.5 New Age Imports Round Tree of Life Altar Table, Rustic Green, Magenta
- 4.6 DharmaObjects Premium Solid Wood Hand Carved Personal Shrine Altar Meditation Table Multi Levels (9"...
- 4.7 Zen Sand Garden for Desk - Tabletop Chakra Yoga Zen Garden Kit Set Japanese Crystal Quartz Rock Sand...
- 5 Creating a Special Place for Your Meditation Routine
- 6 Direction of a Meditation Altar Table
- 7 Final Thoughts
Quick Picks: 7 Best Meditation Tables
- Best Overall: Energy Mindfulness Altar Starter Kit
- Best Decorative Wooden Meditation Table: DharmaObjects Solid Sheesham Wood Shrine Table
- Best Japanese Style Meditation Altar Table: Kiri Meditation Table from ENSO
- Best Multifunctional and Portable Meditation Table: SONGMICS Bamboo Folding Laptop Desk
- Best Mini Round Meditation Table: New Age Imports Round Tree of Life Altar Table
- Best Premium Meditation Table Shrine: DharmaObjects Solid Wood Hand Carved Personal Shrine Altar Table
- Budget Altar Tray: Chakra Stone Yoga Zen Garden Meditation Altar Kit
What is a Meditation Altar?
A meditation altar or meditation table is a form of a traditional shrine where spiritual tools and talismans are displayed as the focal point of a meditation room or sacred space. They often have ornate decor (like cloths, flowers, and states) as well as meditation tools (like incense, candles, or a singing bowl) that help with focus.
The world “altar” comes from the Latin root meaning “high place”. This can be interpreted in a literal and metaphorical sense, as altars are often displayed on shelves, mantles or high tables, and they can be an aid in reaching higher consciousness.
Altars are used in a wide range of religions from Hinduism to Buddhism to Christianity, however there is no specific religious affiliation with a meditation altar. Instead, they can be catered to your unique spiritual practice to help inspire a deep connection with your soul and any higher power you may believe in.
What do You Put on a Meditation Table?
Decorations and accessories for your meditation altar table should have a spiritual meaning that inspires you to work towards the highest version of yourself. These objects can have practical, historical, or ritual meanings, or they can simply be beautiful things that make you feel joyful and at peace.
Examples include:
- Altar cloth: We love this moon phase altar table cloth for draping over your meditation table.
- Mala beads: Mala bead bracelets make a gorgeous functional accent to meditation altars because they can be used as a tool for counting your mantras.
- Incense: Aromatherapy is known to help . This all natural incense is one of our favorites because there is zero synthetic fragrance, but a long-lasting earthy smell.
- Buddha statue: A mini Buddha statue is the perfect reminder of the inner peace and oneness we seek to discover during meditation.
- Singing bowls: Tibetan singing bowls are essential additions to all meditation altar tables. These musical bowls help you set a soothing tone for your meditation practice.
- Candles: A candle flame is the ideal drishti or focal point for transcendental meditation. Here are the 5 best meditation candles for grounding and relaxation, plus how to use them!
- Prayer flags: Tibetan prayer flags represent compassion, peace, strength, and wisdom. They can be hung beneath or above meditation altars. It’s believed that they help your mantras and prayers reach the gods.
- Healing crystals: This healing crystals kit includes 7 quality crystals correlated with each chakra for displaying on your meditation altar.
- Tarot cards or oracle cards: Keep a meditation oracle card deck on your altar to help you set intentions, break through blockages, and get inspiration for your meditations.
- Himalayan salt lamp: Salt lamps purify the air and add a beautiful ambiance to your meditation space.
- Sage or smudge bundles: Useful for clearing the energy of crystals or spaces before doing spiritual work, white sage smudge bundles should always be sourced responsibly. These bundles from Purple Canyon are sustainably grown on eco-friendly farms.
Top 7 Unique Meditation Tables
Regardless of what you want to put on your spiritual altar, you need a functional and beautiful place to display these spiritual reminders. Choosing the right meditation table comes down to:
- How much space you have: Always check the dimensions! A meditation table can be a massive decorative display or a small altar atop your desk.
