Describe a crafting-related moment of zen. What did it mean to you? Did you learn anything from it?
OririDraco posted this question on Ravelry.com as a “Blogger Challenge” so I’m going to take it since I too hate to ramble in every post. So I’m accepting the challenge.
Describe a crafting-related moment of Zen? It seems like a simple question but for me I don’t think it is very straight forward. I don’t think I have ever experienced one clear cut moment of Zen while knitting but I think over all it has brought a more Zen like quality to my life.
When I’m knitting I sit and focus on my hands and what they are doing. It becomes meditative in a way. Knit 1 purl 1 knit 2 together…every pattern is a little mantra but instead of say om or reciting the Heart Sutra or pondering koans I just sit and be. Each stitch makes me a little calmer. And as time passes, my whole body relaxes and I guess it does become a Zen-like activity. I’m simultaneously connected and disconnected with my surroundings. It is probably as close as I will come to understanding the concept of emptiness without actively studying it or meditating on the idea.
Just as a tangent, the concept of emptiness is a great one. My final paper for Buddhism class in college was on this topic. It’s difficult to understand because your mind keeps going back and forth but I think that from this confusion you reach the “goal” of understanding (or not understanding). We are both self and non-self. I’ve always loved that idea.
Back to the main topic.
I haven’t learned anything from this but I have changed. It has been slow but I have gradually become a calmer person. I listen more whereas I used to talk talk talk. I am happier in the moment than I ever have been in the past. My brother and mother are always worrying about something, their health, current affairs, the neighbors, and I used to get sucked into their worry. Now I can separate from their worry, understand it and not let it affect me. I am finally happy just being (or not being).
OririDraco posted this question on Ravelry.com as a “Blogger Challenge” so I’m going to take it since I too hate to ramble in every post. So I’m accepting the challenge.
Describe a crafting-related moment of Zen? It seems like a simple question but for me I don’t think it is very straight forward. I don’t think I have ever experienced one clear cut moment of Zen while knitting but I think over all it has brought a more Zen like quality to my life.
When I’m knitting I sit and focus on my hands and what they are doing. It becomes meditative in a way. Knit 1 purl 1 knit 2 together…every pattern is a little mantra but instead of say om or reciting the Heart Sutra or pondering koans I just sit and be. Each stitch makes me a little calmer. And as time passes, my whole body relaxes and I guess it does become a Zen-like activity. I’m simultaneously connected and disconnected with my surroundings. It is probably as close as I will come to understanding the concept of emptiness without actively studying it or meditating on the idea.
Just as a tangent, the concept of emptiness is a great one. My final paper for Buddhism class in college was on this topic. It’s difficult to understand because your mind keeps going back and forth but I think that from this confusion you reach the “goal” of understanding (or not understanding). We are both self and non-self. I’ve always loved that idea.
Back to the main topic.
I haven’t learned anything from this but I have changed. It has been slow but I have gradually become a calmer person. I listen more whereas I used to talk talk talk. I am happier in the moment than I ever have been in the past. My brother and mother are always worrying about something, their health, current affairs, the neighbors, and I used to get sucked into their worry. Now I can separate from their worry, understand it and not let it affect me. I am finally happy just being (or not being).
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1 comment:
Beautiful - and amazing how much of a difference needles and string can make.
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