Purls of Wisdom: Clearing Your Mind One Stitch at A Time

Hello StitchHopper,
I have tried to learn to meditate for many years. I've gone to retreats, bought books, listened to monks chanting, and attempted TM from the '70s. I loved Wayne Dyers, "Getting in the Gap" until I realized it wasn't about buying jeans. So nothing really worked for me, because frankly, it seems like a real unproductive way to spend time. Now, I know that the whole point IS to stop DOING and start being. But, mostly, I would sit there with my half-smile, crossed legs, light eyes, blah, blah...thinking about all the other things I could be doing, or panicking about all things I'll need to do faster to make up for this "lost" time. But I recently started a scarf that had a very simple pattern, but it still required constant thought. The pattern was this: Purl 1, Yarn Over, Purl Two Together,Purl 1, Yarn Over, Purl Two Together:Purl 1, Yarn Over, Purl Two Together. Do you feel it happening? As I sat there, productively creating a beautiful (and practical) accessory, I found myself reaching the most peaceful place. I intuitively knew that I was not wasting time, but at the same time, all the thoughts of loading the dishwasher, and paying the bills and calling my mother (hi, mom) disappeared. I highly recommend this practice and this pattern. The resulting scarf has this incredible jewel-like quality and the lesson is worth its weight in gold: You can purl two skeins with one scarf.