One morning at tea ceremony class, I was sitting Japanese-style on the floor, minding my own business. Evidently, my American-style slouch caught the eye of my teacher, who commented to me, “Cathy, when you sit, you look like an old lady”. Since then, I’ve tried to mind my posture, but it just takes too much energy. After an hour preparing tea, or a long, terribly exhausting day writing blogs, my lower spine becomes physically unable to support my upper body. I lose about half a foot as my lower back slumps as low as my pelvis allows.

After many years of living in Japan, I realize that good posture is an innate characteristic of their culture. In Japan in the old days, school children who don’t sit up straight in class get paddled on the hand by their teacher. If you’re a Buddhist monk and you don’t sit up straight, your teacher whacks you on the back with a long bamboo stick. When I was a kid, in school the only punishment I ever got were demerits. In comparison, the fear of being whacked with a bamboo stick is sure to give you a back as straight as a flagpole.

Alas, my jelly core probably won’t do my health any favors, so to improve my posture I could try the products from Foot Techno Inc. Originally a footwear company, they discovered that walking properly in high-performance shoes stimulates the brain and spinal cord. From this discovery they introduced the world’s first meditation aroma, which enhances creativity and memory. Also, to specifically correct posture, they created the Chie-Mat (Wisdom mat). It’s a high-tech, ergonomically designed cushion specially made to straighten your posture and, as a side benefit, sharpen your concentration. When you sit on the Chie-Mat, it naturally adjusts your posture into the correct alignment, no effort (or bamboo sticks) required.