Mindful Pottery: The Art of Letting Go

Descripción del servicio

In this guided workshop Angie and Dani will lead the meditative process of shaping clay on the wheel with techniques to anchor participants in the present moment. The focus will be on the sensory experience not the final product. Both pottery and yoga are ancient practices that offer profound parallels in their meditative, physical, and mental aspects. While a yoga practitioner shapes their body into different poses (asanas), a potter molds clay into a new form. Both practices cultivate an intense connection between mind and body.  Centering and alignment     •    Physical centering: In yoga, you find your physical center through balance and posture, using your body's core for stability. A potter must learn to find the precise center of a spinning lump of clay, which requires steady hands and a calm, focused body.     •    Mental centering: This physical act of centering in both practices serves as a powerful metaphor for finding inner balance. It requires quieting mental chatter and bringing full awareness to the present moment, whether your focus is on your breath in yoga or the spinning clay on the wheel.  Focus and breath     •    Focused attention (Drishti): Yoga uses a focused gaze (Drishti) to help calm the mind and maintain concentration. Similarly, a potter's gaze is intensely focused on the clay, allowing them to notice even the most subtle changes.     •    Breathing (Pranayama): Breathing is central to both disciplines. In yoga, the breath regulates movement and energy. For potters, a steady, calm breath can improve technique and reduce tension in their hands. Some even sync their shaping movements with their breathing, similar to how one moves through a sun salutation.  Patience and non-attachment     •    Patience: Both pottery and yoga are slow practices that cannot be rushed. In yoga, patience is needed to safely progress in challenging poses. For pottery, a single piece requires many stages and days of work, from throwing to firing, each requiring patience.     •    Non-attachment (Aparigraha): A core yoga tenet is non-attachment to the outcome. A potter learns a similar lesson, as a piece can crack or break at any stage of the process. This teaches the practitioner to find satisfaction in the creative journey, not just the final product.  Resilience and the beginner's mind     •    Embracing imperfection: In yoga, you accept where your body is on any given All materials included. Ages 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult.