TreeLight Yoga Bench

The TreeLight Yoga Bench™ (patent-pending  is as easy to sit in as a chair, but good for your back and good for advanced meditation positions. Every member of the family can use it!

Take a break. Meditate!

I sat comfortably and stably with the knowledge that I could easily change positions should recurrent pain from an old hip injury occur.  The portability of the bench is clever, too.
–Nancy McClenny

About the Bench

The bench was designed for meditation. While using it, a yoga practice developed around it—one that can help you develop the strength and flexibility you need to sit well for extended periods. (Believe it or not, particular kinds of strength are needed, along with specific kinds of flexibility.)

The design of the bench was inspired by a futon! With one bad knee and limited flexibility, meditation was difficult on the floor, so I began meditating on the edge of my futon. I found it particularly comfortable at one corner, where the mattress had pulled away from the edge, making a very comfortable slot for my foot.

That was the initial inspiration for a bench that can be used with either leg (or both, or neither!). The rest is soon to be history!

The fine-furniture version depicted above is at home in any decor, and can be complemented with a choice of cushion colors. The legs fold, too, for easy transportation and storage.

Using the Bench

Meditation

• Sit as though in a chair, sit in Lotus Pose, or anywhere in between.
• But while you can sit as though on the floor, it’s a lot easier to get up and down.
• Or sit with one foot up and one down—a position many find extraordinarily comfortable (something most people can’t do in a chair or on the floor).
• And it’s easy to change positions.

Yoga

• Use the bench to make asanas easier. Add a Yoga block to get height at multiple levels.
• When you need to take a break, sit comfortably and meditate.
• Use the combination of asanas, exercises, and asana-performance techniques described in the Bench Yoga manual to accelerate your progress.

Grow to Lotus

• Start wherever you are comfortable—as though in a chair, with one foot up, or in a cross-legged position.
• Use the asanas and exercises in the Bench Yoga book to progress from one stage to the next.
• Gradually progress in stages, until you reach the ultimate position for meditation—Lotus Pose.
• No matter what stage you’re in, reside in comfortable position, conducive to meditation.

Get the Bench!

• Buy the bench and other yoga/meditation accessories at MeditateBetter.com.
• Or spend $1 to get plans you can use to build one of your own.

On the Way…

• The next step will be a crowdfunding campaign(s) to fund a low-cost stackable-plastic version of the bench suitable for use in yoga studios, meditation centers, corporate multi-use centers, YMCAs. and YWCAs, plus the funding needed to market the blazes out of it!

What Users Say…

From a golfing buddy who doesn’t meditate, do Yoga, or sit on the floor:

A moment after the video ended, I asked him to sit with one leg on the ground, and be aware of the position of his back. I had noticed that he was in the perfect “J” pose, when he did that — and after he put one foot down, he agreed. It was fascinating to find that even someone inexperienced found their back in the perfect upright position when sitting with one leg up — much better than sitting with both legs up, or both legs down.

Learn More

• Get the Bench Yoga book for comprehensive explanations and instructions for using the bench, plus advice on giving a class!
• Read the Quick Start Guide (PDF) for a fast introduction.
• See Jayamala’s explanation of meditation posture, and how to achieve it. (She uses the bench to make things easier.)
• See the YouTube Bench Yoga Channel for instructions on using the bench.

To find out about Bench Yoga workshops, to get announcements for new books and articles, and for updates on the Yoga Bench and accessory products:

• Join the MeditateBetter announcement group
• Follow Eric on Twitter: @ericTreeLight
• Send an email
• Support Eric on Patreon

Copyright © 2017, TreeLight PenWorks