What meditation cushion is right for you?
As we recently announced, 20% of all proceeds from any meditation cushion purchased from Sati Design will be donated to Better Burma, to support our humanitarian projects in Myanmar! Please take a moment to read more about Sati’s guide to choosing a meditation cushion. You can also read this essay in its full form, with photos, on Sati’s website.
Two of the most common questions we get asked is ‘what is a meditation cushion’ and ‘why do I need one?’
If you have recently taken up a meditation practice (or even if you have been meditating a while) chances are you will have been making do with whatever cushion you can find. Sofa cushions, scatter cushions, bed pillows, folded up blankets, yoga mats – often the closest, easiest thing we can find! But unless your cushions are firm and elevate your hips at the right angle (your knees should be below your thighs) the likelihood is that your squishy sofa cushions are having a detrimental impact on your spine and posture while you sit.
Meditation cushions have a common goal; to optimise spinal alignment by tilting your pelvis forward slightly so that your body can rest in a healthy, supported posture whilst you meditate. As such, meditation cushions are firm enough to support you but soft enough to allow you to sit in comfort for longer periods of time. Ideally you want to achieve the natural “S” curve when you sit for meditation. Often talked about in yoga, this posture is characterised by an erect spine that gently curves in at the bottom and out at the top, with the neck straight and the chin slightly tucked in - and meditation cushions are designed to help you achieve this.
By encouraging an upright posture, meditation cushions also naturally promote greater alertness which is an important quality to cultivate in your practice. With the right meditation posture you can relax and breathe more freely too so one little cushion has many benefits!
We believe that the vehicle to your awakening should be exquisite in every way!
When I first looked into buying a meditation cushion a few years ago it soon became apparent that function outweighed aesthetics in the meditation cushion arena. As someone who has long had a passion for design and all things handmade, I hoped to find a meditation cushion that would not only fulfil its primary purpose - keeping me supported whilst I sat - but was also beautiful enough for me to keep out in the corner of my living space like a piece of cherished furniture that inspired me towards my mindfulness practice every day (because let’s face it we all need a bit of inspiration every now and then when it comes to maintaining our practice!) I wanted it to become a sacred design feature in my home and a reflection of the time, care and attention I gift myself every time I sit. But many of the cushions I found - and indeed ended up buying - lacked this soul and their mass-produced quality seemed at odds with their purpose; to support a deep and profound meditation practice. And that was the tiny crack through which { s a t i } emerged.
At { s a t i } we have embodied the quote ‘create the things you wish existed’ by developing a range of ethical meditation cushions that fuse functionality with design, using 100% botanical dyes to create our colours and traditional block printing methods to produce our bespoke prints. So now you need not compromise on anything when you buy a meditation cushion, you can have it all! Function, beauty, integrity, ethical design and soul. Here are a few things that make our cushions particularly special:
We don’t use any chemicals to dye our fabrics - they are 100% natural and organic
We only work with small family businesses, no factories
We are friends with every single artisan we work with!
The wooden blocks we print with are individually hand-carved by Ben
We hand dye our fabric in small batches
The rectangle cushion is a unique shape and size that is hard to find elsewhere
We use spelt husks to fill our round cushions: a lighter, softer choice than the more common buckwheat hull filling
So you have decided you want to invest in a meditation cushion but you don’t know where to start. We are here to help! With the overwhelming choice of meditation and yoga cushions available on the market it can be hard to know which style/shape/filling to opt for and choosing the right one can seem like an intimidating task - but it doesn’t need to be. A good place to start is to contemplate what cushion height is best for you. You want your thighs to angle downwards from your hips as this makes it easier for you to straighten your back without straining. To help you work this out and make an informed decision we have created a meditation cushion buyer’s guide below:
R O U N D C U S H I O N
Summary
Otherwise known as ‘zafu’ meditation cushions, our round cushions are one of the more traditional meditation cushion shapes. The spelt husk filling ensures it molds to the shape of your bottom perfectly (think comfy beanbag) and the height of this cushion is ideal for tilting your pelvis at the right angle for optimum spinal alignment. Our round cushions can also be used as a support between your legs if you prefer to kneel rather than sit and they make a handy yoga prop too.
