Buckwheat zafu

[Hoyu]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Kirk wrote:
But you can replace the buckwheat; it's a lot easier than replacing kapok.

Oh sure. The flattening out hasn't bothered me and once it gets too flat I know it can be refilled. The thing which I dislike most is that over time, when it does break down, fine buckwheat powder begins to sift through the cotton fabric. The dust gets on clothing etc.

Gassho,
Hoyu(John)

[Dokan]

Re: Re: Buckwheat zafu

Mine is pretty flat,

Is that from normal use, or did you remove some of the buckwheat?

Yeah like Hoyu said I think its from use. I do the "lean forward and pull up the back" technique which I think flattens even more the front side.

Gassho

Dokan

[Dosho]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

The hulls just break down over time. Even to the point of powderizing and breaching the Zafu fabric. Kind of dusty
I decided my next one will be cotton to avoid this issue!

Hoyu,

I can say from experience that cotton does not hold up very well at all as my first zafu was stuffed that way and it flattened VERY quickly. I have since stuffed it (really over stuffed it) with buckwheat hulls and it is much improved. Yes, there is always a bit of the dust problem, but the issue could be more about the zafu's type of material. Mine has a very tight weave and the dust doesn't go through it at all. I really only have to deal with the dust when I go to add some extra hulls.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Kaishin]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Kapok seems to hold it's shape pretty well (make sure you are "fluffing" after each sit) and fairly easy to add more (at least to my zafu). Although it is a bit messy as well.

Hogen's got me interested in that SeiFu now too... :mrgreen:

[pdxrain]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Wow, I've never seen a seifu before! I am excited to try one out. I am a slightly bigger dude - around 280lbs, and I think this could help with some of my lower back problems I experience during zazen. Thanks for sharing!

[Kaishin]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Wow, I've never seen a seifu before! I am excited to try one out. I am a slightly bigger dude - around 280lbs, and I think this could help with some of my lower back problems I experience during zazen. Thanks for sharing!

If you get one, let us know! I can't justify the expense since my current zafu works OK.

P.S. I lived in PDX for a couple of years in the mid-2000s... pretty awesome city, I miss it!

[Kaishin]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

I just stuffed another half-pound of kapok into my zafu. Makes a big difference. I experimented a bit as well, adding another support cushion underneath. The extra height really helps with longer sits.

[Nindo]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Matt, where do you get the kapok?

[Kaishin]

Re: Buckwheat zafu

Nindo, I got it from the MRO store at dharma.net/monstore

They sell by the pound