Active Meditation - "Mindfulness" in Action

I have found over the past few years that some activities I enjoy are actually quite meditative. By this I mean that I can become very relaxed and peaceful just by doing them, my mind is untroubled, my body isn't as tense, and I generally feel lovely doing that activity.

For example, gardening. Basic weeding and cutting back of overgrown plants can be a great way to relax the mind, whilst not having to sit still and 'try' and clear your mind - a typical perception of the more passive style of meditation. (Not always true, by the way.)

Often I notice the little things, just walking through the garden. Like this:

This is a Ceylon spinach plant vine in my back yard, taking the opportunity to attach itself to the nearest object.

Another form of active meditation for me is spinning yarn, which is so lovely as I let the spinning action of the yarn twist and grab hold of each bunch of loose fibres I hold in my hand. The rhythmic & gentle pumping of the treddle to turn the wheel creates, for me, a kind of rocking and soothing motion that lulls me into a wonderfully peaceful place....

This is my spinning wheel, and that's Meg in the background, my 'middle child'. The odd looking stuff I'm spinning is actually a mixture of all sorts of fibres, bits of yarn, fabric & even cotton balls, created in what's called a fibre sandwich. Creating this mix of 'stuff to spin' is also actively meditative, as a few of us at my craft group got together and added a variety of spinable items into a layered pile, then segmented it all for each of us to take away and spin or felt. We all stood around the edges of the layers, moving around, adding bits here and there and generally enjoying the process of creating somethin very new and original! The final product from my spinning is this, a crocheted bowl:

I've nick named it 'Carnival Carnage' - it's a bit of a dog's brekky, but for me it was about learning something new, not necessarily about the prettiness of it. I love it, by the way! It's a downright frenzy of textures and colours and I MADE IT MYSELF!

I'm sure if we all look at the simple things in life that create a calmness we hadn't really noticed before, perhaps we might learn to see them as little saviours each day. They help us to keep our feet on the ground, not let the complexities of life win over our sanity, and they are good for our sense of self, oneness. That's important, because we find that our true selves, without the layers of externalities like impressions, expectations, obligations and general material elements of day to day living, are really quite peaceful, and thrive on opportunities to feel that calmness.

So, take a walk around your garden and notice the lovely things, sit in a park and watch the birds or the people coming & going, or the ripples on a river or shore, and let your mind just float...