Building things with your hands is a mindful, meditative activity.
The BOOM youth-experience begins with the peaceful, meditative activity of working with one's hands. This is the kernel from which can grow a healthy outlook -- and a love for making.
A great deal of research and tradition emphasizes the power of mindfulness to ameliorate stress, build confidence, and aid problem-solving.
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"The multitude of craft traditions – woodworking, cooking, sewing, weaving – require careful and intentional development of mindful practices – a quality of presence and attentiveness. It's intimately connected with empathy, self-regulation, and self-awareness." ~ Ross Laird, PhD, author of "Grain of Truth: The Ancient Lessons of Craft", winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, Clinical Supervisor at Turning Point addictions treatment program, trauma researcher at the National September 11 Memorial and the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo. ~ https://www.rosslaird.com/blog/creativity/2018-01-20-mindfulness/
"The ancient Taoist sages spoke of opening to mystery, opening through stillness, as the first act of understanding. Working with hand tools teaches, in a pragmatic way, the art of stillness. Tools teach this so well because they come from the earth, from stone and wood and fire." ~ Ross Laird, PhD, author of "Grain of Truth: The Ancient Lessons of Craft" ~ https://www.rosslaird.com/grain-of-truth/02-earth/
"How often do you find that you're gritting your teeth with stress, or spinning your mind in anger, or clenching your shoulders high with tension. For some kids, it can be nearly impossible to find an activity that creates real, profound, organic calmness. When soldering, it's impossible to get anything done without steady hands and a pinpoint focus on the tiny parts in each step. Deeply involved in soldering, I've seen tricky therapy clients find a level of focus that they've been unable to reach in any other way. This true feeling of focused calm. True focus, precision and selfless involvement may be something kids have never felt before." ~ Dr. Kristi Pikiewicz, Ph.D., clinical psychotherapist, school psychologist, Managing Editor of the American Psychological Association's Division of Psychotherapy ~ https://makerbolder.com/can-soldering-teach-emotional-regulation/
"The beauty of woodworking is the relaxing state it puts your mind in – it’s almost close to what meditation can achieve." ~ Chris Wilson, Woodworker ~ https://www.3benefitsof.com/benefits-of-using-hand-tools-from-a-woodworkers-point-of-view/
"Japanese wood carving is rooted in personal wellness, relaxation, and an age-old meditative tradition of making with your hands. We will find zen in our creation." ~ Melanie Abrantes, Wood Carving Instructor ~ http://www.melanieabrantes.com/spoon-carving-workshop
"What on Earth is it about woodworking? My mind shuts off completely to the outside world. All I focus on is the exact job at hand. Hour after hour. It’s this deep meditative-like, focused state that I get from it." ~ Richard Maguire, Woodworker ~ https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/why-we-woodwork-by-hand/
"Research has shown that practicing mindfulness actually reduces gray matter in the amygdala, which is the part of the brain associated with stress, anxiety, and emotional processing (Bhanoo, 2011). This can reduce trauma symptoms, provide tension release, and bring comfort and ease amidst stressful times." ~ Lui Damiani Executive Director, Victim Service Center of Central Florida, Rape Crisis Center ~ https://www.victimservicecenter.org/blog-holistic-healing-mindfulness
"When we are being "mindful" we are bringing, focused, non-judgmental awareness to our experience. It is this attention that changes the structure and functions of our physical brain (Siegel, 2007). Over time, mindfulness meditation practice builds more connections between the areas of the brain, slows down the reactivity and increases the sense of the body as a whole. These changes can lead to greater emotional regulation and the capacity to tolerate the ups and downs of relationships as well as the frustrations and setbacks that are simply a part of life. Mindfulness practices can be very helpful in relieving the symptoms of toxic stress and PTSD." ~ Manitoba Trauma Information and Education Centre ~ https://trauma-recovery.ca/recovery/mindfulness/
"Research shows six major strategies for mitigating stress: Among these are mindfulness, mental health care, and healthy relationships." ~ Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Surgeon General of California 2019 and 2022 ~ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/10/06/this-doctor-discovered-a-way-to-treat-a-startling-source-of-disease-in-children-stress/
"Mindfulness can be cultivated through proven techniques, including merging meditation practice with other activities." ~ Mindful.org ~ https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
"Gage Park High School students are participating in Quiet Time, a transcendental meditation program that aims to help them with the stress and pressures of life inside and outside the brick walls of the Southwest Side school. Before taking part in the Quiet Time program, James, a 17 year-old senior, said he was quick to anger and often was arguing and fighting. Now, James said, he is calmer and thinks about how to react. Principal Brian Metcalf said suspensions are down. Teachers see improvement in students' behavior and ability to concentrate in class. Teacher Jose Morales said, "I've seen a transformation of how we, how I, handle conflict in the classroom." ~ Patrick M. O'Connell, Chicago Tribune ~ https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-classroom-meditation-disadvantaged-students-met-20161231-story.html
"Students who practice meditation report having more positive emotions, stronger self-identity, greater self-acceptance, and higher optimism. They also experience reduced stress, anxiety, and depression (waters et al. 2015). A study published in the journal of consulting and clinical psychology showed that at-risk adolescents who underwent an eight-week meditation based stress reduction program reported reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and increased self-esteem (biegel et al. 2009). At burton high school in san francisco, youth who participated in daily meditation practice reported similar results experiencing far less stress and depression and greater self-esteem than those who did not participate (kirp 2014). Students who practice meditation report less anger and aggression. When vistacion valley middle school implemented a meditation program in 2007 they discovered impressive results. Despite high rates of crime and violence at the time of implementation, vistacion valley middle school suspension rates have dropped dramatically, daily attendance has improved greatly, grade point averages have increased, and these middle school students report the highest level of happiness in the san francisco area (kirp 2014)." ~ Carry the vision ~ http://web.Archive.Org/web/20200204000748/http://carrythevision.Org:80/meditation-research-and-benefits/
"Meditators were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm." ~ Britton, "A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of Classroom-Based Mindfulness Meditation" ~ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4060047/
"A growing body of research shows that mindfulness training may improve adolescent resilience to stress through improved cognitive performance and emotional regulation." ~ Northwest Bulletin, Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health at the University of Washington ~ https://depts.washington.edu/nwbfch/mindfulness-training-adolescents
"Studies show that practicing mindfulness can increase feelings of peace and wellbeing and decrease symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Practicing meditation activates the parasympathetic, or rest and repair, branch of the nervous system." ~ ACE's Connection: The movement to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences, heal trauma, & build resilience. ~ https://www.acesconnection.com/blog/mindfulness-stress-reduction-techniques-for-healing