Zen and the Art of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity

by Bernadette Murphy

This volume uses knitting as a metaphor to discuss the unity of all life and the spirituality involved in all endeavours carried out with mindfulness.

Genres: Knitting, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Crafts, Philosophy, Psychology, Memoir

212 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Bernadette Murphy writes about literature, women, risk taking, and life -- from motorcycles to knitting. She has published three books of narrative nonfiction (the bestselling Zen and the Art of Knitting, The Knitter’s Gift, and The Tao Gals’ Guide to Real Estate); her newest book, Look, Lean Roll: A Woman, A Motorcycle, and Plunging into Risk, will be published in Spring 2016 by Counterpoint Press. She is an Associate Professor in the Creative Writing Department of Antioch University Los Angeles and a former weekly book critic for the Los Angeles Times. Her essays have appeared in Ms. magazine, Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Rumpus, The Nervous Breakdown, San Francisco Chronicle, The Oregonian, San Jose Mercury News, Newsday, BOOK magazine, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and is the mother of three amazing young adults. Her website is Bernadette-Murphy.com.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. I bought this book the day after the presidential election in 2004, on Broadway from one of the vendors. I read it that Christmas and adored it. Unfortunately, I left it in my house where it was destroyed thanks to the levees. I need to get a new copy. Cheezy, new age, and totally comforting.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

On my bookshelves are these titles: "The Joy of Knitting," "Cheaper Than Therapy: Joy, Healing and Life Lessons in Fiber," "The Knitting Sutra," "At Knit's End," "The Yarn Whisperer," and "Knitting Yarns." You might guess I enjoy reading what others think about this hobby that so fascinates me.
My reaction to Bermadette Murphy's "Zen and the Art of Knitting" probably suffers because I've read so many similar books. I find the book repetitive, had a hard time distinguishing between the women -- and all her knitters were women! -- who find knitting to be meditative, to be therapuetic , to be spiritual, to be creative. To me, those qualities are all so interlocked, I didn't really see the distinctions she was making.
The book has many charming aspects. Each chapter starts with a simple knititng pattern and ends with a suggested project to expand your knitting experience. Murphy interviewed many admirable and interesting women. Her own story of learning to knit to cope with a serious dance injury and to build a relationship with a reserved and intimidating Irish aunt is one of the most compelling aspects of the book.
I don't know why I continue to read these knitting as spirituality type books. Perhaps because I was a lonely knittier for many years when the craft wasn't very popular, I just enjoy reading about others' perceptions about it. Though I think this genre of books tends to exaggerate knittings' qualities compared to other hobbies. Though I like the idea of it, I can't honestly say.knitting puts me in a zen state.
In the end, I much prefer Elizabeth Zimmerman's zesty attitude toward knitting than these oh-so-earnest authors who I think make a bit too much of it. She took so much joy in "unventing" a new technique and in excellent workmanship. I highly recommend any of her quirky and highly expert books about knititng.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself compulsively knitting between sections of the book - it really inspires your hands to start moving! Murphy does an excellent job of interweaving many sub-narratives into a single tome. A lot of the book focuses on the meditative aspect of knitting and the intricate lessons to be learned through the process of creation. The art of patience, endurance, silence and ripping out stitches to start all over again if need be. The diversity of knitters represented offers something for everyone. You don't need to be an expert knitter to enjoy this book. I just picked up knitting again after a long break and this book greatly encouraged me to stick with it. To enjoy the present moment and the magic that results from two sticks and a ball of wool.

[Kathie Boselowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who loves to knit but needs just a minute to put down the plethora of projects we tend to have will find this book a great break. It's refreshing, inspiring and a bit spiritual. The author tells her story of how she came from a very low point in her life, losing her very serious boyfriend to death, losing her career due to injuries, and found solace in knitting. The first chapter she went to Ireland, and her great aunt (I believe) taught her how to knit. Typically of just beginning, it was a series of knots.... but it goes from there.

I love, love, love this book. I keep it by my bedside table, or in my knitting basket. It's well-worn. I wrote an email many years back and received a lovely email in return.

