Looking into ourselves using meditation and mindfulness is the big new trend. However, I know many people that use other things to center themselves and meditate. I know people who use  yoga, running, cooking, painting, photography, gardening, knitting, or other endeavors. Anything can be meditation, if done in a way that makes you more aware of yourself and soothes you.

I crochet to meditate. There is something about the rhythm, the textures of the yarn, counting, and so on that help me center myself and slow my mind down after a busy day, or to get me ready to face a busy day. The simple act of using a hook to shape yarn to create something soothes me in a way that can only be matched with how lost I can get in a fantastic book or singing a song that I know so well I do not need to actually think about the notes or words anymore.

I have also tried traditional meditation and guided mindfulness exercises. While some have served to soothe and calm my mind, I much prefer using a tactile focus rather than sound or breathing based techniques. I think it is important for everyone to find a way to meditate; whether it with with the expected breathing and mental focus of meditation and mindfulness exercises, the rhythm of running or working with yarn, or the process of sifting flour and kneading dough for the perfect bread. There have been recent studies about how coloring is a wonderful form of meditation.

Here are some of the best books that have come my way that might come in handy if you are looking to learn about meditation, or to turn one of your favorite activities into a form of mediation or mindfulness.

How to Train a Wild Elephant: and Other Adventures in Mindfulness by Jan Chozen Bays

One Zentangle a Day: a 6-Week Course in Creative Drawing for Relaxation, Inspiration, and Fun by Beckah Krahula

Moving into Meditation: a 12-Week Mindfulness Program for Yoga Practitioners by Anne Cushman

The Mindful Mandala Coloring Book: Inspiring Designs for Contemplation, Meditation and Healing by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma

Crochet Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss

In Search of the Perfect Loaf: a Home Baker’s Odyssey by Samuel Fromartz

Turning the Mind into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham

Wherever you Go, There You are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Take a Deep Breath: the Haiku Way to Inner Peace by Sylvia Forges-Ryan, Edward Ryan

Meditation for Dummies by Stephen Bodian