Knitting is my yoga

You have probably heard it before - "knitting is the new yoga". I must be around 10 years since U heard it first time, in other words it is not so "new" any more. Neither has i replaced my yoga, but it lives next to my yoga.

Question is, why do they say "knitting is the new yoga"?  Thing is that yoga and knitting to a large extent make the same things happen in you.

Repetions are the key

Yoga uses repetitive physical movements and postures to affect your mental state, so does knitting. It is the rhythmic, repetitive movement that is the key. As you knit stitch after stitch, again and again, the rhythm will have a calming effect on your heartbeat and breathing, thus creating a sense of inner balance and calm.

Serotonin 

Studies show that repetitive movements in animals increase the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical substance that we humans produce in the body and some researchers believe that serotonin is the substance that balances our mood and if we have too little serotonin it can in the long run lead to depression. Another example of such repetitive movements is when we rock babies whether in a cradle or in our arms in a rocking chair, the repeated rocking has a strong calming effect.

Feeling of mastering

It should be said that knitting does not have the same effect on everyone. Some people like the undersigned, get the same peace of mind from both yoga and knitting, while others swear by one or the other. Why? It can largely be explained by the fact that no matter what we are doing, it is when we get into the flow and feel that you have mastered it, that you have the greatest benefit and enjoyment from what we are doing. If we don't master the basics, we won't be able to find the flow and thus get all the benefits an activity gives us

In other words, the best thing to do is knit on :)

And if you want to move further into the mindfulness and knitting, don't forget to join the NICE mindful knitting experience that starts on February 13th. CLICK here to sign up for the free event.  

Knitting greetings from Anne

_{Sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/16/knitting-yoga-perfect-bedfellows (5.2.15)
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/open-gently/201311/should-you-knit (5.2.15)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232248.php (5.2.15)}