Knitting ... a creative way to meditate

I've always thought that knitting was like yoga ... and i don't mean because you can get tied up in knots with both activities! Knitting forces you to slow down, to take a moment to rid yourself of worrisome thoughts and life's complexities. It forces you to look at many parts and contemplate how they form a whole object. It also forces your brain to 'fire', concentrate and problem solve.

Like Yoga and indeed, meditation, knitting allows you to release stray thoughts that have been 'busying' up your mind. Because you are concentrating on a new task, your worries will move to the 'back burner' in your brain and simmer there. If you simply acknowledge your troubles but cease to concentrate on them, your mind will open and solutions will begin to appear.

The meditative state is easy to achieve while knitting; the rhythmic and repetitive quality of the stitches and the subtle clicking of your needles can actually induce your desired relaxation state.

It's almost like a mantra. I have actually put myself to sleep while knitting. Truly! I was embarrassed but oh, so relaxed!

So next time your troubles, worries and confusing thoughts threaten your peace of mind, pick up your needles, send those troubles to the back burner and ... relax.