Knititation
Mindfulness for busy, fidgeting minds
Mindfulness has become a commonly used term in our ever busy, crazy, stressful lives.
And then came COVID 19 ...
It’s all very well being told to meditate or do yoga daily to combat the stresses and strains of everyday life.
For many people and for many reasons, this just isn’t possible or doesn’t work for them.
In fact, this is how Knititation came into being.
James McIntosh, as many of us do, hit a very large brick wall several years ago and couldn’t even get out of bed. Traditional methods of ‘mindfulness’ that do help many in this situation, just didn’t work for James.
Knititation brought James out of a moderately severe depressive episode ... one stitch at a time.
James McIntosh presented a TEDx talk at Kings College London about Knititation entitled ‘Is hand knitting a mindfulness based approach for fidgeters?”
You can watch his TEDx talk
HERE.
"Knitting won't solve the world's problems, but by practicing Mindful Knitting (i.e. Knititation) many answers to your own personal problems can be found."
So, what is Knititation and how does it work?
Dr Thomas Ernst FRCP explains:
Traditional mindfulness-based interventions can be seen in the busy, modern Western world as old-fashioned, unproductive or negatively spiritual. Hence in the West, alternative ways of creating benefits similar to meditation have been explored. One of them is the practice of knitting in a mindful way, rather than knitting as a distraction technique.
So, before going any further, a quick reminder of what the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are:
● Stress and anxiety reduction
● Improved sleep
● Prevention of relapse into depression
● Chronic pain reduction
● Better type 2 diabetes control
● Improvements in blood pressure
As well as other benefits relating to better personal relationships.
Many may see MBSR as a fairly rigid research tool in meditation, and boring to practice! In fact, my patients tell me this.
Knititation and other mindfulness-based interventions provides these patients potential access to the benefits of MBSR in a friendly and enjoyable way. Knitiation specifically evolved as a result of observing the effect knitting had on James’s gradual recovery. Furthermore, a sense of ‘self-compassion’ is also felt when you wear your knitted items. This all leads to a sense of personal well-being and in turn self-empowerment.The use of the breath in traditional mindfulness techniques as your present moment anchor is simply replaced by a new stitch in Knititation, which is also in the present moment.
James says:
“A stitch becomes a breath, the next stitch becomes a feeling. I realise, just as a stitch is tangible and integral to a knitting project, that my feelings and emotions are real; I am worth something. If that stitch was not there the project would fall apart, if my feelings and emotions are not there, then I fall apart.
James is living testimonial to how effective and healing Knititation can be.
Through Knititation James achieved:
● Better sleep.
● Less smoking, and has now stopped completely (after 23 years of smoking 20 a day) .
● No more anxiety and gone are the winter blues.
● Easier stress management.
● Return of normal energy levels.
● Creativity in abundance.
● Dealing with multiple family deaths.
But, best of all, his life became colourful again …
one stitch at a time.