Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation

Publishers Weekly

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. (May)

From the Publisher

"The genius of this book is that it provides a practical and inspirational way of accessing two universal essential forces that sustain the human spirit: contemplation and creativity. A timeless and invaluable resource for anyone!"
— Angeles Arrien, author of The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates to Wisdom

“Awaken and illuminate your creative and spiritual connections with Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation. Nourish yourself and others with this practical, elegant, deeply inspiring book. The title alone will uplift your spirits!”
–SARK, author, artist, Succulent Wild Woman PlanetSARK.com

"One of the central challenges of any spiritual path is the need to weave the moments of insight that come from inner practice into the fabric of everyday life. Maggie Oman Shannon's new book
Crafting Calm draws on time-honored handicraft traditions to do exactly this, providing a rich toolkit of approaches for the modern spiritual seeker."
-- John Michael Greer, Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America and author of
Apocalypse Not: Everything You Know About 2012, Nostradamus, and the Rapture is Wrong

“As a lifelong artist, I am intimately familiar with the profound connections to spirit that are available to us when we engage in creative acts. Despite already knowing this deep in my heart, mind and body, I relish the opportunity to learn the way my artistic tools, techniques and mediums can open up specific spiritual channels and encourage an array of mindful, prayerful practices. I look forward to adding Crafting Calm to my bookshelf and sharing it with my artistic and spiritual sisters.”
– Christine Mason Miller, Artist and Author of Ordinary Sparkling Moments: Reflections on Success and Contentment

"In Crafting Calm, Rev. Maggie Oman Shannon gently reminds that we are by our very nature, both spiritual and creative beings. She inspires us to create as a way of self-exploration and spiritual growth and guides us through fun and illuminating projects. From anointing oils to visual journals and prayer paintings to messages in bottles Oman Shannon shows us how crafting can be part of our spiritual journey and a powerful way to connect to our very essence -- the creative spirit within all of us. This book will inspire, uplift and illuminate your spiritual path in a unique and important way – and you’ll also discover how much fun you can have when creating from spirit."
–Polly Campbell, Author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People

"During these tumultuous times it is more important than ever to cultivate our calm. Maggie Oman's Crafting Calm is a balm of a book that teaches us this subtlest of lessons."
— Phil Cousineau, author of Wordcatcher and The Painted Word

"Crafting Calm is the perfect gift for anyone who has ever had the urge to create. Maggie Oman Shannon’s writing is engaging and accessible, making her the ideal guide for those interested in embracing calm, deepening self-awareness, and renewing faith in the power of creativity."
-Kate Hopper, author of Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers and Ready for Air: A Journey Through Premature Motherhood

"I still have pictures in my head of my Mom sitting and knitting in the pre-television days of my youth. It was a peacefulness scene seeing her take a meditative moment out of her household responsibilities. Today, in our non-stop world of ever-present text messages and emails, it is nice to have a book like this to help us both quiet our mind and enrich our life, as the simple art of knitting did for my Mom. So, put down your cell phone, pick up this wonderful book, and begin creating your own comforting handiwork from Crafting Calm."
-Allen Klein, author of The Art of Living Joyfully and Words of Love

Library Journal

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.