The history of the rin bell is deeply intertwined with meditation practice. During meditation, everything around you is involved in the experience – from your meditation cushion to your surroundings. Indeed, silence itself is an integral part of the meditation experience, but sound is as well. The rin bell acts as a stark counterbalance to… Read more »
Category: Zen
Who is the Bodhisattva Kuan-Yin?
In the pantheon of Buddhist deities, the bodhisattva Kuan-Yin (also Guan-Yin, Guan-Yim, Kuan-Yim, Kwan-im, and in Sanskrit, Avalokiteshvara) occupies a special position of honor and affection. This is especially true in the lay Buddhism of China, Japan, and to a lesser extent Vietnam. The Goddess of Compassion, Mercy & Kindness The reason for Kuan-Yin’s popularity is… Read more »
Thoughts from Still Sitting During this Crisis
We are Here for You We are here for you at Still Sitting. We are committed to safely continuing to support our customers with meditation supplies. But the truth is you don’t really need new meditation cushions right now. We believe that everyone already has what they need to face our new uncertain reality. Uncertainty,… Read more »
The Making of a Rakusu
Many weeks in our Vashon Island workshop, Lidunn handcrafts beautiful rakusu. In this case from a few years back, she re-purposed a Japanese obi into a custom rakusu for a customer. A shortened version of Buddha’s robe, the rakusu is a symbolic garment worn by Buddhist practitioners. Its form has evolved over centuries, incorporating elements… Read more »
The Sleepy Sit: Staying Awake While Meditating
Staying Awake While Meditating When we lived at the Mt Baldy Zen Center we began our day at 4 a.m. with a pucker-inducing dose of hot lemon tea, followed by almost an hour of chanting. Both tea and chanting helped keep everyone awake while meditating. Monks and nuns of all types get up before dawn… Read more »
Create Your Meditation Space
To sit still you need at minimum a couple of things: time and space. We recommend you take time for your meditation practice, and also that you think a little about the space. Do you have a dedicated meditation space? A little sanctuary you can retire to when you need it? How about a clear… Read more »
A Look at the Earliest Buddhist Statues
This guest post by Robert Cain takes us on a tour of some of the earliest historical instances of Buddhist sculpture. Sculpture is the visual art form most closely identified with Buddhism. The types of Buddhist statues that we see today took time to develop, and changed significantly along the way. This post will highlight some of… Read more »
Prison Sangha at Washington State Reformatory
A most gratifying aspect of our work at Still Sitting is creating products that serve people in meditation. We are honored to provide a comfortable seat to anyone engaged in this challenging, quieting work. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with a community leader who uses our cushions for a very special purpose. Amy… Read more »
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