How to Make a Zafu and Zabuton
Posted by Som Tue, 14 Mar 2006 01:37:00 GMT
Whether you're looking for some comfortable, casual seating or you want to make your meditation sessions more pleasant, a zafu and zabuton are wonderful things to have around the house. Zafu and zabuton are traditional Japanese cushions used for meditation; the zafu is a circular pillow with pleated sides, and the zabuton is pretty much just a large, flat pillow. You can order them online for $40+ each, but it's cheaper and more satisfying to make your own at home.
(I don't have the best meditation posture, but you get the idea of how the cushions work. The zabuton is a little small for me, because this is one I made for a friend who's shorter than I am.)
The zafu elevates and cushions the pelvis, and the zabuton cushions the knees and ankles. This position facilitates better posture, eases joint and back pain, and may help one achieve deeper, longer meditation sessions. As long as you're making one set, why not make two? Keep the extra set for guests, give it to a friend who meditates or has back problems, or donate it to your local Zen center or Buddhist temple.
About the materials: I chose to use a cotton/polyester blend for these because it's cheap and easy to clean with a wet rag; these aren't something you can just throw in the washing machine. When I'm more settled in my meditation practice, I'll probably make another set out of some heavy silk, perhaps adding some colorful embroidery or sashiko stitching.
As for filler, I used organic pillow-grade buckwheat hulls for the zafu and plain ol' polyester stuffing for the zabuton. Kapok would be a better choice for both, but it's fairly expensive. Manna Harvest sells organic buckwheat hulls for $8.95US/5 lbs. The only US source for kapok I could find is Carolina Morning Designs, and their prices are pretty high. From what I hear about kapok, though, it's probably worth the price.
Click below for full instructions on how to make the zafu and zabuton.
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