This is another Olympics post. As I said last week, I haven’t watched a whole lot of the Olympics, but a few stories have come across my newsfeed. Last week I was struck by Simone Biles’ experience of the dangerous and heartbreaking “Twisties.” This week I was charmed by the darling and heartwarming story of Tom Daley’s case of what I’m calling the “Knitties.”
Tom Daley, a diver from Great Britain, recently won a gold medal for the men’s synchronized 10 meter dive. But it’s not his diving that caught my attention. Rather, it was pictures like the one above of him knitting various things while sitting in the stands cheering on his teammates and friends. He even made a pouch to hold his gold medal.
Daley says he took up knitting and crocheting last year during the pandemic to help get through the lockdown. Since then, he says it’s become part of what he calls his “mindfulness routine.” Along with yoga and visualization, Daley knits as “a way of escaping everything for a while.” Through his stitching, Daley is tapping into a phenomena I like to think of as meditative movement—a way of calming one’s mind through simple, repetitive or rhythmic movement.
Oftentimes we think of meditation as trying to sit still for 20 minutes in silence. But meditation can take many forms. If sitting still isn’t your cup of tea, you might want to consider meditative movement. Moving your body can help quiet or clear your mind. Mindful or meditative movement is about focusing your attention on the small movements your body makes when taking a walk, or knitting a scarf, or stretching your muscles, or pulling weeds.
So there’s more to our Stitches & Stories time than just good snacks and fun stories. It’s also a way to practice quieting our minds as we go through the motions of creating something beautiful or useful. We have two sessions left so there’s still time to come out and join the fun. Whether you stitch or not, whether you have a story or not, you’re welcome to come and find your rhythm among friends.
And if stitching is not for you, I pray you find your version of the “Knitties.” Find and practice a meditative movement that helps settle your mind—swing a golf club, paint a picture, put together a puzzle, mow the lawn, try a yoga class. Move your body, Settle your mind. Center your soul.
In Love,
Pastor Annette