Just a wonderful book.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reinforced how I have always felt about the stitch..the summer of turning 10 I taught myself the continuation of an already 3 inch knitted piece/peace from 2 odd sticks attached to a ball of yarn my Mother had purchased for me at a garage sale in 1968. She handed it to me in a rumpled paper sack. Such a colorful time in our world made the knitting even more soothing...each stitch is a breath that gets laid aside from time to time but always picked up again with joy. Best summer ever.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely little book filled with philosophy, insights, and several knitting patterns. What more could a knitter want?
Bernadette Murphy writes about knitting, but the book is much more than this. It is therapy for the knitter. What that creativity means and how inspirational and healing this craft can be. Even if you are not a knitter, you can use her thoughts in any kind of craft you enjoy.

Quotes: "I've learned to make peace with the chaotic nature of life, to sit still when upheaval surrounds me, to do nothing when nothing is required."

"It isn't so much what we do with our lives, but how we do it."

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repetitive and not particularly interesting. Kind of a "duh" kind of book. But not so bad if you're into self-help and knit or if you don't know a lot about Buddhism in practice.

[Gwendolyn B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the theme of interdependence. Each stitch depends on another, and damage to a part is damage to the whole. We depend on each other to hold the garment all together and, more pragmatically, to learn skills from one another.

Honestly, this book was hard to get through only because it kept giving me the urge to set is aside and pick up my knitting . . .

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books about knitting as more than just a means to an end (the finished product), and this is the one I return to time and time again when I need to explore just a little deeper. Ms. Murphy captures the essence of knitting on a deeper level with her writing via study and interview. She writes concisely, with just enough anecdotes and patterns to add a little flavor. Her chapter subjects stay on course and don't wander aimlessly, free-styling through her transcendent moments like in some of the other titles on this subject.

I often pack this book into my bag for a bit of inspirational reading, along with my needles and ball of yarn!

[Nicole Ackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just picked up knitting and received this book as a gift from Mom. I loved it! The stories of women who use this "craft" as a means to overcome depression or illness were inspiring. I like the idea of taking something simple, everyday like knitting and turning it into a spiritual act. Is it art? Practical? Therapy? A means of connecting with others? This book touches on all of that and gave me a lot to think about. Bonus: it also had a few patterns, project ideas, and stitches to try woven into the chapters.

[Jeanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. It was like being apart of a huge knitting group.

I recommend this for any fiber lover but especially knitters. I have not until recently been apart of a knitting group. This book brought together stories of all different types of knitters from all over the world. It makes you just sink in and you feel like you're in a cozy room all just sitting around and knitting together.

[Helen Southall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - good look at how the repetition of an activity like knitting can become a meditative process.

[Carole Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this book recently and I was pleasantly happy to find it in a stash of knitting books. This book explores all the different ways knitting can add pleasure, hope, relaxation, health, and joy to your life. Each chapter starts with a well-known knitting pattern that is easy to follow and can be used to knit different projects. There are also directions for knitting a sweater at the end.
There is a wonderful chapter on Waldorf Schools where children learn to start knitting at an early age. As students progress through the grades, their knitting and studies increase in difficulty.
One day, I'm going to have the courage to knit a sweater!! Happy knitting!!

[Janet Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The parallels between knitting and our connected place in the world are clearly and humorously plaited together here. I thought of this book as a delight, rather than a deep read...but on my second time through, I found profound moments and examples for my own way of thinking. I don't knit, so I would not have chosen this book for myself if it had not come highly recommended from a friend.

[Molly Wallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost 20 years later, this book holds up. Through the beginning of the pandemic, I noticed an uptick in fiber artists and popularity of knitting/crocheting. My own fiber work has been meditative and restorative. I loved the personal stories throughout this book, but also would have loved some hard facts.

[Carmyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated. Read it originally about 15 years ago, but the heart of the book still holds. I want to knit a swatch of each of the stitches she showcases at the beginning of each chapter.

[Donnis Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short read

[Kayoc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit difficult in the beginning, but very interesting after the first chapter.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a cute little book that was fast to read and inspiring. Each chapter has a small pattern for a different knitting pattern.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not going to feel guilty about sitting & knitting anymore! It’s good for me!

