Knit Yoga into Everything
Until today I thought my hobbies--crocheting, cross stitching, sewing (I've mastered sewing in a straight line), and knitting (even though I just learned how over Christmas)--made me seem kind of like a grandmother trapped in the body of a 22-year-old. But now that I've heard the infamous Cyndi Lee and dozens of other yogis talk about their love for knitting, I'm going to be more open when people ask me what I like to do on the weekends.
Anything as meticulous and time-consuming as knitting can be a form of therapy. At least it is for me, and a lot of other yogis seem to agree. After a short, restorative yoga class, a group of ladies of all shapes, sizes, and ages circled to either learn how to knit or share their expertise.
"It's not zen. It's not yoga. It's knitting." Cyndi said. "Of course if you do yoga, yoga is a part of everything you do."
That was one of the most profound statements I've heard all weekend and certainly something that I related to. Everyday I'm learning how to incorporate the practice of yoga into my day-to-day life. That means when I do something that I find difficult--like trying to learn to knit two weeks ago from a how-to book--I stop and take a few deep breaths. I'm learning that struggling with anything only makes things harder whether it's knitting, yoga, or a recipe my mom sent me for one of my favorite dishes. Life is one project after another so you might as well enjoy the process.
Comments
Your comments really reasonated with me. I am also enjoying the same combination of experiences as you are. Yoga, knitting, whatever you choose to do....it's all party of life's rich tapestry. And it's kinda neat to read how other people are into the same things. Namaste
Posted by: Meowster | January 18, 2006 05:36 PM
i'm also a yogini who knits as is a friend of mine. I couldn't live without either activity in my life now. Namaste, m
Posted by: monique | January 18, 2006 09:00 PM
Absolutely agree about the relationship between yoga and knitting - each can help the other! Read my article for all my thoughts on the subject, too many for a short-enough comment :-).
Posted by: Marie-Christine | January 27, 2006 03:52 AM