Well, I kept reading that even a minute of meditation could help you. Some said 10 minutes was more than enough to massively reduce stress and give you health benefits. So, when I read "Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Living
" by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung, I found myself determined to try fitting it in. Some meditation disciplines are very strict, requiring that you not move, that you sit in a certain way and so forth. Thich Nhat Hanh says meditation is helpful, and that you should do it in whatever way is most achievable for you. Walking, sitting, lying, standing or whatever. I decided to do it, and immediately added in 10 minutes per day of meditation. At the time, I was 349 pounds and couldn't sit in a position remotely comfortable for it, so I used my LaZBoy! I found it was TREMENDOUSLY helpful to my mental, physical and emotional health!
Next, I bumped it up to 15 minutes per day, and then 20. Around then, I decided I really needed to try the Zafu (meditation cushion) and Zabuton (Meditation Mat) that I see so many people using. I began researching online. There are tons of options out there, and I settled on one I found on Amazon. I liked their prices, and their products. I made it clear that this was the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas from my wife.
In the meantime, I happened to find myself in Dallas, Texas, at the Dallas Meditation Center on the eve of the Winter Solstice. I got the opportunity to meditate for much longer than I was accustomed and to do so sitting on their Zafu and Zabutons. I was very happy to find it helped greatly! The posture encourages better meditation, and discourages drifting and dozing. The materials are extremely comfortable, using Kapok (hemp) for the mat filling and buckwheat hulls for the Zafu.
The Kapok makes the mat nice and soft, but doesn't clump like other materials. The Buckwheat Hulls make the cushion nice and firm, but not hard. Together, they make a great combination to give you optimal time on your bottom doing some quality meditation!
So, my wife couldn't remember how to find what I asked for and, while searching on her own, found SageMeditation.com and asked me if this is what I wanted. I started to say no, but didn't want to discourage her from making the purchase, so I navigated over to check it out. What I found was a GREAT web site dedicated to selling quality mediation supplies and related merchandise. They had some very helpful information on picking the right equipment for your needs. After reading extensively on their site, even down to choosing the right colors and models for my needs, I gave her a link to the one I was after.
On Christmas morning, I was ecstatic to my very own SageMeditation Zafu and Zabuton! Even though I knew I was getting it, I was elated to actually have it! I began using it the following day.
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| My Zafu, Zabuton and Mala from SageMeditation.com |
The color, the material, the feel, and the usage is all beyond my expectations! I couldn't be happier! I am now meditating 30 minutes per day, and the comfort is fantastic. Less physically, the feeling I get from my mat and cushion on my bamboo hardwood floors versus the LaZBoy is not to be dismissed. It's a big difference mentally.
I spent some time speaking with the owner of SageMeditation.com while writing this post, and found the reason for their quality starts at the top. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, the company prides itself on working with other small businesses to offer the highest quality products possible. Often this means products made by equally small business owners, creating a network of vendor/customer support that exceeds the level of quality and support you might be accustomed to from online vendors!
So, check out the kind folks over at SageMeditation.com. They are fast, responsive and supportive! They are a lean, small company providing quality products and services. I think you won't be disappointed if you make your next meditation purchase through them!
Warm Regards,
MondoSamu
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