Day 6. Permeate...

“In the silence of our breath, is peace.”

— Ntathu Allen

In a yoga class I once attended, the instructor said "we do all this work for the sole purpose of finding our way to shavasana." Now, shavasna is the final pose in a yoga class where one rests, not to sleep but to recharge after a period of effort and work. At the time, I thought her statement was odd. After all, why would I spend 50 minutes of effort if the only goal was to lie down and relax for 10? Couldn't I just skip the work and go straight to shavasana?

With more reflection, I realized one must experience the process the work and the rest; both parts complete the process and neither one can stand alone. Again, it's about balance... too much work without rest leads to imbalance and vice versa.

Yoga has also taught me the power of breathing. Using my breath to calm me down or to provide focus. A strategy needed not only on the mat. Isn’t it odd that we breathe all the time without ever giving it much thought?. Our breath is the most important life-sustaining act that we do. How long can we go without oxygen? A couple of minutes? maybe 5? Yet we don't even think about it.

We know how to do the “work” part, let's practice how to do the “rest” part. Using your breath to recharge is a powerful technique that takes only moments. If you find yourself thinking "I don't do yoga" or "this is silly," I encourage you to give this one a try. It isn't "yoga" per se and so what if you feel silly... that's ok too.

Peace seed #6.

Breathe. Allow the oxygen to permeate your entire being. Focusing on our breath provides that moment of rest we need to recharge ourselves in this busy, chaotic world. Today, let’s practice being aware of our breath with this easy technique.

1. Take a comfortable seat, making sure to sit up tall with feet placed firmly on the ground.

2. Place your hands on your lap and close your eyes.

3. Slowly breathe in through your nose to the count of 3 (1-2-3).

4. Pause holding the inhale for a brief moment.

5. And now exhale through the nose to the count of 3 (1-2-3).

6. Pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.

7. Repeat as many times as you need.

When you're feeling stressed, anxious, or looking for a calm and peaceful way to begin your day, repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales. You don’t have to practice this technique in a calm, quiet place with low-distraction. You might find it helpful when walking, in traffic, waiting in line at the post office, sitting in a meeting, or even while knitting.

As you continue to practice this simple breathing technique, perhaps try visualizing the oxygen entering your body, crossing the border of your lungs, hitch-hiking a ride in a fancy car known as the red blood cell, crossing yet another border into the cell, traversing the terrain to a special room, the mitochondria where the oxygen is processed to sustain your entire being…

Allow the oxygen to permeate your entire body from the tip of your head to your big toe. And while the balance of work and rest may seem like a daunting task, find a space to capture that balance for just a few minutes today.

May your day be filled with peace and a few conscious breaths...

~Christina

Our first giveaway!!

This past summer I had the fortunate opportunity to travel to Cordova, Alaska to attend The Net Loft Fiber and Friend’s Festival. I’ll share more on that experience in several upcoming posts however one of the highlights was the people I met and friendships made. At one of the evening potlucks, a woman named Susan came up to me and said “tell me more about this peace thing you do.” So, I explained my dreams, aspirations and goals… That day, I believe a seed was planted and our friendship has continued to grow. I share all of this with you because today’s first give-away is provided by Susan. She has the most generous and giving heart. I’ll send you two skeins of Moeke yarn, locally produced in Romania with “love and care” in the most beautiful blue color. Thank you Susan!

Here’s what you need to do… leave a comment (or email me your comment if you can’t leave a comment for whatever reason) by midnight 12/7 in response to the following statement:

How can you bring more peace to your daily life… whether it’s something we’ve discussed thus far or a different idea you’ve had. Let’s start sharing and cultivating our knitted peace community.

Update.

Hopefully everyone’s yarn is beginning to arrive. Packages went out on Saturday through Monday. I haven’t had a moment to enter the tracking numbers but please know they’re in the mail.

BIG NEWS… on saturday, the name of our goose will be revealed along with the ability to download the pattern. Again, I can’t thank Nicky enough.

Day 5. Positive...

And we stitch on…

How many times today will you enter a password into a computer, on your phone, at the bank, on the television, into multiple websites, even Ravelry? Are you on autopilot as you enter the password? You sit down to the keyboard to type in the code and your fingers take over.

Incorrect password.

You retype.

Incorrect password.

You stop and think, do I have the right one?

Incorrect password.

You slow down to press the buttons accurately.

Incorrect password.

Your frustrations mount as you think “I know it’s this password, what is wrong?”

You persist.

And finally, you are in.

