Against the grain: Wood carving kit offers creative meditation

The brand is an advocate of ‘creative meditation’, the process of slipping into a different state of mind through contemplative, purposeful creative tasks.

Each kit comes with a carving knife, a piece of Swedish juniper and birchwood, sandpaper to achieve a soft finish, paraffin oil to preserve and protect the wood, and a guide offering suggested designs.

Tälja kits come in adult and junior versions, the latter coming with an easier-to-handle, blunter knife. According to the creators, Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg, the junior kits invite parents to replace their children’s iPad from time to time, to create something that lasts and allows them to switch off from their always-on Generation I lives.

Read our Insight Wisdom 2.0 Parts 1 and 2 for more on the growth of mindfulness communities and the creation of mindfulness-related products.