Zen Knitting

     I recently finished reading the book 'Zen and the Art of Knitting'.  It's a quick read that explores the meditative value of knitting.  Turns out that a lot of people knit as a form of meditation, or calming the mind. This made me feel much better about having a somewhat sparse meditation practice.  Since I knit every day, I feel like I am reaping some of the benefits of meditation when I knit.
    The meditative qualities of knitting include the counting and repetition of motion involved with knitting.  The fact that your mind is focused on saying 'knit, purl, knit, purl' or whatever your pattern, means that your mind isn't running rampant.  So knitting can be a great tool for calming the mind, and helping to focus your thoughts. I also find it is a great way to distract my mind when I am stuck on a problem at work. I will walk away, knit a few rows and let my subconscious work on the problem for me while I relax. Then when I come back to my problem, I feel much more centered and able to solve it.
     Knitting also teaches patience. I laugh when people see what I have made and tell me that they don't have the patience to 'do that' because I never used to think of myself as a patient person.  But ever since I began knitting, I have become much more patient!
    Learning to knit, like learning other complicated tasks, can be frustrating at first. But once you figure it out, it becomes that much more gratifying to know that you did it!  You figured it out! You solved the problem.  By continuing through the process, you build your self-confidence and self-esteem.  And when you get stuck with knitting, there are always plenty of resources available to help you through.
    Let me encourage you to reach for your knitting when you feel anxious, stuck, frustrated, lonely, empty or anything else. And I challenge you to see how it can change your mood and adjust your state of mind. Make a practice out of it, do a little every day. If your knitting project is the source of your frustration, start another project that is easier and you know you can complete, to build up your confidence before tackling the more challenging project. I hope you can find the peace of mind and the zen in the art of knitting.