How to choose a comfortable meditation cushion?
How to choose a comfortable meditation cushion?
Since the cushion function on the market is only for sitting in the office for a long time.
90% of cushions on the market are designed for office work and sitting for extended periods. Some have breathable functions for people with hemorrhoids, and sellers often claim that they can also be used for meditation. However, sellers who have never meditated or who have only meditated for a short time and only designed the cushion for cross-legged meditation (sitting and standing postures have different centers of gravity) often sell these cushions. Therefore, many beginners buy these external cushions (with different shapes and designs), but find that they are uncomfortable for cross-legged sitting when they bought.
During my more than 20 years of meditation practice, I have tried many meditation cushions and even had custom-made cushion (please study below picture that my 20 years tried cushion), but as my posture and weight changed over time, I found that they were not suitable anymore. Finally I just realized that height adjustable cushions are important and affect the quality of meditation.
Real needs for meditation cushions
1. Adjustable height:
It is impossible to use a single size to accommodate everyone's height, weight, and leg length and thickness, especially as meditation continues, different postures, such as scattered posture, half-lotus posture, Burmese posture, and full-lotus posture, require different heights. Therefore, a single size cannot satisfy all postures. (Refer to "How many kinds of sit cross-legged positions are there?")
2. The hip joint must be 8-12cm higher than the knees:
Regardless of whether the meditation cushion is designed to be concave, inclined at 15 degrees, or able to support the lower leg, as long as it cannot make your hip joint 8-12cm higher than your knees, the weight of your feet will concentrate backward, causing a single point to squeeze the buttocks and causing numbness. (Refer to "Leg numbness during meditation") Why does it need to be 8-12cm high? Because different postures require different heights, the full-lotus posture requires a height of about 8cm, the half-lotus posture requires a height of about 10cm, and the scattered posture requires a height of about 12cm. Usually, beginners slowly transition from scattered posture to half-lotus posture and then to full-lotus posture, but it may also be difficult to sit in full-lotus posture for a long time due to age or injury, and then use half-lotus or scattered posture.
3. Breathable material is necessary:
Many meditation cushions claim to be breathable and are made of rice husks, grass, coconut fiber, or foam, etc. These are all designed to be more breathable, but they are not as breathable as "open holes" that allow air to flow directly. When choosing a cushion, pay attention to whether the material has holes or indentations to dissipate heat or allow air to flow, otherwise it will be hot and uncomfortable to sit for more than 15 minutes in the summer.
4. Soft and hard:
If the meditation cushion is too soft, the center of gravity is easy to shift and sink, and if it is too hard, it is uncomfortable (unless you sit on a stone like ancient ascetics). So how can it be soft and hard at the same time? After many experiments, I found that it must have levels and be hard at the bottom and soft at the top to achieve the effect of being soft and hard. Therefore, if the cushion only has one hardness, it may be difficult to achieve a comfortable soft and hard feeling when purchasing it.
5. Home aesthetics:
A foreign western friend who meditates regularly wanted to create a meditation space, but had trouble with the decoration. He said that meditation chairs or cushions clash with home decor and have a religious feel. It is important for design to blend in with home decor. The same goes for yoga mats. There are many designs and trends, but if you want to mix and match colors for aesthetics, use more than one fabric and color scheme. However, the cost of sewing will be three times higher. Just like clothes, single-color items are cheaper than two-tone items made of different fabrics.
6. Fabric selection:
Only after making them did I realize that the cost of fabric and sewing is the most expensive. The cost of cheap and expensive fabric differs by more than five times. Therefore, to save costs, most cushions on the market are single-color. This not only saves fabric costs, but also sewing costs. Fabric selection should depend on the functionality, such as water resistance, zero formaldehyde, and antibacterial properties. Durability and breathability are also important.
7. Multi-functional use:
Can it only be used for meditation? A good-quality cushion is expensive. Does it have only one function? It can be used as a tatami mat, for napping, reading, praying, attending services, doing stretches, and more. This will increase the cost-effectiveness.
8. Portability:
Many people bring their cushions for group meditation, picnics, outdoor meditation, and even use them as a mattress for napping at work. Once, I asked a female friend why she only brought her yoga mat instead of her meditation cushion. It turned out that the yoga mat carrier was more fashionable and professional, while the cushion carrier was a transparent plastic bag used for storing blankets. She thought it looked tacky.
9. Meditation courses:
Although some knowledgeable people have their own schools or meditation methods, there are still some beginners who need guidance. Even if you have been meditating for a long time, you can still refer to online meditation courses (it is best to collect different meditation teachers). For example, for double lotus position, I almost hurt myself when I practiced it hard. Later, I learned from a yoga teacher that it is easy to get into the position with just a few stretches.
Refre: (Having difficulty with Double Lotus position?)
The above are the experiences of several long-term meditation teachers, for reference.