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Title details for Crafting Calm by Maggie Oman Shannon - Available

Crafting Calm

Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation

by Maggie Oman Shannon
ebook
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As our world has become increasingly dependent on technology, and our Western societies have become woefully "Crackberried"— to use the title of a recent documentary on the emotional and social pitfalls of our too-wired ways—an intriguing phenomenon is occurring: There is an increasing amount of interest in returning to some of the simpler arts that were neglected or left behind with the onslaught of technology. Artisans and everyday crafters are finding a renewed satisfaction in making something with their own hands; some are even communicating about the inherent physical- and mental-health benefits found in handwork—and, even more than that, they are framing their handwork as meditation or spiritual practice. In today's sophisticated and pluralistic society, people are more aware than ever that spiritual practice can be defined more expansively—and the popularity of books focusing on alternative spiritual practices demonstrate that readers are hungry for new (or ancient) ways of enhancing their inner lives. In Crafting Calm the author will explore these new forms of creative spiritual practice and the benefits they provide. The format of With Shannon's book will itself be creative, a rich "potpourri approach" that weaves together interviews, historical facts, projects for readers to do themselves, quotations, and suggested resources. Crafting Calm will serve as an inspirational resource guide to a broad assortment of spiritual practices gathered from the global arts-and-crafts communities, as well as from people who don't consider themselves artists but who have adopted creatively expressive forms of spiritual practice. While there have been a few books published focusing on a particular form of creative spiritual practice (Skylight Paths, for example, has published books on beading as a spiritual practice; painting as a spiritual practice; and using clay as a spiritual practice), no one has yet explored the breadth of possibilities for creative spiritual practices contained in Crafting Calm.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 8, 2013

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781936740468

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781936740468
      • File size: 1290 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      April 1, 2013
      Shannon turns the focus she placed on beading in A String and A Prayer: How to Make and Use Prayer Beads (with coauthor Eleanor Wiley, 2002) to other crafts that can be vehicles for spiritual exploration and development. In eight chapters, the author, an interfaith minister and spiritual director, describes how the act of making things can foster in the maker feelings of calm, comfort, community, and connection with others and the divine. But as she is quick to point out in her introduction, this is not a “how-to” craft book intended to guide the reader to finished products suitable for sharing or sale. Rather, the goal is to help readers tap into the process of creativity that Shannon finds so deeply connects her to the divine. To that extent, the book is a success, with ample adaptations of established crafts to spiritual ends. Also very satisfying are interviews, woven in the text, with artists who describe how their own work informs their spirituality. The book’s 40 illustrations disappoint; they are rough sketches, where actual photographs of crafted objects would have been more inspirational.

    • Library Journal

      April 1, 2013

      Shannon (Prayers for Healing), a San Francisco-based interfaith minister, finds spiritual calm through creating, and this collection of stories, journal prompts, inspirational quotes, and craft projects is designed to help others find their own inner peace. The author's focus is on the Christian faith, but she includes anecdotes from crafters from other faith traditions, including Judaism and paganism. The projects are fairly simple, and all focus on bringing spirituality, prayer, or meditation into the mix. Sometimes this works, such as the personal prayer flag; other times, it's a little forced, like the "sacred bath salts." VERDICT The intersection of crafts and spirituality is a popular topic, and Shannon's exploration will inspire crafters of a variety of faiths.

      Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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