I’ve distilled the wisdom gleaned from years of creating as an artist, designer of Younger Knits, entrepreneur and Buddhist meditator into a new book, Be, Awake, Create: Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity. It was written to spark the reader to create in any media they choose through creative exercises, inspirational quotes and penetrating journal prompts.
Knitting was my earliest experience of a contemplative creative practice. In the book, I tell the story of what inspired the dye technique that led to my signature knit designs, and the challenges that led to its innovation. I write about the value of craft and how a repetitive practice, like knitting, can calm the mind and cultivate mindfulness, along with other creative practices.
Having taught meditation and creativity for years. I draw on that teaching experience to provide the reader with a wealth of activities to guide them gently through their own creative journey. For it is only in the doing that the reader can make discoveries that make the writing more meaningful.
This book will be of interest to collectors of Younger Knits, meditators seeking new ways to take their practice into daily life, artists interested in meditation and anyone wanting to enhance their life with more creativity.
from Chapter 2 – Being on the Dot
Be, Awake, Create Book Excerpt
Long before I learned to meditate, I was an avid knitter—so much so that my mentor suggested using my knitting for artistic expression. He observed that a large unfinished painting remained on my easel for years, yet I spent hours knitting compulsively. While I eventually finished the painting, I took his suggestion. I started designing knit garments to exhibit in wearable art shows. For the next twenty-five-plus years I worked as a fiber artist, creating and selling thousands of garments showcased in museum exhibits, craft shows and on magazine covers.
What did I find so compelling about knitting? I was relaxed in the present, without concern for the past or the future; I was on the dot. The feel of the fiber, the repetitive motion of the needles, and the richness of the colors connected me to my physical sensations. I was totally absorbed in the activity, without doubt or hesitation, because my mind and body were in synch.
The soothing repetitive motion lulled me into a contemplative state or kept me closely focused depending on the pattern I was knitting. I might drift into a reverie, moving to the steady rhythm of a ribbing or garter stitch. Slowly turning a length of yarn into a garment, my hours of effort were measured in inches of knitting. Only later did I realize this was a form of mindfulness meditation in action.
Mindful or Mindless Activity
There is no guarantee that doing a repetitive activity will cultivate mindfulness. It is a matter of where you place your attention. You can either be mindful or mindless. Mindful means you are present with an activity with an attentive and inquisitive mind. The activity becomes the object of your meditation. Just as with sitting practice, when the mind strays you gently bring it back to your present activity. You attend to the physical sensations of what you are doing, synchronizing mind and body.
In a mindless state, your attention wanders while the hands or body are active. Perhaps you daydream, watch TV, talk to others or simply space out. While your body is active, the mind is elsewhere. You are not fully present. Being mindfully engaged in an activity strengthens your ability to be present, not only in the current activity, but also in other parts of life.
Once our mind and body are synchronized and settled, we can direct our minds to contemplate a specific intention with each repetition. Intentional creating imbues the objects with the energy of that intention. For example, those who knit prayer shawls offer prayers for the recipient with each stitch. Tibetan monks create sand mandalas with tiny grains of colored sand, while invoking the qualities of the deities in the process. Art making, in turn, becomes a sacred ritual.
In this way, a repetitive activity can open us to our embodied wisdom, by aligning the head, heart and hand in the present. Will you use your creative time to stay present with what you are doing? Will you contemplate a goal or another creation you want to make? Or send loving kindness to someone you know? Or perhaps generate a positive quality, like compassion, equanimity or devotion? The body activity keeps you grounded, returning you over and over to your intention in the moment.
Read more about the Younger Knits story and developing a contemplative creative practice in the book. Go to: https://rebekahyounger.com/books
Adapted from Be, Awake, Create: Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity
by Rebekah Younger ©2019 – Reveal Press
Praise for Be, Awake, Create
Rebekah’s voice is wise; her advice, practical; her insights, profound.
Be, Awake, Create is full of inspiring exercises and motivating quotations. Once you pick it up, you can’t put it down; and when you do put it down, you just want to rush off and do something creative!
Enlightening, challenging and inviting, “Be, Awake, Create” is a breath of fresh air for any artist, regardless of medium or level of experience.
The author cleverly weaves her own story – of developing and honing her craft, overcoming surgery and finding joy in the shadows – into the book, infusing it with a deep sense of intimacy. We see her own personal journey of self-development and understand the experiences her beautiful advice and guidance stem from.
