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How to choose meditation cushion? You can choose one which will help you, allow you to enjoy your meditation sessions. Or you may choose one with which you will have pain in your back all the time and soon will quit practice altogether.
Height
If there is a single most important parameter in selecting perfect meditation cushion - height is the one.
Perform a simple experiment.
Sit on the floor cross legged - in the most comfortable position you can. Simple cross legged pose is fine.
If you are a beginner and sitting cross-legged is not part of your native culture, most likely after a minute or two you will feel pain in your back.
Tried? Am I right? ;-)
Why is that? - Most of us are not flexible and open enough in corresponding joints of our legs and hips. And sitting cross legged most likely will put our knees quite high. It is not comfortable, our body is not made for this, not used to it. What is happening then - is you rounding the back and use your back muscles to support yourself more or less straight. Hence - the pain.
What to do? - To sit on a cushion. You will have your knees lower now and it will allow your back to be straight and comfortable without strain.
So, what height? - One which is just right for you. The height which would allow you to keep your back comfortably straight for a few minutes at least. Particular height is individual of course.
Take your time
when selecting meditation cushion. You will likely use it for a few years. And if it is right from the beginning - it will contribute into you liking meditation. You will gradually increase your time to tens of minutes at a stretch. And ut still should be comfortable...
What is the issue now? - Softness.
It's unlikely you will find firm cushion to support you well and at the same time soft for long sittings. I guess, you should be prepared to use a towel or a blanket on top of your cushion. Now, when you develop to quite long sittings and your back is fine - if you are quite slim, your sitting bones will start bother you. It just may become too painful to sit long on hard surface. That is why I also think meditation bench maybe quite uncomfortable for many.
Washable?
Why not? - Many are washable - you empty your cushion from filling, wash it and fill it in again. Especially if you take it to retreats, for outdoors meditations, etc.
Filling?
It's mostly filled with hulls, buckwheat hulls for example. These are quite good - it's easy to shape them a bit the way you want. Just keep in mind that with time this kind of filling will become kind of mashed and you will need a refill. :-) Not necessarily though. - If you practice Yoga in parallel your flexibility will evolve too and you will need lower cushion...
Air cushion?!
Sure, they exist. You may try one. Reason? - Traveling is the main one. Traditional fillings are heavy, a few kilos of weight in a medium sized cushion. Another reason is that US customs for example may not allow you to enter with a few kilos of hulls.
Sizes and shapes?
- are very different. If you are slim - take small and round. Then mid-sized round cushion go. Then, for really long meditations, especially if you are a beginner and not particularly slim one (nothing wrong with that! - we all are different. I'm just trying to be helpful here.) - choose large round or even better - check V-shaped or moon-shaped ones. Those large cushions are extremely comfortable. They are also the heaviest and they are bulky... Well, there is always a balance, a "price to pay"... :-)
Price?
Meditation cushions come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and materials. Minimum price is a few tens of dollars. And large, richly ornamented, etc. cushions may cost you a hundred or even hundreds.
Summary
Take your time choosing a meditation cushion for yourself. You may use it for years to come. It should be comfortable in all ways. Try it! If possible - sit on it for a few minutes - your back should be fine during and afterward. If you make a right choice - you will have one obstacle less on your path!
Take care! Enjoy your meditation practice!
Further reading:
Meditation Techniques
Meditation Instruction
LINKS:
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