But exactly where are you now? You are “in” where?

We are safeguarding all our information in a tiny little box. And perhaps we are maneuvering in a bit of a fog as we move from one box to the next. While it’s important that our financial and personal information be kept highly secure it’s possible that the more information stored in these little black boxes might be pulling us further and further away from one another.

Having instant access to banking, maps, knitting patterns, online communities, today’s encyclopedias (e.g. Google) is a luxury… can we possibly imagine life without these items… they provide so many ways to connect people, how would Project Peace be possible without this little black box called a computer. There’s a chance that access to all this technology is doing the opposite, it’s isolating us and keeping us closed-off from positive face-to-face interactions with one another.

But can we really imagine our world without this tool? So, today’s post isn’t really about the perils of the internet but rather an opportunity to practice something a little positive as it relates to our use of technology and entering passwords.

Peace seed #5.

How many times do you enter a password every day?

I was recently entering my password and thought, wait this is a chance to tell myself something positive, over and over throughout the day. It’s a way to practice a positive affirmation. It doesn’t have to be just another step on autopilot. So, I changed all my passwords to emphasize the positive.

Find a piece of paper and write on it:

I AM…

Write down 10 words that describe you or what you might like to reinforce in your life. 

For example, perhaps you want a constant reminder to embrace peace…

I AM PEACE.

The beauty of affirmations is that they are short… three words, “I” “AM” and your chosen word.

Now certainly this doesn’t meet the scrutiny of a quality password so feel free to add a symbol, a space, a capital letter or number.

Incorporating a practice of reciting daily affirmations is one way to focus on positive attributes instead of the constant negative self-talk that’s so rampant in today’s world. While I don’t find it practical to add another daily task such as writing down my affirmations, I have found that inserting this simple positive message into my day by using a positive affirmation as a password has been a simple change.

Another option is to use one of your affirmations, again, I’ll use “I AM PEACE” as an example, while knitting. As you sit and knit today, with each stitch recite one of the three words.

Knit (recite I), Knit (recite am), Knit (recite peace). Repeat. In the Project Peace cowl, you’ll find the perfect place to practice this affirmation. In the seeded rib, there are 3 sequential stitches: 3 knits separated by a purl stitch (odd rows) or 3 purls separated by a knit stitch (even rows)… use those 3 stitches to recite your affirmation.

Practicing this technique while knitting can help slow us down and bring our attention to the stitches; switching from knitting on auto-pilot to engaging in the process of each stitch. We’re in such a rush to get done and move on to the next project that we often don’t stop to embrace the moment we are in… so, allow your knitting to bring you into the present, to focus on each stitch, to infuse positive energy into your work.

Notice the rhythmic and meditative section… practice positive affirmations in those stitches of the cowl.

Peace… in every password and stitch.

~Christina

Update

Tomorrow, we’ll have our first give-away so make sure you tune in and read the full blog post to find out how to enter.

Day 4. Pilgrimage...

And so we walk…

The word pilgrimage conjures up images of walks for religious purposes yet going on a pilgrimage doesn’t have to be specific to a faith. Perhaps it's as simple as a walk with a purpose. According to Wikipedia, a pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. There are many famous pilgrim walks including Camino de Santiago de Compostela and to Mecca but even thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail might admit to tackling the arduous trip for some introspection and soul-searching. Or maybe some lesser known trails that might serve the purpose of a pilgrimage including The Hebridean Way in Scotland, Caminno di Francesco (St. Francis Way) in Italy, or Nambe Falls to the El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico.

Perhaps a pilgrimage is as simple as taking a walk with purpose… being present with each step.

I do my best thinking while walking, at times my thoughts fly around like a hummingbird but always, I return refreshed and renewed. I’ve never gone for a walk that I later regretted.

Last spring, I had an opportunity to visit the El Santuario de Chimayo in northern New Mexico. I wasn’t sure what to expect… 1000’s of people regardless of denomination or religious (or lack thereof) affiliation visit this little chapel in the rural mountains outside of Santa Fe. To say it was moving would not do justice to this sacred place. My mum and I walked around the grounds all afternoon healing, recovering, absorbing and just being…

Going for a walk with purpose whether it’s a mile or 2000 is good for what ails us…

Take your knitting along and stop to knit a few stitches along the way (weather depending).

As we walk along this path we call peace, I would be remiss if I didn’t include that going for a walk is not always an option for everyone, not all bodies are “able.” I’ve just begun reading Handywoman by Kate Davies, the knitwear designer extraordinaire from Scotland. It’s made me think about life in a new way… how we come to terms with who we are. But that’s a story for another day.

