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www.yogasite.com: Zafu Meditation Cushion yogasite.com | Earth Friendly Zafu Meditation Cushion at EverythingYoga.com everythingyoga.com | Customer testimonials, zafu, Canada, Ontario, Barrie, zabuton, bench,... zafuzafu.com |
 A zafu (座蒲 in Japanese or 蒲团 in Chinese) is a round cushion, about 35 cm (14 inches) in diameter, and often about 20 cm (8 inches) high, when fluffed. Although in U.S. English, zafu is often translated as "sewn seat", that is not the meaning of the Japanese kanji. "Za" (座) means "seat", and "fu" (蒲) means Typha/cattail. As a word, "zafu" means a seat stuffed with Typha (the fluffy, soft, downy fibres of the disintegrating Typha heads). The origins of the Japanese zafu (座蒲) came from China where these meditation seats were originally filled with cattail/Typha. Today, that is no longer the case in Japan or China. An alternate translation of "zafu" is "cushion for sitting" or "sitting cushion", where "za" means "sitting" or "sit" and "fu" means "cushion". The words zabuton, zafuton and futon are closely linked. The word "zazen" meaning "seated meditation" or "sitting meditation" is also closely linked. In western terms, colloquially speaking, a "zafu" refers to a meditation cushion and a "zabuton" refers to a cushioned mat on which a zafu is placed. Contemporary zafus are sewn from three pieces of heavy cloth, usually colored black: two round swatches of equal size for the top and the bottom of the cushion, and a long rectangle that is sewn into gathers in between. They are typically filled with either kapok (a fluffy plant fibre, similar to Typha/cattail) or buckwheat hulls. Zen Buddhist practitioners traditionally sit on a zafu when engaged in sitting meditation. The cushion raises the hips, making the entire range of cross-legged sitting positions more stable for the meditator. The zafu is both a utilitarian accessory and a symbol of zazen practice. Before and after sitting on the zafu, Zen practitioners perform a gassho bow to the cushion, to fellow practitioners, and to the teacher. In many practice places, there is a prescribed form for respectfully handling zafu while walking in the meditation hall, or zendo.  A zabuton (座布団) is a rectangular cushion, about 76 cm (30 inches) by 71 cm (28 inches), that is often used under a zafu cushion to provide comfort and support when engaged in sitting meditation. The outer cover is typically made of a heavy duty fabric and has a zipper along one side so that it can be easily removed and washed. Inside the cover, the batting is enclosed in a natural cotton casing. [edit] External links
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