“The creative force flows over the terrains of our psyches looking for the natural hollows, the channels that exist within us. We become its tributaries, its basins; we are its pools, ponds, streams and sanctuaries.” Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women who run with the wolves
Crafts and mindfulness go hand in hand. Mindfulness is defined as, ‘a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment’ – crafts are a great way to access this. The concept of being fully absorbed in a task, feeling the weight of something tangible in your hands, is a great way to be present. It can take your mind off things, help steady churning negative thoughts and anxieties and for those who feel dissociation, it can ground them to reality. It has an almost hypnotic quality as awareness of one’s surroundings melt away, leaving just the task at hand.