[Emma Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet love letter to the art of knitting. Made me reflect on how and why I knit, and helped me think about new approaches and meanings.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

How knitting can be a mindfulness activity. She shares her own experiences and those of other creative people and very thoughtful people. Some good ideas, but not profound. A little dated.

[Apryl Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what I expected to find between these covers; I already know for myself the beneficially meditative state of creating stitches. As a memoire, 5-stars for effective self-expression. This isn't a how-to-knit guide, so bonus points for "try this" applications. The closest that I can come to identifying why this book doesn't inspire me is that, voila, it simply doesn't inspire me. Perhaps it drives me to read less so that I can knit more...

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The union of my soul and my best friend's, who slipped this into my bag before a long car trip when I wasn't looking, was more evident to me than ever as I read it and had to figure out some way to knit and read at the same time. The book made me see knitting in ways that felt quite new and at the same time, like they were there all along. I was surprised – me, who thinks I’m so introspective – not to have noticed them before. I don’t think of knitting itself as relaxing, although I often actively look forward to knitting in front of the TV as the relaxation reward after a long hard day. As I read this author talk about everything that makes knitting relaxing on deeply sensual levels – the colors, the textures, the very slowness of the process, the impracticality – I had to say: Wow. This really has been here all along and I have been so very dimly aware of it. The shawl I’m working on now is particularly satisfying because of how I got started on it: I love Lion Brand yarn and they have such spectacular colors, and I went to – maybe it was Hobby Lobby? – because I think I looked at Ben Franklin and they didn’t have anything that just really made me claw myself with desire, and there was a fantastic array of colors, so I got the three skeins that were there. I’m doing it in Shaker stitch, also very satisfying because it’s the first really new knitting stitch I’ve learned that I could just do and do and do without a pattern to keep track of, and even mt BFF had never heard of it.
The book had lots of good ideas as well as philosophy, one is to knit cotton washcloths – there’s a stitch that will make them look like something – wrap up a bar of nice soap and a loofah pad, and give them as a gift. Sounds like something I could do in multiples and give as Christmas presents – This book makes me want to honor my knitting time more. Instead of seeing it as one of the least important things in my life, something I feel funny to notice I’m looking forward to and sometimes guilty if I spend a half hour of a morning or a few hours of a sunny day doing it, I should embrace it as one of the most loving things I do for myself and people around me. Murphy describes knitting as therapy and meditation and spiritual practice, and I need to notice a little more deeply what a loving thing it is to knit things for people I love. I gave my daughter a hat I knitted for her and it fit beautifully and looked so very warm and she wore it getting on the bus to go to France on a school trip, and I felt like I really had done everything I could do to keep her safe and warm and knowing she is loved, and until I read this book I barely noticed that moment. Ho-hum, made her a hat, got it done in time for her to wear it to France, she seemed to like it. How could I not notice that I “clothe (my) loved ones in our love and we knit that love into every stitch of the blankets, sweaters, and caps they wear”(p. 154) ? Since I read this book I have recommended it to literally dozens of people, some of them knitters and some of them not, because of the loveliness of its meditative good sense.

[Monica Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been knitting and purling since junior high school when I taught myself to knit so I could make a bikini (yup, true story, didn’t ever actually wear the see-through bikini though). Knitting is either a granny’s activity or a cool thing Cameron Diaz and Charlize Theron do between takes, depending on who’s touting it. I’m probably more like a granny than a Hollywood celebrity with a big Instagram following, but I’m in charge here, so we’re going with the theory knitting is hip.

It’s also great meditation.

In Zen and the Art of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity, author (and knitter) Bernadette Murphy writes:

Best of all, knitting is slow. So slow that we see the beauty inherent in every tiny act that makes up a sweater. So slow that we know the project’s not going to get finished today⁠—it may not get finished for many months or longer⁠—and thus, we make our peace with the unresolved nature of life. We slow down as we knit. Our breathing and heart rate drop and knitters who’ve been at it a while experience a trancelike state that provides the same benefits as other forms of meditation.

