Carolina Morning Zabuton Sitting Mat

Za'bu tan: the 'sitting mat' which the zafu, smile cushion, or kneeling bench is placed on.

These meditation mats provide essential cushioning for the feet, ankles and legs. They have been used for everyday sitting in Asia for centuries.

Kapok was used in tropical climates for centuries as a filling for sitting and sleeping mats (a.k.a. futons and zabutons).

Choosing a Size

We offer zabutons in three sizes. When you are carrying your zafu to a retreat or local sitting group, you want the most efficient size. A zabuton which offers extra knee room will be more of a challenge to carry. However, if that extra knee room is important to you, buy a larger mat. Some meditation halls and temples like our medium zabuton dimensions because it allows more people to meditate in a limited space.

Breaking In

A new zabuton may be exta "poofy", meaning it looks very thick. When you first take it out of the box before sitting on it, it almost looks like a giant throw pillow. When you sit on it, it goes down to a normal thickness. Within a short time the mat will compress to about two inches thick and consistent all around. It usually takes about fourty hours of sitting for the zabuton sitting mat to find its true nature.

Our zabutons have been tested for 28 years to reach the perfect balance of all-round comfort. It is best to have the minimal amount of padding underneath that is still comfortable (saves resources, money, and is easier to carry). The measurements cited on our website are taken after the zabuton is completely 'broken in'. You will need to occassionally fluff your zabuton (takes a few seconds) to help it maintain its optimal consistency.

Excerpt from Wikipedia

A zabuton is a Japanese cushion for sitting. The kanji characters literally translated are "seat-cloth-sphere". The zabuton is generally used when sitting on the floor, and may also be used when sitting on a chair.

Ordinarily any place in Japan where seating is on the floor will be provided with zabuton, for sitting comfort. A typical square zabuton measures 50- 70 cm (20 - 30 inches) on a side and is several centimetres thick when new. Zabuton are found throughout Japan, and enter many aspects of the culture.

* In Zen meditation, practitioners sit on zafu which is typically placed on top of a zabuton. The zabuton cushions the knees and ankle.

* In sumo, members of the audience throw zabuton toward the ring after an upset.

* In rakugo, performers are not allowed to rise from their zabuton for the duration of their skit.

* In yose, notably on the long-running television show Sh
Mten, comedians receive zabuton as a form of scoring.

* In jidaigeki, according to a stereotype, the boss prisoner in a jail cell receives all the zabuton from his or her cell mates.

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