Meditation roars at Snow Lion

[attach]5173[/attach]When it comes to meditation, a cushion should fit like a glove.

“Think of it like a shoe,” says Theodore Tsaousidis. “You’ve got to find the right height so when you’re sitting on it you don’t have to struggle to keep a nice relaxed back.”

He says one of his main jobs as steward of Snow Lion The Meditation Shop is helping people pick cushions, which can range in height from 7 to 23 centimetres, so it doesn’t take them a lot of effort to stay vertical.

“We spent a lot of time helping people find just the right cushion so they don’t have to physically struggle being in meditation because there’s enough struggle with the mind,” he says.

In addition to offering around 25 different sizes of zafu cushions and zabuton mats, which are made in house, the shop also has statues, books, teas and incense and holds free meditation classes, workshops and lectures.

“We originally started back in 1978 as a way to support the refugees that were coming from Tibet, through Nepal, through India, to help sell their handicrafts and stuff like that just so they can make a living or survival anyway and that was the main thing,” he says. “And as time went on people wanted more than just the handicrafts, the hats, the shirts, they wanted to know about Buddhism, literature and books.”

In 1980 the shop changed its name from Tibetan Arts and Crafts to Snow Lion The Meditation Shop. Tsaousidis says they liked the name snow lion, which can also be found on Tibetan flags, because it represents a mythical creature in Buddhist art as a protector and upholder of wisdom and compassion.

Although most temples and meditation centers are located in the west-end of the city, he says one of the reasons they’ve maintained their location across from Pape subway station is because it makes them unique to the area.

“Snow Lion became the food bank for spiritual expression and it continues to this day,” he says. “I think that it was a refuge for people and it really still is a refuge for people. It’s almost like grandmother’s house, it has that feeling to come here.”