how to fold a cushion from a blanket

[Kotei]

Hi all,

I just recently learned from a friend of mine, how to fold a cushion from a blanket.
We've been a day/night fishing. Early morning, he saw me folding my blanket to sit and said something like:
"If you need to do that hocus-pocus, you should at least sit on an acceptable cushion".
I've made a short phone-video to show you how, because I am happy to finally have found my future way of sitting while being out in the woods.

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

[Talib]

Nice
Gassho
#sat today

Sent from my SM-G360P using Tapatalk

[Mp]

Very cool, thanks Ralf. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Jakuden]

Love it!

Gassho
Sierra
SatToday

[Shugen]

Thank you Ralf.

Gassho,

Shugen

#sattoday

[Meishin]

Thank you, Ralf. That is so helpful. A group from various contemplative practices are meeting for a weekend retreat at my home. I'd been concerned that I have only one zafu. But we have many blankets.

Gassho
Meishin
sat today

[Jundo]

Lovely. As long as it is firm and high enough to stably hold the body through the sitting periods, and does not press the legs in a way to cause them to "go to sleep" ... wonderful.

A "Zafu" (the round cushion we sit on) is just a traditional cushion ... but it is just a firm and stable cushion. One does not need a Zafu to be "official".

As a matter of fact, I believe that the Bossman Buddha himself was said to have sat on a firm pile of leaves.

Gassho, J

SatToday (on a Zafu)

[Meishin]

For us old ones, a pile of leaves would be very uncomfortable.

Gassho
Meishin
sat today (also on a zafu)

[Joyo]

Thank you, Ralph. Very helpful

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Kotei]

Thank you for your kind words, happy that you find it helpful.

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

[Roland]

So useful! I take my zafu with me when traveling these days, but that's not always self-evident, so I'll keep this nice technique in mind. I also posted the video on our Facebook page, I hope that's okay.

Gassho
#SatToday
Roland

[Kotei]

Hi Roland,
thank you for posting it there, always happy to be useful.
Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

[Shinzan]

Very sweet.
I've had occasion to sit zazen just on an appropriately sloping hillside; whatever it takes to put the pelvic bone and spine in a stable upright position.
_/\_ Shinzan
sattoday

[Kyonin]

This so awesome!

I sit in 2 folded blankets to adjust the height, but your method looks pretty useful. I'll give it a shot!

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[broahes]

Thank you Ralf. After trying this this afternoon I'm excited to go on my next out doors adventure. It was a great alternative.

Gassho,
Brooks

[Theophan]

Ralf,
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing
Gassho
Theophan
Sat Today

[Geika]

Awesome! Thank you, Ralf!

Gassho, sat today

[Kaishin]

That is very cool, Ralf! I will have to try this--thanks for sharing!

-satToday

[Risho]

That is awesome. Thank you!

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Getchi]

Thankyou!

Used your method this morning on a mountain, worked wonderfully. Will definitely be using it again.

Gassho
Geoff
SatToday

[Jundo]

Let me just emphasize ... this blanket folding may really be an emergency measure for travel and such, or when one really cannot get a Zafu.

Why? Well, I am not sure, but I get the feeling that it it is not quite as stable as a Zafu, and does not support and hold together as well. It may not be a good long term measure.

So, how do we know?! AN EXPERIMENT!

Would some of our experienced Zafu sitters try sitting on the rolled blanket for some days? Although the results will be purely anecdotal and rather subjective, how is the experience the same or different? Feel as balanced, supporting? How is your back and butt? Etc.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Kotei]

Thank you for your kind comments and openness to try.
I am curious, too, and will try it on and off in the next days.

What I've been observing for now:

Like mostly, when folding and wrapping is involved, the stability differs massively with the effort, you take in making it.

After the first fold, the diagonally one, the moved edge should not lie directly on the other, they should instead be side by side with a little space between them. This is to have an more even 'blank' to roll it up.
The later folds should not leave lots of gaps between the layers. (that would be unstable)
They (folds) should be quite parallel, so the "zafu" afterwards is 'plain' on the surface, not with a hollow/hill on top.
Also the roll up should be done with some pressure applied, to enable the folds to support each other.

The height is adjustable by choosing a different "first parallel fold" height.
The supportive strength is adjustable with how tight you roll it up.

There is a (german) saying "Wie man sich bettet, so liegt man".
"As you make your bed, so you must lie in it."

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

[Kyonin]

Hi Ralf

I tried your blanket-zafu during the week and I really like it. I used a big blanket to fit my big bottom. The first version it was too tight and it was too hard to sit on, but the following days I tried to make it a little loose and it works like a charm.

Also you can adjust the height, which is very important for me.

I'll keep on using it and let you know how it goes

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Byokan]

Thanks Ralf! That's really, really cool. I will definitely use that when camping and such, or anytime a little seat is needed.

I'm curious about using it as a zafu. When you sit on it, does the front angle down so that your spine has the correct curvature, and your legs don't fall asleep? And does it hold it's shape, meaning you can hold your posture for the whole time sitting without too much readjusting of your posture? (I'd try it out myself but am currently sitting with one leg straight out in an ankle cast.) I'm interested to hear how this works for people; thanks to all who are experimenting and reporting.

