Meditation Cushion Guide

A meditation cushion does one job: raise your hips enough that sitting still is comfortable for longer than a few minutes. We make four kinds, each suited to a slightly different way of sitting, and this guide explains what sets each apart.

Round zafu

The classic, round meditation cushion, filled with buckwheat hulls. At 13 x 13 in and about 4.5-5 in high, it lifts your hips above your knees, which makes a cross-legged seated position easier to hold. Because it's filled with hulls rather than foam, you can adjust the firmness the same way you would a pillow: add or remove fill to raise or lower the seat.

Crescent zafu

A crescent-shaped cushion, 16.5 x 7.8 x 3.9 in, that curves around your hips rather than sitting square underneath them. Many people find it comfortable for kneeling positions, since the crescent shape leaves room at the back for your ankles or a folded leg, and its lower profile suits people who find a full round zafu too high.

Square floor cushions

Simple, flat cushions from 14 to 23 in square, for sitting directly on the floor without a raised zafu underneath. They work well layered on top of a zabuton for casual floor seating, as low seating around a table, or anywhere you want a firmer, lower seat than a zafu provides.

Zabuton

A flat floor mat, 18 x 18 in (sold in a set) or 24 x 24 in, meant to go underneath a zafu or square cushion. It cushions your knees, shins and ankles against a hard floor, which matters more the longer you sit, and it also protects the floor itself from a cushion's weight and use over time.

Cover fabrics

Our cushions come in the same fabrics as our pillows. Undyed cotton is light and simple; linen has a heavier hand and softens with washing; printed cotton adds a block-print floral pattern for a more decorative look in a living room or studio. Whichever you choose, the fabric is just the cover; the buckwheat hulls inside are what give the cushion its support.

Which one should you start with?

If you're new to floor sitting, a round zafu on a zabuton is the most common starting point and works for most cross-legged and kneeling positions. Add a crescent zafu later if kneeling suits you better, or a square cushion if you prefer a firmer, lower seat. There's no need to buy everything at once; most people build their setup over time as they learn what they actually use.

Choosing your height by adjusting fill

Like our pillows, our zafu and crescent zafu cushions are filled with buckwheat hulls, so the height isn't fixed. If you're sitting cross-legged and your knees feel higher than your hips, try adding a little more fill; if the cushion feels too tall, remove some. See our Firmness & Fill Guide for the adjusting steps.

A few common sitting setups

These are just common ways people set up a cushion, not instructions for any particular practice:

Cross-legged, cushion only: a round zafu on the floor or on top of a zabuton, sitting with legs crossed in front of you.
Kneeling, zafu on its side: some people turn the round zafu on its edge and kneel with it between their calves, taking weight off the ankles.
Burmese-style: both legs folded in front rather than crossed, often paired with a slightly higher cushion for extra hip lift.

Try a setup for a few sessions before deciding it's not for you; getting comfortable with any cushion takes a little time, the same way a new chair or mattress does.

Building a set

A zafu paired with a zabuton is the most common combination, giving you both hip lift and knee cushioning. Our Bundles & Sets collection has them paired together, and if you already own one piece, you can shop covers and cushions separately to round out the set.