As a craftsman who makes a living from hand-carved wooden spoons, I've discovered that woodcraft offers more than just making beautiful functional objects—it provides a pathway to mental clarity and emotional balance.
However starting a new session isn’t always filled with joyful anticipation. In fact as a professional carver, it can be daunting to know I need to carve around 15 spoons in a day. But, just like going for a jog, a few minutes in and my muscle memory begins to loosen up. A few spoons in, and the flow state begins.
The Science of Flow in Craft
The concept of flow was introduced by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in the 1970s. It describes a mental state of deep focus and effortless engagement, where time seems to disappear. Flow occurs when skill and challenge are perfectly balanced, leading to peak performance and intrinsic satisfaction. It's a state many craftspeople enter naturally, and research shows it reduces stress hormones while increasing feel-good neurotransmitters—explaining why crafts can be so therapeutic.
For me, carving isn't necessarily a mindful meditation, but a space where my thoughts are free to wander. I return to the process when a decision needs to be made about design; otherwise, my hands follow the rhythm of familiar carving patterns. The movement feels almost miraculous—I'm not consciously directing every cut, yet my hands know exactly how to perform a reinforced pull cut (a controlled slice where the thumb reinforces the blade for precision) with precision. It's not just muscle memory; it's more like the rhythm of a carver's hands in motion, a well - practised dance between carver, tool and material.
Finding Your Flow Activity
This experience isn't unique to spoon carving. Surfers, pianists, cyclists, and many other craftspeople enter into flow states. Furniture makers often experience flow when sitting on a shave horse, forming long, faceted tenons for chair legs— the shavings curling predictably from a sharp draw-knife. The repetition, the rhythm of the work, and the tactile connection between tool and material all contribute to a deeply absorbing state.
What crafts or activities have you found help you work through emotions or enter into a flow state? Whether it's carving, painting, writing, or another creative pursuit, finding your flow activity can have lasting impacts on wellbeing. In this busy world in can be just the right tonic!
The Dance Between Discipline and Inspiration
There is certainly a push and pull between discipline and inspiration. Inspiration moves like wind through the trees—sometimes palpable, other times elusive. But needing to carve for a living pushes me into the process regardless of my initial motivation. Knowing I have a craft market to prepare for means the work is non-negotiable—other tasks must wait.
A disciplined start to the day is essential for finding flow. I prep the blanks and tools the night before, sweep my workspace, and ensure everything is ready to begin. This ritual itself becomes meditative, priming my mind for the work ahead.
Carving Through Emotions
The first-hand experience of stress reduction and the myriad benefits to my mental health are tangible and significant. Carving supports a deep relationship with my inner world. When I'm angry, I don't simply sit with frustration and 'be' with it. Instead, I work through it in the deliberate process of carving away everything that isn't a spoon.
I recall one afternoon when I arrived at my workshop after a particularly difficult conversation. My movements were initially jerky and impatient, my thoughts full, but as I continued working, each careful slice seemed to carry away a fragment of my frustration. The carving process allows me to work through and with my emotions—whether frustration, joy, or something in between.
Once I set the knife down and brush away the shavings, I almost always feel a shift for the better. This has been one of the most profound impacts on my mental health. It's as if carving helps me digest my emotions, processing them through my hands and leaving me lighter.
The Community of Craft
Carving is an ancient practice—it's in our DNA. Sitting around a fire, carving in community, creates connections that modern life often lacks. In these spaces, conversation flows without the need for alcohol, eye contact, or icebreakers. Silence comes and goes naturally as people focus on their work then share a thought or observation.
I've witnessed strangers become friends over the course of a weekend workshop, bonded through the shared experience of creating something with their hands. Communities are built, and the threads of connection to land, trees, and one another grow stronger with each carved object.
That’s why I started woodcraft for wellbeing workshops, because practicing woodcraft is good for you, particularly in community, around a fire, in the woods – come join us!