This holiday season, do something different: share a gift that will inspire action. Our Still Sitting Holiday Gift Guide 2025 is filled with thoughtful, intentionally crafted products. Founded by Buddhist monks, Still Sitting takes pride in offering meditation cushions and clothing designed and made right here in Washington. We also offer a wide range of… Read more »
Author: Still Sitting
Cutting Through Silence: The Traditional Instruments of Buddhist Temples
While most people associate silence with the act of meditation, sound too has its place. Bells, gongs, and wooden percussion instruments play a central role in Zen and other Buddhist traditions. They are used to keep time, signal important events, and support ceremonial activities, such as chanting, within the temple. These traditional musical instruments of… Read more »
The History of Buckwheat (And Why We Use It In Our Meditation Cushions)
Buckwheat is great for more than just pancakes (and if you’ve never tried buckwheat pancakes, you’re missing out!). While this “pseudocereal” is hardly a household name in the United States, it has been used for centuries throughout Asia. Traditionally buckwheat seeds are used for cooking, while the outer shell, the hulls make great stuffing material.… Read more »
Can meditation help you lose weight?
There’s a mealtime tradition in Zen Buddhism called oryoki, which translates to “just enough.” The practice emphasizes mindfulness while eating, and, as the name suggests, encourages consuming food without overindulgence. This style of eating is ritualistic and common in Buddhist monasteries and during formal monastic retreats. But if you strip away the formality and the… Read more »
Introducing: The Tilt Chair Cushion From Still Sitting
Meditation doesn’t always happen on a cushion in a quiet zendo. Sometimes it begins in the places we spend the most time: at a desk, in a kitchen chair, or on a living room bench. For many practitioners, especially those with limited flexibility or mobility, seated meditation in a chair is not only more comfortable… Read more »
The Summer Stillness Collection 2025
We’re thrilled to share our Summer Stillness Collection 2025 — an intentional addition to the Still Sitting catalogue, inspired by the people and places that surround us. From the forest tones of our new meditation cushion colors to the hand-painted Darumas crafted from 120-year-old Vashon Island beach bricks, many of these items celebrate the quiet… Read more »
The Bonsho Buddhist Temple Bell: Resonance and Tradition
The bonshō Buddhist temple bell is a symbol of spiritual tradition that — like its resonant peals — echoes across time and culture. This large, bronze temple bell emits a sonorous tone that anchors the mind. In Zen and Mahayana traditions, the deep, full-bodied tone of the bonshō marks the rhythm of daily monastic practice… Read more »
The Best Travel Meditation Cushions
It’s no secret that finding time to build your personal meditation practice is difficult. Especially when you are busy or stressed, putting off good habits and self care can be the default. If you travel frequently or keep long hours at work, sustaining a routine for your practice can be even more daunting. Fortunately, there… Read more »
The Bodhi Tree: A Living Symbol of Awakening
Buddhist practitioners around the world revere the Bodhi Tree as a living symbol of awakening. The majestic fig that sits today at the heart of the Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodh Gaya marks the spot where Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. This tree is believed to be a direct descendent of… Read more »
11 Popular Buddhist Statues and Their Meanings
Buddhist statues are some of the most recognizable forms of sacred art in the world. From the serene image of the meditating Buddha to the compassionate presence of Kuan Yin, these statues—found in temples and home shrines alike—serve as powerful, tangible reminders of the values they embody. They are not only representations of historical or… Read more »
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