Anyone who has baked for a while will tell you that the activity can be therapeutic.
What many people don’t realize is the reason why.
Baking is rewarding and you get to enjoy the result. But it’s also the process that can help.
Baking is an exercise in mindfulness.
It’s one of the simplest ways to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and put things in order.
Let’s find out what makes baking mindful, and how you can practice mindfulness when you’re preparing your favorite baked goods at home.
What is Mindfulness?
You’ll find a lot of explanations of mindfulness in a quick online search.
If we break it down, there are a couple of key aspects.
These are awareness and peacefulness.
In psychology, analyzing the typical thought patterns of an individual can be complex.
Most people focus on aspects of the past, present, and future.
This can create regret, anxiety, and even depression.
You don’t have complete control of your past and future.
But you often have total control of your present.
Mindfulness is a state of consciousness where the present is most important.
It involves focusing on the current process and the overall experience.
Peacefulness comes from the acceptance of current emotions.
How Can You Be More Mindful?
It’s easy to explain how to be mindful, but difficult to put it into practice.
To be more mindful, you need to be aware of your current mood and emotions.
You need to process and accept these, without judgment.
When you can practice mindfulness, you will accept any emotional state as valid and able to be overcome, even when you’re going through a difficult time.
To achieve mindfulness, you start by focusing on a process.
Some people compare it to meditation.
When you wake up in the morning, you can practice mindfulness for a few minutes by focusing on your breathing, the sensations in your body, and the gradual increase in consciousness.
People that frequently practice mindfulness can do so at any time of the day, regardless of the activity.
Most people need some kind of process to reach a mindful state, which is where baking comes in.
Baking and Mindfulness
If you bake often enough, you’ll find that you can work your way through some recipes on autopilot.
This leaves a lot of time to focus on both the process and your current state of mind.
This is why many people find baking to be therapeutic.
It occupies the body while leaving a lot of room for the mind.
The relative peace and calm of following a recipe can help you to analyze any emotions that you currently have, or things that are bugging you.
Baking is often a solo activity, so it leaves a lot of space for you to be conscious of your own thoughts and feelings.
Can You Achieve Mindfulness with Any Recipe?
To achieve a state of mindfulness while baking, you’ll need to follow recipes that you’re familiar with or ones that are simple to complete.
If you struggle with a complex recipe with steps that you haven’t done before, you’ll find it hard to achieve a state of mindfulness.
Even the tools that you use can help.
If you’re struggling to mix and knead, or if your measuring equipment frustrates you, then you won’t achieve mindfulness.
Every home baker should invest in a quality stand mixer. The KitchenAid Artisan Series is an update of a classic and it can help you by taking the frustration out of baking.
These Pyrex Measuring Cups are just as ubiquitous in a home baker’s kitchen. They take the fuss out of measuring liquid and dry ingredients.
Learn your comfort zone and use the right tools, and you’ll find it easier to achieve mindfulness while baking.
What is the Outcome of Mindful Baking?
The goal of mindfulness is to gain perspective and a more balanced emotional state.
Because baking is inherently rewarding, the benefits are increased.
Take some moments to focus on the process, analyze your thoughts, and become comfortable with your emotions.
You’ll soon find that baking becomes an essential way to de-stress and improve your mood.
