3 posts tagged “hollyhock”

One of the ways I gather mental wool is to obsess for a while about books I want to write. Sadly I have so far lacked the attention span to write them, but I name them, and play with them and even sometimes do workshops about them. Fortunately other people, blessed with the attention span I lack, often write excellent versions of the book I was intending.  Such is the case with Mindful Knitting

, by Tara Jon Manning.  I saw it first on Vox (cannot remember who posted it) and then immediately made it my own.  Lovely book.  Not exactly the way I would have done it, but lovely introduction to both meditation and some sweet patterns.  So imagine my surprise when a couple of days after the book arrives in the mail, II get a call from my local knitting guild.  Somehow this woman has the idea that I'd love to do a workshop for the guild in mindful knitting.  How did she know????  But yes, indeed I would. 

I imagine that my efforts to market my October 9 workshop at Hollyhock have not fallen on completely deaf ears, even though I don't think the exact words, "mindful knitting"  were actually used in the description of that session.  I trust simply that the goddess made all the proper translations, the book surfaced on the blogosphere and I'm the lucky beneficiary.

Anyway, I really do believe that people become enchanted with the practice of knitting (or crocheting or weaving or spinning  in the same way that they fall in love with a practice, be it meditation or yoga or tai chi.  The repetitive rhythm helps to soothe and slow down the mind -- allows for everything to relax and let go (some of us need this more than others).  Perspective re-enters the picture.  The more mindful you can be about your practice, whether knitting or tai chi, the more peaceful you will become and the more excellent your practice will be(not to mention the beauty of the products you produce.  The lessons you learn can often be generalized to the ouside world.  The "untangling" or "unknitting" disciplines are two examples that come to mind.  Anyway, now that I have received my "call" I can hardly wait to meet other mindful knitters.  Maybe we could create a  real sangha (that's buddhist for  'knitting group").

Despite the fact that I do strategic planning for a living, I must admit I'm not one for elaborate long range planning in my personal life.  However, I have a date on the calendar for next October to be leading a workshop at Hollyhock that will involve all things fibrous.  (Note to self, learn to weave.) Anyway, Hollyhock is a deleriously wonderful spot to rest, recuperate and regain your sanity, but it is a tiny bit on the pricey side.  If (unlike me) you are a thrifty long range planner, you can sign up for this workshop before December 31 and get this year's rates locked in. 

I'm pretty competent at the knitting, crocheting, spinning, needle felting arts, and I will either have learned to weave by that time, or my friend Joy will be joining me to add that piece of the puzzle.  Lots of new toys to try.  For anyone who is interested in learning how to connect their intentions to their handiwork, I'll also be offering guidance on how to amplify the therapeutic, hypnotic, meditative, and soulful aspects of your craft.  And did I mention, community?  There is nothing more conducive to great group energy than handicraft.  I like this quote someone gave me long ago at a yoga ashram, but I don't know who it's from: 

So I went to this knitting retreat at Hollyhock last weekend and had a great time.  What's not to like about knitting in a beautiful spot with a bunch of unusual and wonderful women and being fed three meals a day, plus oysters on the beach one day?  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  The workshop leader,  a competent knitter/instructor, did not add a whole lot to the experience, but really, I hardly noticed, I was having so much fun. 

Anyway, a professional hazard of being a professional facilitator is that when in a group I tend to facilitate, especially if no one else is.  Tried very hard to keep my head down and just knit, damnit.  Failed.  One conversation led to another and before I knew it I was workshopping an idea for the retreat I really wanted to be having. 

I imagine myself doing for knitting what Michal Murphy did for golf at Esalen.  For those who love them, all of the fibre arts produce a lovely, peaceful trance state.  Focused, calm...time flies by --just like we would like to be in all of our endeavors.  The thing about trance is that we can use it to transform ourselves.  We can go deep into our unconscious states (and those of others) and we can plant little seeds of suggestion or aspiration that will miraculously flower at later times.  We can knit protective spells into our baby sweaters and invoke the sprits of our grandmothers.  Oooh, the posiblities for the inner game of knitting are simply endless. 

So I submitted a very hastily written proposal to Hollyhock, and I have now managed to convince myself (and a few others) that it's a book waiting to happen.  The Knitter's Way, perhaps?  Anyway, stay tuned.  If Hollyhock decides they want me, I think it will be an intense year of developing this into (at the very least) a magazine article, and perhaps a major motion picture.  Next stop, Esalen.  Michael Murphy, move over.  Actually, it would be fun to have a simultaneous fibre-craft session for the golf widows, don't you think?