Peace seed #4.

Today’s seed is simple… be a pilgrim… let’s go for a walk with purpose, if able.

Or at least the task seems simple at first glance but to practice presence maybe a bit more challenging.

So, today, head out for a stroll, be mindful of your steps, breathe in the fresh air, take note of your surroundings, the colors, the textures, the seasonal landscape.

pause, presence, purpose…

“I began my pilgrimage on the first of January in 1953. It is my spiritual birthday of sorts. It was a period in which I was merged with the whole. No longer was I a seed buried under the ground, but I felt as a flower reaching out effortlessly toward the sun.”

— Peace Pilgrim

More information on Peace Pilgrim can be found here.

Day 3. Be present...

“Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment you cannot live the moments of your daily life deeply.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

And we continue…

I learned to knit when I was 9, one year after my mum taught me to sew. Making played a pivotal role during my childhood, as a foundation for my relationship with my mum and a creative outlet. I made a garter stitch rectangle from the brightest shade of yellow, a doll blanket. I’m not sure what happened to my “swatch” but learning to knit propelled me into a world of independence and comfort. I set the needles aside while in college and started again 10 years later, pregnant with our first child.

When I returned to knitting in my late 20’s, we had very little disposable income and with a baby on the way, spending money on knitting supplies wasn’t in our budget. I received a gift of $20 to purchase a skein of yarn and needles from a little yarn shop tucked away in the hills of southeast Ohio. In this remote shop, I found a skein of yarn called “Peace Fleece” and hand painted needles made by the same company. I read the story of the company and how the owner, Peter Hagerty had an idea in the mid-80’s during the height of the Cold War to blend fleece from his flock with sheep from Russia in the name of peace. His vision was to create a yarn that symbolized the collaboration of people from two opposing nations.

Samples of peace fleece needles

This meaningful purchase, this yarn with a story has been a motivating force in my life. So, when I had the opportunity this fall to meet and chat with Peter Hagerty from Peace Fleece I was over the moon excited and nervous. Finally, a chance to meet this man with a vision to create a yarn that captures peace in action. To talk with this man who contributed to sparking my love of knitting and perhaps even cultivated my interest in the relationship between knitting and peace.

And here’s what happened during my amazing conversation that is relevant to today’s peace “seed.” I explained Project Peace and my desires to spread peace around the world through knitting. He sat there with his hand under his jaw and listened intently. He said very little and as this silence grew, I began to get nervous… Was I boring him? Did he think this was silly? Ludicrous? The silence was beginning to feel extremely awkward. I paused.

He took a deep breath.

And then he spoke.

“I’m not sure what I have to offer you but I can tell you this…

be present.”

I sat there feeling a bit reactive… What? Present? Why is he telling me to be present? I’m here aren’t I? I’m paying attention… how does this “offering” relate to Project Peace and knitting?

And then I took a deep breath and let the words perfuse my being.

Be present.

And there it was… the need to be present.

Let go of the agenda, the busy-ness, the assumptions, the listening without comprehending, the squirreling about all day long.

Be present.

Just be…

Mr. Hagerty mentioned his use of horses to work the land on his farm. If he approached the horses with a forceful, authoritative, let’s get it done attitude and then allowed his mind to wander throughout the work, the horses knew. It never went as planned and the horses took over… But if he approached the horses with a collaborative spirit, was present and open to working with the horses; the work was productive, pleasant and rewarding.

Peter Hagerty’s memoir.

We later moved our conversation outside and sat under the stars talking about cultivating peace. The Milky Way seemed just out of hands reach while we chatted with the soothing lull of the waves returning over and over as they embraced the rocky Maine shoreline. You’ve heard of love stories… well, this was a peace-story. And it was here that I knew that if I found nothing else to write about for 21 days, that the most important message was right here… in this moment… be present.

A memory that will last a lifetime. Thank you Mr. Hagerty for taking the time to be present.

Peace seed #3.

Be present.

Peace is presence.

We are busy, so very busy, rushing here and there just like a squirrel.

Today, take the time to be present. Whether it’s during a conversation with a friend, co-worker, family member or while you are taking a walk, studying, grading, listening to a pod-cast, working in a garden, cooking a meal, eating, or grocery shopping. Maybe while you are knitting or reading or even watching t.v.

Don’t tune out but rather tune in.

Our daily lives are filled with the opportunity to be present. And there in the midst of presence you may just hear the whispers of peace.

~Christina