Our Journey
Our Journey
There is a different way of being in the world
Our Story
Welcome to REALthings. Our story begins with you ~ all the amazing people who take time to meditate in the midst of our busy chaotic world. We want to support you and your practice – it’s that simple.
We started making bigger, better, beautiful meditation cushions eight years ago to help people meditate comfortably and successfully. It is so exciting when we sit with people on our cushions and see their faces light up - ah, ha - I can do this!
We quickly realized though that most people need help figuring our what posture and cushions work best for them. So we developed workshops and offer expert advice and experiences to help you find the best posture and cushions for your body.
Meet the Founder
Julie Jarvis
"So many people tell me that they cannot not meditate because they cannot sit straight on the floor. But when they find the right posture and cushions, they discover they can sit straight naturally and meditate successfully.”
A long time meditator, I saw so many people struggling to find a way to sit comfortably on the floor that I started a company to make bigger meditation cushions for North American bodies. It wasn't enough to make them bigger, though I wanted to make them better - high quality and by hand, and beautiful to inspire people.
As a speaker and educator, I have helped thousands of people find the right cushion and posture to sit quietly and meditate successfully. I also work with companies, retreat centres and individuals to create beautiful calm spaces to breathe and be still.
Hand Sewn
Local Artisans
All our products are handmade in Canada. They are designed by Julie Jarvis in collaboration with our Master Artisan, Dolma Tsering. Before moving to Canada and joining REALthings, Dolma worked for 20 years with her husband, Dorje Wangdu, a Tibetan Applique Thangka Master who worked for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Monastic communities. Dolma is the heart of our production team.
As a social purpose business, making cushions locally in respectful, planet friendly and inspiring ways is really important to us. We use natural and organic fabrics and stuffings, and we have minimal waste. For packaging we use hand stamped cardboard boxes and bio-degradable recycled plastic that we tie with bows made from our fabric scraps.
We are always looking for ways to collaborate and partner with other like-minded artisans to share resources and raise our spirits.
In Search of Fair Fabrics
Textiles & Weavers
Our premiere handwoven silk and cotton fabrics come directly from weaving collectives and NGOs in Cambodia, India and Indonesia. These NGOs are working to build healthy, sustainable communities and meaningful livelihoods.
Supporting local business is a priority for us. We source all our natural stuffings and our gorgeous twills and patterned cottons from suppliers in Canada and the United States. We also have a few treasured fabrics from small shops we find in our travels. All fabrics are selected by Julie.
