Meditation cushions (zafus) and yoga bolsters are specialised floor cushions designed for seated and reclined practices. Using the wrong cushion or no cushion at all during meditation and yoga creates discomfort that distracts from practice and can strain joints over time. The right cushion supports your body’s natural alignment, making sustained seated and floor positions accessible and comfortable. Here is what to look for and how to choose.
Meditation Zafu Cushions
A zafu is a round, pleated cushion roughly 35 cm in diameter and 12 to 18 cm tall. The elevated seat tilts the pelvis forward, which straightens the spine naturally and reduces the lower back rounding that causes discomfort during long meditation sessions. Without a zafu, most people round their lower back when sitting cross-legged, which compresses lumbar discs and creates pain after 10 to 15 minutes.
Traditional zafus are filled with buckwheat hulls. The hulls interlock to create a firm, stable base that does not compress under body weight. Buckwheat hull filling moulds to your sitting position and maintains consistent height throughout a session. The firmness is intentional because soft cushions let the pelvis sink backward, undoing the forward tilt that keeps the spine aligned.
Kapok-filled zafus are lighter and softer than buckwheat. Kapok is a natural seed fibre that feels similar to cotton but with more loft. Kapok zafus compress more than buckwheat, so they need fluffing between sessions. They suit practitioners who find buckwheat too firm against the sit bones.
Zafu Height and Your Body
Zafu height should match your hip flexibility. Sit cross-legged on a hard floor without a cushion. If your knees rest at or below hip level, a standard zafu (12 to 14 cm) provides adequate elevation. If your knees rise above hip level (indicating tighter hips), you need a taller zafu (16 to 18 cm) or can stack a zafu on a zabuton for extra height.
Some practitioners sit in half-lotus or full-lotus positions, which require less hip elevation than simple cross-legged sitting. Kneeling meditation (seiza) uses a different cushion shape: a crescent or rectangular zafu that fits between the calves, supporting the body weight while kneeling. Standard round zafus work for seiza if turned on their side, but purpose-made kneeling cushions are more stable.
Oubonun Throw Pillow Inserts
Zabuton Base Cushions
A zabuton is a flat rectangular cushion (typically 70 x 80 cm, 5 to 8 cm thick) placed under the zafu to cushion the knees and ankles from the hard floor. Sitting directly on a zafu without a zabuton puts the full weight of your crossed legs on the floor surface, causing numbness, pain, and pressure marks on hard flooring.
Cotton-filled zabutons are firmer and flatter, providing dense cushioning that does not bottom out. Polyester-filled zabutons are softer initially but compress faster, requiring more frequent replacement. For practice on carpeted floors, a zabuton is less critical but still provides beneficial additional padding. On hard floors (wood, tile, laminate), a zabuton is essential for any session longer than five minutes.
Yoga Bolsters
Bolster pillows designed for yoga differ from decorative bolsters in density, firmness, and size. Yoga bolsters are packed tightly with cotton batting to support body weight in held poses without collapsing. Standard yoga bolster dimensions are roughly 65 cm long and 25 cm in diameter for round bolsters, or 65 cm x 25 cm x 15 cm for rectangular (flat-bottom) bolsters.
Round bolsters provide more height and a curved surface that suits supported backbends and spinal extension. Rectangular bolsters sit flat on the floor without rolling, making them more stable for supported child’s pose, seated forward folds, and side-lying positions. Beginners often find rectangular bolsters easier to position correctly because they do not shift during transitions between poses.
Using Bolsters in Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga uses props (primarily bolsters and blankets) to support the body in passive positions held for five to fifteen minutes. Supported fish pose places the bolster lengthways along the spine from mid-back to head, opening the chest and shoulders. Supported bridge places the bolster under the sacrum, allowing the hips to rest in a gentle backbend. Side-lying savasana drapes the body over a bolster for gentle spinal lateral flexion.
The bolster eliminates muscular effort in these positions, allowing the body to relax completely while maintaining the stretch. Without a bolster, practitioners either cannot achieve the positions or must use muscle tension to hold them, which defeats the restorative purpose. Pregnancy pillows can substitute for bolsters in some prenatal yoga poses, particularly side-lying positions where full-length body support is needed.
Oubonun Throw Pillow Inserts
Meditation Bench Alternative
Meditation benches (seiza benches) are wooden frames that hold the body in a kneeling position with the seat angled forward. They suit practitioners who find cross-legged positions uncomfortable due to knee or hip limitations. Benches provide a higher, firmer seat than zafus and eliminate pressure on the ankles entirely. The trade-off is portability and comfort on the shins, which rest against the hard floor (a zabuton underneath helps).
Caring for Practice Cushions
Buckwheat zafu covers should be removed and washed monthly. The buckwheat hulls themselves do not need washing but should be aired in sunlight quarterly to prevent moisture buildup and mould. Spread the hulls on a tray in direct sunlight for several hours, then return them to the zafu cover. Replace buckwheat hulls every two to three years when they start breaking into fine dust (you will notice powder on your clothes after sitting).
Yoga bolster covers should be washed according to fabric type (most are cotton, machine washable at 30°C). The cotton batting inside yoga bolsters cannot be washed at home because it takes days to dry and clumps irreversibly when wet. Spot clean the batting through the cover using a damp cloth if spills penetrate. Our pillow care guide covers detailed cleaning methods for buckwheat, cotton, and all other fill materials.
Teresa created SaunaReviewer.com after discovering how transformative sauna therapy was in her own life. Today, she helps thousands of readers find reliable, honest information about saunas, accessories, and at-home wellness. Her mission is to make choosing the right sauna easier, clearer, and stress-free.