But now I think of nothing but the clay in my hands. Gone stress, gone thunderclouds. It’s a recognizable feeling for many ceramists. Working with clay makes stress melt away like snow in the sun. But how does that happen?
Clay makes you meditate
When I sit with my hands in the clay, I think of little else but manipulating it. How can I bring the image in my head to life? All my attention is on what I want to make and the actions I need to take to make it. There is no room to think back to that difficult day at work, or think ahead to that long to-do list. I am completely ‘in the zone.’
Without knowing it, that’s how I practice mindfulness. Because according to the Center for Mindfulness, that is nothing more than, “being fully aware of the present experience.” So by focusing my attention fully on the clay, I enter the same state of mind as someone who meditates. And that brings a lot of benefits.
Meditation is said to lower your blood pressure and heart rate. It would reduce stress symptoms such as fatigue and insomnia. And it is said to improve your concentration and give you more energy.
These are just a few of the many benefits attributed to meditation. Regardless of the theories and studies, I also hear it from my fellow ceramists. From novice to experienced ceramicist, clay brings peace of mind.
Clay gives perspective
It is a form of meditation, with all the benefits that come with it. But clay has an extra edge. Because working with clay also changes your perspective.
You learn to deal with mistakes and failures differently. You press too hard, or in the wrong place? You slip and there’s a dent in your new creation? Or the clay lands from the wheel on the walls, or on the floor? No problem at all. Clay is forgiving: you can just start over.
As a ceramicist, you discover that mistakes can also lead to something beautiful. Because sometimes a mistake makes your piece turn out better than you originally planned, completely by accident. Just adjust and make something of it, that’s the message.
But above all, you’ll discover that ceramics is about more than that end result. You find joy and satisfaction in the process, in creating. And that’s a mindset that will come in handy in the rest of your life as well.
So grab a lump of clay, put on your favorite soundtrack, and enjoy!
