Little stool for seiza.

[kennin]

I once saw this little stool, which was used by Japanese people to sit in seiza for a long time.
Now there is someone in our dôjô who has very bad ancles, so she should not strain them. This little stool could come in handy for her, so she can sit more comfortable.
Some questions: how is this kind of stool called?
Is it available in retail?
Are there plans available to make some yourself?
It would be real stupid if she had to stop training only because the opening and finishing ceremony. And not doing the ceremony is just way too... "doh".

[Stefan]

Sorry Kennin, I don´t know, but look at your signature...

Shouldn´t it be BUDO?

[Ruediger]

Achim,

not really sure if this is what you're looking for, but anyway...

In Germany there is a shop called "Klang und Stille" (check out their Website http://www.klang-stille.de )
A few years ago they offered a "special seat for seiza" (haven't seen it in the last few catalogues, but maybe you can ask). In their new catalouge they offer different seats for meditation, which you can also use for sitting in seiza (i have one).

http://www.klang-stille.de/shopindex.html

then SHOP --
SITZUNTERLAGEN (ZABUTON), SITZBÄNKCHEN, ABLAGE --
Meditationsbänkchen (7 Artikel)


regards

[Jason Chambers]

Check with the folks a Bugei Trading... I think I remember seeing something like that there a while back.

http://www.bugei.com

[kennin]

I'll check them out as soon as possible.

And Stefan, you can write it budô or budou. Both are correct. Budo is not entirely correct since the "o" is pronounced long...

[HanashiBugeisha]

Greetings. I went to http://www.google.com and put the words *seiza bench* in to the search field. I found many sites that offered the bench you are looking for. Here is the URL to one of the more affordable benches.

http://www.zenmtnemp.com/sitting_benches.htm

[Kevin73]

I have seen these benches in alot of Aikido magazine. I made one for myself using some pine wood from a deck we had built. It only took about 30 minutes from start to finish and I love using it.

If you know anyone with even alittle bit of skill and has a saw you can build one really cheap. that is the route I would go.

[Harold James]

You can buy one of those little benches or to save money and time just take good sized old hardbound book (one that you don't want to read)- old dictionaries work well. Get down into seiza but raised up straight and put the dictionary on ground- spine up,between your knees, but keep your toes the way you like them and then sit down on it and there you go.

Easy. Quick. Seiza Bench. But maybe you don't want to do this in your class, but at home... why not

[arcane]

http://www.samadhicushions.com/cushions/kneeling.html
http://www.fourgates.com/benches.asp
----
Marcus Abrahams

[Edited by arcane on 02-04-2001 at 08:46 PM]