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Jundo]

Thank you for your kind comments and openness to try.
I am curious, too, and will try it on and off in the next days.

What I've been observing for now:

Like mostly, when folding and wrapping is involved, the stability differs massively with the effort, you take in making it.

After the first fold, the diagonally one, the moved edge should not lie directly on the other, they should instead be side by side with a little space between them. This is to have an more even 'blank' to roll it up.
The later folds should not leave lots of gaps between the layers. (that would be unstable)
They (folds) should be quite parallel, so the "zafu" afterwards is 'plain' on the surface, not with a hollow/hill on top.
Also the roll up should be done with some pressure applied, to enable the folds to support each other.

The height is adjustable by choosing a different "first parallel fold" height.
The supportive strength is adjustable with how tight you roll it up.

There is a (german) saying "Wie man sich bettet, so liegt man".
"As you make your bed, so you must lie in it."

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

This is a well engineered blanket-Zafu! But I won't ask for the 3-D CAD renderings.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Kotei]

@raindrop:
I am sitting a little different on that blanketzafu. A bit more 'on the edge' and a little higher. As the outer layer of rolls is not so much supported by nearby folds, it is less supporting.
I think I will stuff my "original"-zafu with more kapok. I sit more comfortable on the blanket, but that is, because it is higher and more supportive...
I hope, that your ankle gets well soon!

@jundo:
3d... no, this time I refuse to take the bait ;-)
was programming with a physics simulation engine some years ago and started immediately to think about how to simulate the different types of textile, the blankets are made of... thin cotton vs. polyester vs. thick wool... Mine are swiss army woolen blankets, they're maybe a little more supportive and with a better shape memory.

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday

[Byokan]

Thanks Ralf!

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Kyonin]

Hi Ralf

After a few days of using the blanket-zafu I noticed my butt hurt. That's because I rolled it up too tight! It was too hard to sit on it.

So I re did the zafu, but the roll was a lot looser than the first attempt. Also, I did the first fold a little taller so the zafu better for my height. Now it was nice and fluffy!

I'll keep on experimenting

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Kotei]

Hi Kyonin,

thank you for your observation.
I am somewhere between thinking that it will disintegrate with rolling too loose (it did not) and having a too hard cushion.
Maybe my very thick woolen blanket is to be rolled with low pressure, because it is very stable on its own.
I feel totally ok, sitting on it for some days while on a journey.

For now, I'am switching back to my 'original' zafu, but have modified that one with more Kapok to have it higher and more supportive.

Gassho,
Ralf sattoday.

[Rich]

Thanks, this a great idea when traveling.

SAT today

[Dojin]

Make this a sticky. A great idea!

[TyZa]

I just tried this method with a thicker wool blanket I have and it seems to work really well. I plan on getting a "true" Zafu but this can hold me over until then. I was surprised at how durable the blanket sushi stays together once properly tucked at the end. It sat high enough for me to get my western knees to the floor comfortably and also tends to compress forward a little helping with my spinal posture.

I would love to hear if the great blanket Zafu vs. traditional Zafu experiment continued and what traditional Zafu owners found.

Gassho,
Tyler

SatToday

[Kyosei]

Bumped in this topic just today. Great!

Will do something to my fiancée (and maybe my soon-to-be stepson, or anybody else) sit with me.

Many thanks!

Gassho!

[lorax]

Wish I had that skill when I was in the hospital for a long period of time, pillows just did not do it. Also when we travel never found a good way of sitting in hotels and at family houses. Thanks so much for sharing.

SAT TODAY

[Anshu Bryson]

I travel frequently with work and use Ralf's folded-blanket zafu all the time when travelling. I forgot to unfold it once; I wonder what the hotel staff in Manila made of it... ;-)

Gassho,
Anshu

-sat today-

[Kotei]

Hi all,

thanks for finding it useful.
I am still using this kind of cushion, when en route or sitting with a visitor.
My 'real' zafu is a little more comfortable, but I am considering the folded one really ok, also for more than one day in a row.

Gassho,
Kotei sattoday.

[Fredrik]

This is brilliant! I will try it next time I paddle. Thanks!

Sat today

[Chishou]

This, just this.

Deep bows to you, sir.

Simon/Chishou
Sat on a buckwheat zafu.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ryudo]

This comes in very handy since I am traveling at the moment!

Thank you Ralf.

Gassho
Marcus/RyuuDo
SatToday/LAH

[Kotei]

Kotei sattoday.

[bayamo]

this is wicked brilliant

[Souchi]

Neat

Gassho,
Stefan/Souchi

SatToday

[bayamo]

tried this last night and it worked as a charm, it even "held up" over night and was able to use it this morning #sattoday, so again, thank you Kotei and his friend

[Geika]

Sometimes I remember my blanket zafu and wonder if it was better than my actual zafu!

Gassho, sat today, lah