For those following my Dharma Talks on Wednesday, here is a contact at San Francisco Zen Center where you can purchase elegant meditation cushions, mats, and incense. They are very well made. There is no markup. And I receive nothing for recommending them

Dharma Practice —Helpful Products.

Takudo (Asia) manages the San Francisco Zen Center (City Center )Bookstore.

They sell very well-made meditation cushions (made locally) and both kapok and buckwheat zafus are $50. (Zafu is the round cushion you sit on. Buckwheat is VERY firm.) Zabutons are a square mat about 1 ½” thick, about 3 ft. on a side which the zafu sits on. The Zabuton protects your ankles from being ground into the floor.) They are $65.

They also sell various sizes of small square support cushions ($10-20) These are handy to prop up a knee or raise the pillow.

Another option is a locally manufactured seiza bench ($80). You kneel, and put the seat over your calves behind you, and then sit. They are very comfortable and prevent undue harm to the knees.

Shunryu Suzuki’s books Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind and Not Always So are available there for, $17.95 and $16.95 respectively.

Zen Center has a very elegant incense, made in Japan that is very reasonable and nothing like the cloying Indian incense you might be accustomed to.

You can reach Asia at bookstore@sfzc.org or call 415-354- 0397

Again, there is no markup on these items. They are very reasonable and beautifully made. I’ve had my zafu for over 45 years, and they are posted here as a service to those interested in pursuing meditation.