Yoga Meditation Buckwheat Bolster Pillow Cushion

Peace Yoga® Zafu Meditation Yoga Buckwheat Filled Round Cotton Bolster Pillow Cushion - Burgundy 13" x 13" I have been using meditation cushions for 35 years; and have used the most expensive brands. This Peace Yoga buckwheat cushion that I purchased from "Lowballer" exceeded my expectation and sold for half the price of the more expensive ones. It's canvas and much more durable than the standard ones made of thin cotton fabric and costing more. I particularly like the firm buckwheat filler and the fact that this cushion doesn't tend to flatten out and increase diameter with use. The "pleated" sides of the standard cushions allow it to spread out horizontally and therefore become very thin. And you don't need a wide flatten cushion since all our weight contacts the cushion at the butt-bones --- and they aren't that far apart. (see photo)Why is this a big issue? Because Zen teachers are correct when they emphasize that the hips should be above the knees when sitting in a full lotus for protracted periods of time (two hours+). If the hips are not above the level of knees, the muscles fatigue and it invites lower back (sacrum) pain during long sitting sessions. So... the higher the cushion, the less physical problems. Most find that sitting a full lotus is challenging enough on legs and knees without the added insult of back pain.This Peace Yoga cushion is FAR better than the competition in my opinion. I have read some of the Amazon reviews that were dissatisfied with this cushion for what I consider all the wrong reasons. This cushion is canvas, has an inner sealed bag containing the buckwheat filler and the outer canvas shell can be removed and washed. I talked with the owner of the business selling these, and I am convinced they will do whatever necessary to satisfy the customer... cordial, friendly, and accommodating! Rare qualities these days, I think. And I believe they are sincere; we talked for some time, and he wasn't impatient or pushy. It's a great cushion and a good staff.I can't imagine any serious meditator paying twice the price for a cushion that is pleated and/or made of thin cotton cloth. The only thing missing on this cushion is the "heated" feature option for winter --- like the heated seats in the BMW that costs few thousand more to the discriminating drivers, (of course, I kidding about the heated cushion).

ACTUAL RATING (NOTICE: none of my ratings ever lands on a whole number, and no product is ever a perfect 5-star rating): 4.1 StarsPROS:-Pretty solid construction and seams-Feels good to sit on for long periods of time (maximum of 45 minutes for me)-Good starter cushion for beginners-Good for people with wider hips and bottoms-No funky smells, just a little earthy from the buckwheat-Convenient handle to carry aroundCONS:-The fabric seems to be on the cheaper side and may not last as long as I would want-NOT a YKK zipper on the cover (pictured)-Definitely not a YKK zipper on the inner cover holding the buckwheat (pictured)-Buckwheat dust under the outer cover from daily use (pictured)-Needs more color optionsMY $.02:I’m only 1.5 months into meditating, and with this cushion being my very first piece of “gear”, please take my review with a grain of salt since I have nothing else to compare this to. I have used this cushion for a little less than 3 weeks, every day, and it helps a TON! Prior to receiving the cushion, I meditated on a plush bath mat in “Burmese style” and it was wreaking havoc on my lower back, knees, shins, calves, ankles, and feet, which, unfortunately, takes me out of my mediation a lot. Ever since using this cushion, I’ve noticed I don’t have as much pain as before, therefore I can meditate longer in my position. I am an athletic build male: 5’10”, 220lbs, but very flexible for my size. Sitting on the cushion does not make it feel like it’s about to burst. The dimensions of the cushions are pretty accurate, however, with the sloping sides, you actually get a little more than what is described, which is a good thing! I do wish the construction and materials were a little better, as I can tell that daily use will eventually lead to its demise sooner rather than later, but for a beginner starting out, this thing not bad at all!TL:DR:Good and low-cost meditation cushion with “ok” materials that may not last too long with daily use.

Your major choice with these cushions is round vs. crescent. The crescent shape permits the heel of your 'near' foot to lie a little closer to your body, while sitting well on top of the cushion. With a typical round cushion, you might have to scoot forward to give your legs room, forcing your bottom to rest on a smaller area. I find the crescent shape to be strictly superior because you simply have more options for how to comfortably sit on it. The 'arms' of the crescent extend down your thighs, distributing weight more evenly and alleviating pressure points.As far as crescent cushions go, this particular model seems to hit the sweet spot for value. It's inexpensive, but the material is thick and has been durable over the past 5 months.

I THOUGHT I wanted a round cushion to teach from. For 10 years I taught yoga from my mat (when not roaming the room) but I've switched over the last year. I wanted a travel size meditation cushion that would be easy to carry with all my other teaching stuff. After way too much deliberation I settled on this one simply because of price. WOW! Am I ever glad I decided to be cheap! This zafu offers amazing support! It sits a tad higher than I thought I wanted but, as a result, it offers a very comfortable hip tilt. The shape allows a spot for my near heel to tuck in while in any cross legged position. I'm considering picking up a few more for tight hipped students to use in seated poses. Seriously, get one of these. Get a few. Sit on them all the time! Your back will love you!