Which Styles of Meditation Use Different Shapes and Sizes of Cushions
The traditional round zafu is most closely associated with Zen Buddhist meditation, or zazen. It is designed primarily for seated meditation and is commonly used with cross-legged sitting positions. The zafu can also be found in other Buddhist meditation practices and in contemporary mindfulness practices that use floor-based meditation. Crescent cushions are another option for cross-legged meditation and can provide additional room around the legs and hips.
Different meditation traditions may use different forms of support. Theravada and mindfulness meditation practitioners commonly use round cushions, crescent cushions, or folded blankets to create a stable elevated seat. Tibetan Buddhist practices may use firmer rectangular cushions called gomdens, which provide a higher, stable sitting platform. For kneeling or seiza meditation, a rectangular cushion, wedge, meditation bench, or appropriately positioned zafu may be used. A zabuton is not generally a meditation seat by itself; instead, it is a larger flat mat placed underneath a zafu, gomden, or meditation bench to cushion the legs and ankles.