Crochet as Spiritual Practice: Incorporating Breathing

For those just joining in, here's a summary of the previous post about Crochet as Spiritual Practice:
A spiritual practice is an activity that you do regularly which either pulls you into your inner space or connects you with the greater universe. Try spending 10-15 minutes each day crocheting and only focusing on the yarn and pattern in front of you, pushing other thoughts aside.


Maybe you've seen my previous post. Maybe you've even been practicing. Awesome! How'd it go?
For me, quieting my mind can be difficult. Once I get into the stitches, I can sometimes get a groove going, and that helps. So, I set myself a timer for 15 minutes and probably spent the first five trying not to think of other things. "There is no try, there is only do or do not" Yoda says, and so it is with trying not to think about stuff.

There are some things you can do to help cut down on that first five minutes of busy mind. My favorite is special breathing. Here's a few ideas:
1. Breathe in deeply and let it out slowly. Listen to your breath.
2. Count your breaths. In 1, out 2, in 3, out 4... Go up to 10 and then start over.
3. Alternate nostril breathing. Put your hand up where you can hold your nostrils closed. While holding your right nostril closed, inhale through the left nostril for a count of 4. Close both nostrils and hold for a count of two. Open your right nostril and exhale for a count of 4. Repeat twice or until you feel more relaxed.
4. Take three short breaths in, and have one slow breath out. This can easily continue while you're stitching.

Take some time to do each one this week. See what helps you relax and focus. Feel free to leave a comment with questions, suggestions, or observations. See you in a week for more Crochet as Spiritual Practice!