Did you know that your crafting fits perfectly with mindfulness? It’s true!
What is mindfulness anyway?
To me, mindfulness means being fully aware and tuned into the present moment, to be conscious of what is going on inside and around you. In other words, it means really paying attention and living in the present moment – not allowing all the background noise, to do lists, and anxious thoughts consume all the available space in your mind. After all, there’s only so much energy available on any given day to give your attention to. It means moving through the world in a calm and peaceful manner, especially when it comes to the thoughts that go on in your head about yourself. Mindfulness is about accepting yourself and treating yourself well.
This practice is free (score!) and available to everyone on the planet. It only takes a little intentionality and you can unlock the full benefits for yourself.
What are the benefits anyway? Well, there are ton, but I’ll list some of them here.
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Regulates heart rate
- Increases your attention span
- Helps you sleep better
- Enhances your mood
- Increases energy
- Promotes self-awareness
- Reduces chronic pain
How do I do it?
Here’s an easy way to get started that doesn’t require any extra videos/audio/fluff. You can do this anywhere.
- Find a comfortable seating position.
- Bring your attention to your breath. Notice how the air moves in through your nose, your belly rises, and then the air is released.
- Consider being intentional with your breath and creating a counting pattern for your inhales and exhales. An example could be that you inhale for 4 counts, hold for a second, and the exhale for the same 4 counts.
- Think about the very top of your head. Imagine scanning your body slowly, from the top of your head, all the way to the soles of your feet. Take notice of any spots that you come to in your body that are painful or need your attention. Imagine relief for some time and then continue until finished.
- Notice your wandering mind. Be kind to yourself about this and gently bring your attention back to your breath and your body scan until finished.
See?! Easy peasy! Incorporating this simple practice into everyday life is a great way to get started.
How can I incorporate it into crafting?
Ok, so now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s talk about how you can weave meditation or mindfulness into knitting, crochet, or sewing. One of the easiest ways to go about this is to bring your awareness to your breath as you’re working on a project.
This is what it looks like for me:
- Inhale for 4 knit stitches, and exhale over the next 4. Repeat. I continue in this way, focusing on my breath and the counting to 4 on repeat.
- I bring my attention to the yarn flowing through my fingers. Is it a toothy, rustic wool? Is it wonderfully soft and squishy? How do I feel about the color? Is it a soothing tone or bright and energetic? What does the fabric being created feel like? What does it smell like? I think about the feeling of the needles working in my hands. How are my hands feeling? Are they happily working away or is there some pain that might need my attention? What do I love about this feeling – knitting or crochet?
This can even be carried into other areas of your life that might be rhythmically driven. For example, when I was training for a half-marathon a few years ago, I did this same thing with my breath – I’d create a breathing pattern for my runs. Inhale for 4 steps, exhale for 4. So simple, and extremely effective.
If you’re wondering about meditation guides, there are many apps, websites, and free YouTube guides for meditation.
Some of my favorite resources are The Mindful Movement, Calm, and My Peace of Mindfulness.
There is literally no place that you can’t try this. A lot of times, this is all it takes for me to feel a massive relief in feelings of worry, fear, being out of control. Sometimes situations and places in life can bring up intense feelings of anxiety. If you can, bring your knitting or crochet along with you, and give this practice a try. If it doesn’t pan out the way you hoped for on the first try, keep going anyway. It will get easier over time. Remember to be kind to yourself about your mind wandering, too. You’re definitely not alone in experiencing this happening. Many of the most practiced and influential people in the sphere of mindfulness and meditation admit to the constant need to notice that they’re thinking of something else and gently bring their attention back.
With a little practice, you’ll be experiencing benefits in no time! If you read this and decide to give it a try, I’d love to hear about your experience. Leave a comment or send me a message.
Happy, peaceful crafting! <3
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