Over the last couple of years, it has become more evident than ever that knitting and meditation is a great tool to reduce stress and become more mindful. Today we would like to talk about the advantages of knitting and what great impact this hobby can have on our lives. We will also give you some tips on how to use knitting for stress relief. Read on to find out more.

Can Knitting Be Therapeutic?

Yes, it certainly can. Knitting has positive effects on our mental health. 

But there’s more to it. 

Knitting also reduces depression and anxiety

• lowers the blood pressure
• distracts from everyday problems and chronic pain
• reduces isolation and loneliness
• possibly slows the onset of dementia
• improves fine motor skills
• is as relaxing as yoga
• gives room for creativity
• and overall increases the sense of wellbeing.

Mindful Meditation and Knitting

Slowing down is sometimes hard in our busy lives, especially in the current climate, where we may feel the need to ‘get going’ again.

Attending social events and a busy work schedule can be overwhelming. Finding mechanisms to cope with that pressure is vital to staying healthy, both physically and mentally.

Practising meditation and mindfulness is therefore a great tool. This can be supported by our amazing hobby.

Knitting has been proven to be as effective as meditation and is actually a form of meditation itself.

Mindful Meditation requires 3 attributes. 

They are: –

• Intention
• Attention
• Attitude. 

As knitters we are used to all of them as we start our knitting project with an intention. We then practice attention by concentrating on our hand movement, feeling the texture of our yarn and needles and creating a fabric with our own hands. Last but not least we develop positive attitudes. We accept our creativity and indulge in this beautiful craft that we can call our hobby.

Here are some amazing tips for you if you want to slow down and be mindful knitting:

• Pick knitting projects that you enjoy. Having projects on the needles that are not enjoyable will not give you the same reward. Spend your time wisely. 
• There’s nothing like `selfish knitting`. Gift yourself a self-made knitted garment or accessory. You will be able to value it more than anybody as you know how much work you have put into it.
• Take time to enjoy the process. As nice as it is to post a picture of a finished object in your Instagram feed, you might find that the more you focus on the project, the more enjoyment you will get out of it. That’s a real meditative loop!
• Feel the texture. Spend time choosing yarn that makes your heart sing. And use needles that work perfectly with it. Having the right tools will make the process much more enjoyable. 
• Take a breath. Whether it is a deep breath at the end of every row or a little break to sip your favourite tea. Being mindful encompasses all of it

Conclusion

Knitting is the hobby for everybody who wants to slow down and relieve stress. Planning a mindful knitting retreat for yourself can change your whole mindset, so why don’t you take a minute and make a plan a day for yourself? 

The above tips on mindful knitting can be implemented gradually and we promise, you will see the benefits over the time. If you want to find out more about our Mindful collection, make sure to visit our website.