Buy a meditation cushion or just sit on a stack of books?

Meditation cushions are a topic that actually every meditation beginner deals with at some point. Why buy a meditation cushion when I can just use a sofa cushion or a stack of used books? As much as we understand and appreciate this train of thought, unfortunately this is not the best solution. A sofa cushion is too soft and a stack of books is too hard. Both lead to the fact that you would not be able to endure sitting in meditation for long. You would probably soon lose the desire to meditate because of the physical pain.

However, you can use everyday objects to experiment at home. Books, sofa cushions, towels or even blankets can be used to make your own meditation cushion. Take the time to meditate at different heights. What do your body and mind like best? This way, when you buy your meditation cushion later, you will have a concrete idea of which cushion suits you best.

Traditionally, yogis and Buddhists meditate in the full lotus position, Padmasana. However, this is hardly feasible for the average European and should therefore not be built up as an inner demand - because this quickly leads to frustration. Fortunately, there are meditation cushions from Lotus Design! So even people who are not so limber can meditate for longer and enjoy the many positive effects of meditation.

FUN FACT: Lotus Design grew out of a project to make meditation cushions by hand, more than 30 years ago. We then developed further and started the professional production of meditation cushions. This made us one of the pioneers on the European market.

Form follows function also applies to your meditation cushion. 

Yes, there is indeed a whole range of different meditation cushions. This may sound strange to a newcomer to the world of meditation, but it is really the case. When choosing the meditation cushion that is right for you, it depends above all on your favourite meditation sitting position. In which sitting position will you practice meditation? Cross-legged? In the Burmese seat or perhaps in the heel seat? The position of your legs during meditation plays an important role in choosing the right yoga cushion.

If you meditate in the lotus position, a half-moon shaped oval meditation cushion is perfect. The half-open shape gives your crossed legs enough space and you can simply let your knees sink low. A rectangular meditation cushion is a good choice if you are already experienced and can sit with your back upright for long periods without pain. A classic meditation cushion is the Zen Buddhist-inspired Zafu meditation cushion. The Zafu cushion has folds on the sides and thus a slightly larger seat.

No matter which shape of cushion you choose: The aim is always to sit upright and relaxed at the same time. This relieves the strain on your intervertebral discs and allows you to breathe more freely. This way you are not distracted by back pain, cramps or feet that fall asleep. You can concentrate fully on your inner world.

Optimum seat height: up high or down to earth

Perhaps you are wondering how high your meditation cushion should be? Again, it depends on your individual sitting position. If you are still a beginner in meditation or spend a lot of time at your desk, then the mobility of your hips will not be so great. A higher meditation cushion will help support your spine. Flatter cushions are ideal if you like to meditate in Burmese seat, half lotus or full lotus. The filling can be removed from most of our meditation cushions. This allows you to fine-tune the seat height to suit your individual level of development. This small overview can help you to identify the right seat height for your meditation cushion: 

- 7 to 10 cm: Lotus seat and Burmese seat

- 10 to 15 cm: Burmese seat 

- 16 to 19 cm: cross-legged seat and heel seat

- 21 cm: heel seat for a body height of approx. 170 cm

- 25 cm: Heel seat for a body height of approx. 175 cm 

- 35 cm: Heel seat for a body height of approx. 185 cm

Meditating is not about performance, so it is important not to conform to some ideal, but to look at your own needs and listen to your own body. It is therefore worth taking enough time to choose the right meditation cushion. Hurry up!

A question of input: What filling does my meditation cushion have?

Each filling has its own advantages. As with the choice of design and shape of your meditation cushion, it is also a bit of a matter of taste. At Lotus Design, we work primarily with these three filling materials:

Buckwheat hulls are our number one. Most used, most sold. We also sit on buckwheat hulls in our Buddhist meditation centre in Cologne-Nippes. Due to their high flowability, they adapt wonderfully to the individual body shape and also have a very long shelf life. Buckwheat husks are available in conventional and organic quality.

Spelt husks have a much larger shell shape and are not as free-flowing. The clear advantage is that a yoga cushion filled with spelt husks is lighter than one filled with buckwheat husks. At Lotus Design, we only use organic spelt husks in our meditation cushions.

Kapok fibre is a very fine, downy plant fibre from the exotic kapok tree. Kapok has an incredible bulking capacity and therefore does not become lumpy. A meditation cushion with kapok filling feels slightly firmer than one filled with husks.

Accessories for even better relaxation during meditation

For some bodies, traditional meditation cushions are not suitable. This is not a bad thing because, as I said, meditating is not a competitive sport. Every body is different, every body has its own story. For example, if you like to meditate sitting on your heels, but you can't sit on your meditation cushion without pain, we recommend our meditation benches.

If your knees hurt in Burmese sitting or heel sitting, you could try a meditation mat. Simply place it under your meditation cushion to protect your knees.

If your hip joint is not very mobile and your knees are far from the floor when sitting cross-legged, then our meditation knee pads could be the right thing for you. They complement your meditation cushion by softening the stretch in your hips.

Meditation accessories are designed to help you focus attention on the subject of your meditation - without being distracted by pain or tension.