For meditators, by meditators...
We recently shared how the wonderful people out of Sati Design are donating 20% of their proceeds through the end of the month for urgent humanitarian projects in Myanmar. To learn more about their mission, take a look at the following essay, shared on their website. And please do consider getting a meditation cushion for yourself or as a gift, knowing that a portion of the purchase will go towards those in Myanmar who need it most!
We are a design partnership based between South Cornwall and India, making consciously crafted handmade meditation cushions and specialising in the traditional art of block printing. Since its inception in 2015 {sati} has been a labour of love for us. Ironically the idea for it was born during one of Claire’s meditations and our intention is the same now as it was then; to create thoughtfully-designed, beautiful meditation cushions to enhance your living space and inspire you to invest time in your well-being. Meditation has been a significant and beneficial part of our lives for almost a decade now and we wanted to find a way to use our skills to create something that would help you on your conscious journey too.
Our training (Claire’s in printed textiles and Ben’s in carpentry) has given us the experience we needed to really dive into this project head first. Various trips to Jaipur, India (the traditional centre of block printing) over the past three years have allowed us to spend time with master carvers and printers, steadily acquiring the knowledge and skills we needed to begin our own experiments in this beautiful and ancient technique.
Our passion for ethical practice has informed this project every step of the way and we feel strongly that our products should have an actively positive impact on individuals, communities and the environment. Seeing the environmental devastation of chemical dyes leaching straight onto the streets from printing units in Jaipur consolidated our intention to use 100% plant-based colours and harness nature’s subtle and beautiful palette. With this ‘integrity over profit’ mindset, we have also taken the time to find highly skilled local craftspeople to work with, the meeting of whom has felt as organic as the process itself.
Like all the best things in life this project has demanded incredible patience and trust, not least because it coincided with the onset of the global pandemic which caught us short whilst we were finalising our designs in India. But by the time lockdown was announced (with just a day’s notice!) we had, thankfully, already put the wheels of production in motion meaning our collection could be realised and our craftspeople had sufficient work to support their families during lockdown.
Now it’s time to spread the benefits to you. We hope you find something in our collection that serves as inspiration towards a more peaceful way of life that benefits you and those around you. May your cushion become suffused with pure and uplifting vibrations to help you on your journey.
Happy meditating!