Crafting Heals Me...
It has been a rough few months for me, I am yet again reaching the time in the semester where I count the days until it is over. If you have happened to notice a more negative tone in my comments, posts, anywhere you run into me, this is the cause. Most days now are spent wresting minutes from the clock, and my sleep schedule is never good, and now it is non existant.
I am a full time college student, studying Humanities. I have found that transferring to a major state university comes with it's own difficulties. My courseload is tremendous. I am seriously thinking of starting a humanities blog, simply because of the amount of work I have compiled in the short ten weeks since classes started. Top this off with unemployment, raising a two year old, and maintaining a (EXTREMELY) long distance relationship...well it's sort of like in cartoons when someone gets hypnotized. That's what my brain feels like.
I feel like my brain never stops now...but what I have found is that making time for crafts has become one of the most deeply healing parts of my life when I am stressed. The creativity, the repetitive action, the focus and the distraction, all of these enables me to quiet the turmoil that is my thoughts. It feels like turning a raging river into a calm moving stream.
I used to laugh at my older female family when they turned out barrels of knitwear, or paintings, or sewed ridiculous clothing. But the older I get the more I understand why women seem to find such an affinity with craftwork and artisanship, especially as we age. I think women have a need to create that transcends simply giving birth. I feel in some sense that the force of creation resides within women, and must always be a comfort to her regardless of where she is in the aging process.
The slide of a needle, the smokey odor of burning wood, the focused and delicate movments when painting, to me are like an elixir of healing. I feel my soul become calm when I am crafting. I feel fulfilled when I hold my finished creation in my hands. I give thanks to my Goddess, Freyja, and the Norns, for making me a woman, and investing me with the force of creation.
I know alot of crafty women, and just thought I would share my thoughts, as I am sure many can relate.
In Frith,
Cena
My weekend project: Three Norns Weaving (pyrography and paint.)
I am a full time college student, studying Humanities. I have found that transferring to a major state university comes with it's own difficulties. My courseload is tremendous. I am seriously thinking of starting a humanities blog, simply because of the amount of work I have compiled in the short ten weeks since classes started. Top this off with unemployment, raising a two year old, and maintaining a (EXTREMELY) long distance relationship...well it's sort of like in cartoons when someone gets hypnotized. That's what my brain feels like.
I feel like my brain never stops now...but what I have found is that making time for crafts has become one of the most deeply healing parts of my life when I am stressed. The creativity, the repetitive action, the focus and the distraction, all of these enables me to quiet the turmoil that is my thoughts. It feels like turning a raging river into a calm moving stream.
I used to laugh at my older female family when they turned out barrels of knitwear, or paintings, or sewed ridiculous clothing. But the older I get the more I understand why women seem to find such an affinity with craftwork and artisanship, especially as we age. I think women have a need to create that transcends simply giving birth. I feel in some sense that the force of creation resides within women, and must always be a comfort to her regardless of where she is in the aging process.
The slide of a needle, the smokey odor of burning wood, the focused and delicate movments when painting, to me are like an elixir of healing. I feel my soul become calm when I am crafting. I feel fulfilled when I hold my finished creation in my hands. I give thanks to my Goddess, Freyja, and the Norns, for making me a woman, and investing me with the force of creation.
I know alot of crafty women, and just thought I would share my thoughts, as I am sure many can relate.
In Frith,
Cena
I worked at a university so I can understand a little of what you are experiencing. All I can say is hang in there. Who much longer do you have to go?
ReplyDeleteI love your perspective on this! And you are absolutely right. I know as I've gotten older I've begun to craft more, to find things to do with my idle hands. Right now I have no less that 4 crocheting projects in the works, a quilt that's almost done, and a number of other crafts that need to be done before Yule. But it gives me peace. It gives a satisfaction, and it allows myself to stop overthinking things and just do. Great post, thank you for linking up to PPBH!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kourtney
Ila, I have about a year left for my Bachelor's, but plan to continue on to my Master's. It is tough in my current life situation, but is the most rewarding experience of my life. I finally feel as if what I am studying makes me passionate, now that all my gen ed is finished and I can focus on my major.=)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kourtney, I have so many projects going at once, I defo understand the feeling. I just love crafting!