Sounds like the perfect anecdote for a pandemic, right? “Unresolved nature of life”? It’s the theme of things in a pandemic. My timing couldn’t be better.

In Zen and the Art of Knitting, Murphy suggested a Sleeveless Rolled Neck Pullover as a basic get-going pattern (she offers knitting patterns throughout the book, which is a great added benefit to the narrative). I selected a nice veriegated yarn in blue, green and gray, and created her pullover. It’s not the disgrace the bikini was years ago, but I’m not going to model it for you. It turned out the way I imagined it.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Knitting for the 1%.

Recently I found this book stashed in a box with its bookmark on page 140 (Sister Elizabeth), and as I read the remaining chapters, discovered why I had never finished the book (or any of my knitting projects for that matter.)

Here's an example from page 136 "It's the planning stages of a knitting project in which Nietzcka takes the most pleasure, and as she talks about it, the process sounds rather like the film editing she so loves..." Nietzcka has used 21 colors in a project that she is proud to say that she has never actually worn. This sounds like privilege to me.

I had hoped this book would help me experience the zen of knitting so that I would actually enjoy knitting. It didn't. Perhaps Judith(pg 54)is right. She believes that "...good psychoanalytic treatment improves the knitter's ability to concentrate and that the finished project reflects this improvement." Maybe I need my head examined.

It feels good to vent. And it feels really good to realize that the reason I first abandoned this book was that it's nothing but pretentious, well written drivel populated with lady lawyers, Meg Ryan look-alikes, and nun wannabees. No thanks.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it took me quite a while to finish reading this book, I found it very interesting. The author interviewed several knitters to see if they use knitting as a meditation or some other spiritual link. There was a range of answers: several people said that yes, they felt closer to God when knitting, or were able to focus on the act of knitting and using their hands in order to get away from the stress of everyday life; others said it was just a way to make nice gifts for friends and family. This was an interesting idea to think about. I think I fall somewhere in the middle of the above answers. I haven't ever experienced nirvana while knitting, but I do very much enjoy the different textures and colors of yarns and the pleasure of working with my hands to create something special for the people I love. I also enjoy the friendship that a good knitting group offers.

If you're a knitter (or even if you're not), you may find this book interesting.

[Stacy K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book, picking through, to explore the spiritual side of how I was spending my time during the dark winter evenings... I enjoyed the stories; they were well written.

The book provides inspiration and sparks the creative side. The book explores the common link between knitting and meditation and how knitting can break many 'holds on daily life', such as bridging the generation gaps in family, unlocking your inner creativity in writing and other forms of expression. Also, the importance of making a handmade gift of admiration and love for someone. The connection with spirituality was a little on the light side (for me), but none the less I enjoyed reading this little book.

It's the perfect size to stash in your bag and take with you, for those moments when you can not knit!

3.5 to 4 stars

[Pj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this little book back in early 2000 based on my penciled notes within the book....for some reason I put it away through my many moves and discourses. This time, however, I'm in a different season on my life and it's wonderful thing to pick up because now I realize the peace, spirituality, and creativity that that author takes the reader through- I have grown! I am there! Her informal way of describing the mindfulness of action....a meditation that comes from doing something repetitive-in this case 'knitting'. I like how she only touches upon a few religions, otherwise, the focus is on meditation and spirituality with the task at hand with experiences of many people from different walks of life! Also, at the beginning of every chapter is a knit stitch highlighted. An easy book to pick up from where I left it....a good for the soul read!

[Tanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. I wasn't expecting to because of the spirituality aspect, I thought it might be a bit on the preachy side but is really isn't like that at all. Such an uplifting book. I had never thought of knitting as a sort of meditation but having read this it just somehow clicked with me. There is a Buddhist chant I like very much that will fit with knitting very well that is all about bringing the peace of enlightenment through the satisfaction or absolving of desire (for objects or goals).

The entire time that I was reading this I had someone in mind to pass it to, I'm going to contact her now to pass it on, I hope she likes the sound of it, I can't imagine why but I'm sure its supposed to go to her next.