As wonderful as it is to work at a school that is dedicated to providing opportunities for inner city children, it does get a bit overwhelming at times. The past 3 weeks at our school have been a whirlwind of special days, presentations and extra programs. We don’t know if we’re coming or going anymore! A kind of mad, frenetic energy has built up in the kids (and teachers)that’s threatening to blow at any moment.

I arrived home from work last Wednesday feeling pulled in 20 directions and on the verge of panic.  All I could think was “I gotta knit, I gotta knit…”

With the Cloisters sweater, designed by Sarah Swett, freshly cast on the night before, I had the perfect tool for meditation at the ready.  As the stitches slipped rhythmically off of my shiny new Addi Turbos my blood pressure came down and my anxiety subsided.  Taking a cue from Tara Manning’s book Mindful Knitting , I focussed solely on the beautiful merino yarn slipping through my fingers and the formation of my stitches, not allowing my mind to be pulled back to my troublesome workday.  By the time my son and husband arrived home 2 hours later I was feeling calm and balanced once again and was somewhat surprised to realize that I hadn’t moved from my chair in all that time. 

Knitting meditation had restored my sanity for yet another day.

Posted in classroom, knitting