Meditation practices are becoming more popular every year with individuals from all walks of life. Countless numbers of people are finding that meditation can help take away the stress and worry that comes with today's high speed lives. If you are undertaking any form of meditation or yoga it is essential to retain the correct posture. To loosen up your joints and muscles it is recommended to carry out a number of stretching exercises before you begin. For any form of meditation to be successful it is essential that the practitioner feels comfortable. Choosing an appropriate meditation pillow will help you to get the most out of your meditation practice.

Keeping your spine correctly aligned in a straight position is essential during most forms of meditation practice. Apart from certain types of yoga, most meditation will involve being seated on a comfortable pillow or cushion that will help to ensure that your spine is straight. The exact posture that this gives will help you to maintain the correct breathing technique, which is both rhythmical and slow.

By choosing a suitable meditation pillow or cushion your muscles and tendons will be relaxed and any stress and tension can easily leave from your body. With no tension or stress present in your spine, legs, and knees, you will be able to focus completely on your breathing technique. With the right pillow you will find that meditation is easier to master and the results will be greater.

There are a number of different meditation pillows available in specialist shops or through the internet. If you are not sure of which kind would be best suited for you, then you can ask you teacher for their recommendation. One of the most commonly used forms is zafu pillows. These have generally been associated with eastern practices such as Zen and Buddhism. If you have the opportunity you could try out a few different types. Zafu pillows are available in various shapes and sizes that are beneficial to the majority of meditation practices.

A commonly used form is round shaped. These are especially useful for those people who practice lotus postures. They are also versatile and hard wearing due to their pleats which enables them to fit the practitioner better.

Another popular choice is crescent shaped zafu pillows. They differ from the round shaped variety in that they can give more support to the upper thighs. Also they are smaller and therefore easier to transport and carry.

The cylindrical pillow is also worth considering. These are known to give more comfort to the lower legs, especially the ankles and knees.

The fillings inside meditation pillows often consist of buckwheat hulls. These are fireproof and conform to the latest safety regulations. When purchasing any meditation pillow or cushion you should ensure that they have passed the latest fire and heat resistance tests. Buckwheat hull fillings are also a hard wearing substance that does not compress easily so the pillow can retain its shape for a long time.

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