- The aesthetic of your meditation room: Traditional, bohemian, modern, vintage, or minimalist? Choose a table that fits the vibe of your interior decor.
- Specific goals you have for your meditation practice: Is your altar a way for you to visualize manifest your goals, focus on gratitude, or simply de-stress? Clarifying your meditation objectives makes it easier to choose which objects are best for your altar table.
Here are our top picks for a variety of uses:
Best Overall:
Altar Starter Kit. Small Portable Altar with Hemp Altar Cloth, Sage Spray, 2 Soy Wax Candles, Seven...
See latest priceIf you’re not quite sure where to begin with your meditation table, this all-in-one starter kit is beautiful, accessible, and super easy to set up. It includes a sage mist, 2 soy wax candles, a hemp altar cloth, 7 healing chakra crystals, and a foldable bamboo meditation table with drawers. The drawers even have quartz crystal handles!
We love that this kit is ready to use right out of the box and it looks beautiful in any room. At 7″ x 10″ x 6.5″, it’s a small altar that can easily be moved around your home as needed. The smudge and crystal
Pros
- All-in-one kit includes everything you need to get started with mindfulness meditation
- High quality bamboo construction
- Fold out table design makes it easy to set up or take down
- Great value for everything included
- Perfect gift for yogis or new meditators
- Adds relaxing beauty and decor to any space
Cons
- Mid price point
- Crystals may not be authentic
Best Decorative Wooden Meditation Table:
DharmaObjects Solid Indian Elm Wood Hand Carved Shrine Altar Meditation Table (Small, Dark)
See latest priceThis Tibetan-style table is ornately hand carved in India from solid Indianlm tree wood. With its unique dragon and floral design, this meditation altar is beautiful, strong, and super durable. The solid wood construction and finish are seriously impressive quality!
We love that it can dual function as a floor altar, tabletop altar, or simply an accent side table. It adds an authentic Indian feeling to your meditation space or interior decor. Pair with a meditation bench or bolster and you have the perfect zen space.
It is available in 3 sizes and easy to assemble. The small table measures 16″ x 9″ x 9″ and can easily be folded up.
Pros
- Hand carved solid wood
- Ornate patterned design
- Very sturdy and durable
- Available in 3 sizes
- Space-saving foldable legs
- Perfect for interior decor
Cons
- High price point
- Fairly low to the ground
Best Japanese Style Meditation Altar Table:
ENSO SENSORY Kiri Altar Table - Premium Japanese Meditation Table & Shrine Stand - Folding Chabudai...
See latest priceThis traditional Japanese altar floor table is perfect for holding small statues, decor, or the ingredients for a zen tea time. The solid Palownia wood has a dark walnut color and sleek Japanese aesthetic that adds a lovely zen vibe to any space.
The table is 23″ x 13.5″ x 10″ and holds about 26 pounds. The legs are foldable to make it easily portable for outdoor use or retreats. We love how beautiful all our trinkets look when spread out on this little tea table.
Pros
- Eco conscious wood material
- Versatile and multi-functional as an altar table, tea table, or low sitting desk
- Foldable legs
- Affordable price point for great quality
Cons
- Cannot support very much weight (only 26 pounds)
Best Multifunctional and Portable Meditation Table:
SONGMICS Laptop Desk, Folding Lap Tray, Bamboo Bed Desk with Tilting Top, Small Drawer, for Home...
See latest priceFor an ultra portable and versatile option, foldable laptop desks can make excellent meditation tables. This one is particularly awesome because it weighs just 7 pounds, expands to 21″ x 14″ x 11″, and is made of pure bamboo.
There is a small magnetic drawer and tiltable top for your favorite spiritual book or virtual yoga class. The 17 lb capacity is enough to hold small crystals, candles, and talismans.
Pros
- Super versatile for use in meditation, yoga, eating, or working on a laptop
- 100% natural bamboo construction
- Foldable and ultra portable
- Built in drawer for tarot cards, incense, etc.
Cons
- Only supports 17 pounds (no large statues)
Best Mini Round Meditation Table:
New Age Imports Round Tree of Life Altar Table, Rustic Green, Magenta
See latest priceThis 6″ diameter and 4″ tall round table is perfect for a mini meditation altar. It has a hand-carved tree of life image in the green-painted wood. Though it can’t support much weight, the beautiful rustic design adds a lovely vibe to a meditation room and can easily hold small crystals, sage, incense, or mala beads.
