Twin Willows

Knitting has been proven to reduce stress and improve your mood and outlook. The rhythmical pace of knitting can help you slow down and enjoy the moment,  Enhancing this with Mindfulness Meditation increases your awareness and ability to manage your emotions.

I offer Mindful Knitting  Programs  and Retreats to individuals and groups. I can offer these programs  on an individual basis at your home, for a group at your organization’s site or in the natural surroundings of Twin Willows Farm.

I am keen to help you find the harmony that is within you; to help you remove some of the barriers that keep you from accessing this peace and balance.

 

 

Knitting has been proven to reduce stress and improve your mood and outlook. The rhythmical and relaxing pace of knitting can help you slow down and enjoy the moment. This simple act of repeatedly and quietly performing the same movements over and over, creating something unique and wonderful, is calming and meditative.

The purpose in participating in a mindful knitting group is to have fun; maybe learn a new skill; improve your mood; lower your stress levels and develop a meditative approach to knitting.

Anyone who already knits or who would like to learn how to knit is welcome to contact me to get more information on the location and timing of my Mindful or Therapeutic Knitting Groups.

 

“The act of Knitting is inherently built on the formation of a stitch, the creation of fabric. When we knit, we place our attention over and over again on the natural rhythm of creating fabric from yarn.”               by Tara Jon Manning of Mindful Knitting

 

 

 

 

Professional Training in Mindfulness Interventions

Francine has received her Certificate of Completion in Level I Foundations of Mindfulness Interventions from the Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic in July 2014. This training program provides professionals with a base for developing mindfulness skills and a foundational understanding of Mindfulness Interventions.

This training program included:

• An 8-week Mindfulness for Health Care Professionals courses offered at the Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic
• One day Silent Retreat at the Vanier Community Centre
• Guided self-study of current research and books on the Theory and Philosophy of Mindfulness, and the Fundamentals of Mindfulness Interventions
• 3 day Heart of Mindfulness Retreat at the Galilee Centre in Arnprior from June 13 – 15^th, 2014
• 3 day Teacher Training Retreat hosted by the Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic at St. Paul University from July 11-13, 2014

Meditation Practice

Francine had been following a self-led meditation practice since August 2012, gradually developing the wish to pursue this in greater depth and formality. She has added to this a complementary and regular yoga practice since March 2013.

Life Coaching

Francine formalized her 14 years of Management Consulting experience in coaching individuals and groups with a course in Life Coaching in the spring of 2013. She is now certified by ExpertRating receiving a Life Coach Certification (Expert Level).

Work experience

Francine worked approximately 17 years in the Canadian Federal Public Service and 14 years in the private sector as an Information Technology management consultant. Since 2009, Francine has been focusing on individual wellness.

 

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is both a mindful practice (process) – meditating regularly with awareness, with an attitude of friendly open curiosity – and a mindful awareness (outcome) – a deep knowing or tranquility throughout the day.

Benefits

Mindfulness can

• reduce overall levels of anxiety and depression
• reduce harmful-levels of stress
• enhance your immune system’s performance
• enhance your clarity of mind and creativity
• boost your quality of life

Practice is Important

The key to deriving the benefits is to practice; if you don’t commit to regular practice, you aren’t likely to see substantial change in your life. Can you set aside time for yourself every day, for your own healing and well-being? Can you make this a priority for a short trial of 8 weeks? Are you willing to approach this practice with an open mind and heart, and yes even with a skeptical mind? If you stick with it, amazing things can happen.

Check to see when our next Mindfulness Program is taking place[ec_product productid=”248″ style=”1″]

 

 

How have I benefited from therapeutic knitting?

…. Mostly, knitting helped keep my mind off the many worries running around in my tired brain. Throughout my chemo treatments, there were many sleepless nights, and I found the best way to restore calm was to go down to a comfy chair and knit a few rows. It quickly became apparent that I didn’t have to be an expert, or even work on a complicated project. It was about the process, more than the product.

The mindfulness part of our program was new to me, and although I found it challenging to be still, at the beginning, this became a part of our session that I looked forward to and enjoyed very much.

The camaraderie and positive energy within the group was another unexpected benefit. I certainly looked forward to those Tuesday mornings at Maplesoft.

 

Keep calm and cast on!

–Anne-Marie  –