Blog

Mindfulness and Knitting

Thursday 17th May 2018

Many of my pupils have mentioned how relaxing they have found their new hobby, both knitting and crocheting seem to do the trick in this very hectic and often stressful life. Many of us suffer with anxiety issues.
Consider this: Mindfulness, at its core, is about paying attention and being present in the moment. Beginning meditators are often advised to just sit, and concentrate on their breath for three to five minutes. When the mind tries to wander off to other thoughts, gently and non-judgmentally bring it back to the breath. No mantra (or app) necessary: just breathe in, breathe out, and observe.

Substituting "knit one, purl one" and adding the rhythmic, repetitive hand motions of knitting can induce similar relaxed states as mediation, lowering the heart rate and blood pressure, while engaging the mind and improving concentration. It even offers built-in feedback, because if your mind wanders off to that unkind comment from your co-worker, or what you're making for dinner, you're liable to screw up your stitches. The practice of knitting requires you to pay attention to the pattern and the movement, helping integrate your mind and body in the pursuit of a common goal in the present moment.

While knitting even a simple pattern can induce a peaceful state, more complex designs can help you to set aside thoughts and worries and enter a state of flow. A highly-focused mental state in which you're so involved in an activity that nothing else matters, flow leaves no attention to devote to anything else. And when you emerge from the zone, you'll hopefully have created something beautiful, or at least useful. That sense of accomplishment and creativity, in and of itself, makes knitting worthwhile.

If, like me, you find yourself worried about the future a lot these days, perhaps learning to knit is in order. It won't solve any of our big problems (unless there's a national epidemic of cold heads), but it may help you to quiet your mind and cope with stress so that you can, in turn, engage with the world in a more productive way.

Repeat after me: Knit one, purl one. Breathe in, breathe out.