Pros
- Budget-friendly (under $30!)
- Beautiful rustic emerald color
- Pure wood construction
- Tree of life emblem
Cons
- Very small
- Low weight rating
Best Premium Meditation Table Shrine:
DharmaObjects Premium Solid Wood Hand Carved Personal Shrine Altar Meditation Table Multi Levels (9"...
See latest priceThe best meditation tables are elegant enough to stay on display as part of your home furniture. This beautiful polished wood altar is hand crafted in India from dazzling mango wood. The sustainable material is super tough and naturally water resistant.
The double-layered pedestal design gives you space to lay out crystals, oracle cards, a small statute, and other accents. Together, the entire meditation altar is 21″ long x 10″ wide by 9″ tall. It looks great on the floor and atop a larger shelf or table.
Pros
- Gorgeous hand crafted mango wood
- High quality, durable, and water resistant
- Double tiered pedestal design for extra display space
- Easily foldable for flat storage
Cons
- Fairly small
- Can’t support super heavy statues
Budget Altar Tray:
Zen Sand Garden for Desk - Tabletop Chakra Yoga Zen Garden Kit Set Japanese Crystal Quartz Rock Sand...
See latest priceWhen you don’t have room for a full size meditation table, this tabletop meditation altar kit is the next best thing. If you’ve never engaged in the art of making sand designs, you will quickly understand why zen master meditators find so much peace from making fleeting masterpieces in sand.
This mini zen garden is a 9.4″ diameter circle tray that includes 7 beautiful chakra stones, a bottle of sand, 2 sand rakes (for meditative sand designs), a buddha statue, moss, and a few different accessories for the full zen garden feel. This little altar makes a great gift set or a simple prop for your zen meditation room.
Pros
- Great gift set
- Includes stones and mini zen garden accessories
- Meditative sand art practice
- Super small and easy to set up
- Beautiful accessory for a meditation table
Cons
- Very small
Creating a Special Place for Your Meditation Routine
When arranging a meditation altar table it’s important to set aside an area, for your practice. This space should be peaceful, tidy, and free from distractions. It serves as a sanctuary where you can retreat to find peace and reconnect with yourself.
Begin by selecting a location in your home that feels right to you. It could be a corner of your bedroom a part of your living room or even a designated meditation room if you have the space. Consistency is key here. Use this area exclusively for meditation and spiritual practices. Over time stepping into this space will signal to your mind and body that it’s time to unwind and meditate.
Keep the area neat and organized. A cluttered space can lead to a cluttered mind. Regularly dust off your meditation table. Arrange your items neatly. This not only demonstrates respect for your practice but also contributes to maintaining a peaceful atmosphere conducive to meditation.
Remember your dedicated meditation spot reflects your dedication, to your practice. Treat it with reverence. It will reward you with tranquility and mental clarity.
Direction of a Meditation Altar Table
Designing a meditation altar table is a journey. In various spiritual beliefs, the orientation of your altar can bring an extra layer of meaning, to your meditation routine.
For example, in Vastu Shastra, an architectural science each direction is linked to distinct energies. Facing east is believed to help tap into the energy of the sun and enlightenment making it perfect for morning meditations. The north direction is associated with wealth and prosperity which could be beneficial for those seeking abundance in their lives.
In Feng Shui, a Chinese practice focused on arrangement the positioning of your altar can impact the flow of life energy or chi in your environment. Placing an altar facing a room entrance can welcome energy inside while positioning it against a wall can help anchor and stabilize energy flow.
I’ve discovered that aligning my meditation area with these principles gives my practice a sense of purpose. It’s not just about the objects on the table but about how the space harmonizes with nature’s energies, on Earth.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these ideas help you create a safe area for unwinding as much as possible. May your meditative altar be filled with calmness and inspiration to meditate on a daily basis!
Namaste!
Pop quiz! 🧘🤔
A meditation altar table must be large and occupy a significant amount of space.
It is essential to include items with personal spiritual significance on your meditation altar table.
Meditation altar tables are exclusively used in Buddhist practices.