Compassionate Knitting: Finding Basic Goodness in the Work of Our Hands

There is a growing movement in this country towards an interest in knitting as a craft and a spiritual practice. Tara Jon Manning, expert knitter and the author of Mindful Knitting, uses her background in Shambhala Buddhism and Eastern arts to incorporate these two seemingly disparate ideas in her compelling new knitting book, Compassionate Knitting

Compassionate Knitting: Finding Basic Goodness in the Work of Our Hands is a knitting book unlike any other. The 20 original-design projects included in this book range from small accessory items and gifts to wearable garments-all of which include personal ritual in their creation or use. Each project is inspired by an element of the world around us, based on a contemplative theme drawn from Shambhala Buddhism and Eastern arts or, in some cases, Western notions of the magical and mindful.

The unique projects featured in this creative new book invite readers to develop significant and satisfying connections to their projects, the knitting process and those for whom they knit. Knitters can deepen their relationship with the craft and explore how it inspires compassion and connection with the basic goodness in the world. Continuing the author's concept of mindful knitting, Compassionate Knitting encourages readers to relax in the moment, and provides readers with a path for personal development through knitting.

Tara Jon Manning has received teachings from numerous Tibetan Buddhist meditation masters, including Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama. She has been exploring the use of knitting as a form of contemplative practice and the role of spirituality in art and craft in her own life and work. She is the author of Mindful Knitting.