Filling
Organic spelt husks fill this zafu. Spelt husks are a waste product of the spelt industry (it is the outer part of the grain used to make spelt flour) and are a lighter, softer filling than the more commonly-used filling, buckwheat hulls. They make for a very comfortable seat as the husks follow the contours of your body offering you support in all the right places. Steam-cleaned three times these spelt husks are hypoallergenic too. Spelt husk meditation cushions can be hard to come by in our experience so these are special cushions indeed!
Who is it good for?
Our round meditation cushions are ideal for beginners thanks to their height. If your hips aren’t very open (ie if your knees aren’t close to the ground when you cross your legs) or if you are on the taller side then this is the cushion for you as the height will encourage your knees to sit lower than your hips which is what we want. Most people sit on the edge of the cushion as this encourages your hips to roll forwards but you can also sit more centrally if you have limited flexibility or have longer legs. It is also a versatile choice as the handy little zip on the inner cover allows you to remove spelt husks if you need to lower the height at any point.
R E C T A N G L E C U S H I O N
Summary
A thin but supportive meditation cushion that is particularly suited to people who like to stay low to the ground when meditating and/or have relatively good flexibility. It is similar to the foam-based yoga cushion blocks you get in terms of the height and support it offers. Rectangle cushions can be placed under round cushions too for an extra boost.
Filling
Raw cotton wadding, a wonderfully dense but soft filling.
Who is it good for?
This rectangular meditation cushion is perfect for those who prefer a lower, firmer seat and who have a bit of flexibility in their hips when sitting cross-legged. It can also be used underneath our round cushion to boost the height if you need an extra bit of lift. Some people find it is a good yoga cushion too; use it for seated poses and place it under you back in Shavasana for a satisfying bit of support.
F L O O R C U S H I O N
Summary
Common in the Buddhist tradition, this large square floor cushion (also called a zabuton) is designed to be placed on the floor underneath your ‘seated’ cushion and supports knobbly bits like ankles and knees. Our floor cushions are thicker and weightier than most making them feel extra luxurious.
Filling
Sumptuous raw cotton wadding, a wonderfully dense but soft filling.
Who is it good for?
Our cotton-filled floor cushions are good for anyone who wants an extra level of comfort and padding for their feet whilst meditating. They provide warmth and comfort if you ever sit on a cold or hard floor and help prevent the numbness that results from excess pressure on your ankles and feet too. Zabutons are a must if you ask us!
M E D I T A T I O N
C U S H I O N S E T S
Summary
Our meditation sets combine one of our seated cushions (choose from a round or rectangle cushion) with a floor cushion, providing you with an ideal set up to start meditating in comfort straight away. See our shop for the colour combinations we offer. Our sets are offered at a discounted price so you can save some money if you buy these cushions at the same time too!
Filling
See individual cushion shapes for this info ^^
Who are they good for?
Meditation cushion sets are equally suited to enthusiastic beginner meditators or someone who wants to take their meditation practice to the next level. As well as the comfort and support it provides, one of the main benefits of having a meditation set is that it is easier to designate a space for it in your home - somewhere it can be left out for you to sit on whenever you need. A beautiful, functional piece of furniture! And as we offer a discount on meditation sets, it is cheaper to buy these cushions in one go if this is something you are considering.
K N E E C U S H I O N S
Summary
These tiny knee support pillows are great for propping up the bits that need it the most – knees, ankles, thighs – or anywhere else that you feel needs a bit of extra padding whilst you meditate.
Filling
Raw organic cotton wadding, tightly packed in to offer optimal support.
Who are they good for?
These small meditation cushions are good for anyone who needs a buffer under their knees (especially if your knees sit off the ground) or other pressure points that are causing numbness or discomfort whilst you meditate.