Seiza Meditation Stool：PO 2023
Second-Year University Furniture Course Group Project
PO is a Seiza Meditation Stool, completed by my group during our third-year elective furniture course. We initially explored larger woven stools before evolving the design into this meditation stool.
We have settled on a main inspiration for our stool. That is meditation or kneeling stools. These stools are used in various environments for various reasons, but the part that interested us was the effect they had on your sitting posture. Since your knees are also in contact with either the ground or the another part of the seat, your weight distribution shifts. The even distribution along with the angled seat that pushes your hips forward, helps you sit with a straight back. We thought this would be an interesting thing to try and replicate.
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Works Category
Our concept began to develop with a conversation we had about how we like to sit in funny positions. When sitting on chairs we sit on our knees instead and constantly move around. We like to sit on the floor to work as it allows us to spread our work around and have a bit more freedom. This led to talking about how working on the floor can get a bit uncomfortable after a while and that having a stool that made that a bit easier and more comfortable. We then did some research and came across the meditation stool and decided to take that as our main inspiration for the stool.
We are designing for creative students in small houses and small rooms. Living in this environment can have its inconveniences when trying to do physical work at home or when you have friends over. This is another reason we like this concept because it means the smaller stall can be stashed away and pulled out when needed. It also allows you to work on the floor or coffee tables if you don't have a desk.
Seiza (正坐; せいざ 'proper sitting') is the formal, traditional way of sitting in Japan It involves a specific positioning and posture in a kneeled position so as to convey respect, particularly toward elders. It developed among samurai during the edo period and was later widely adopted by the public. A seiza bench (also known as a mediation bench) is an assisting prop for a meditation practice. It is a small seat or stool that allows an individual to comfortably sit in the seiza posture while spending time in meditation or sadhana. So when they placed between the feet, and on which one rests the buttocks when sitting seiza-style. They allow one to maintain the appearance of sitting seiza while discreetly taking pressure off the heels and feet your inferior pubic ramus (lower pelvic bone).
The stool helps with posture such as:
-Keeping neck in line with spine
- Draws back shoulder blades with opens the chest
-Make Spine long and straight with helps keeps the back flat and upright
-Tilts hip bone forward to relieve pressure.
Many Orthodox Christians may use such a stool during their meditation as recommended by Saint Gregory of Sinai.
Kneeling chairs are said to relieve lower back pain and have become increasingly popular in recent years as people seek to improve their posture and address ongoing back issues. Kneeling chairs make you more aware of your posture and encourage core engagement to prevent slouching.
