Why Wheel Throwing Is the New Meditation

It’s more important than ever to dedicate time each week to finding your flow and creating some calm, which is why pottery classes in Australia have become the go-to destination for people seeking a mindful escape and a moment to unwind. With pottery classes in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and beyond, wheel throwing sessions at your local ceramic studio are the perfect way to reduce stress, have fun and learn how to relax in a creative way in 2024!

With the rhythmic motion of clay spinning on a pottery wheel, more and more people are discovering that wheel throwing is not just a creative outlet but a new form of meditation that can boost mood and encourage our minds to switch off for a little while.

The best part? It doesn’t matter if you’ve never tried your hand at throwing clay before. These pottery workshops are beginner-friendly and provide a soothing and encouraging space for you to hone your sculpting skills. From the moment you arrive for class, your friendly and experienced teacher will help to put you at ease, guiding you step-by-step through wheel throwing basics so your confidence slowly but surely grows.

You'll soon discover that a beginner pottery class is not only a fun way to channel your creativity but also offers the perfect opportunity to unplug and recharge your batteries. By the time the class is over, you will find yourself feeling a great deal calmer and (hopefully) inspired!

Reconnect with a gentler pace of living at pottery workshops

In a world filled with constant notifications, endless to-do lists, and never-ending deadlines, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves. However, amidst the chaos, pottery workshops in Australia beckon as a space to decompress! These workshops offer more than just an artistic outlet; they provide a sanctuary where time slows down, and the therapeutic process of moulding clay allows us to reconnect with a gentler pace of living.

That’s why taking a pottery course can be so beneficial. As you’re practising wheel throwing, you’ll have to focus on the clay gently coming to life beneath your fingers. Your breathing and heart rate will quieten, your thoughts will stop racing and you will find your whole body loosening up, as you rediscover how to go with the flow.

Soothing sensory activities such as throwing clay teach us how to reinhabit our bodies and enter a mindful state, which has all kinds of positive advantages for both our mental and physical wellbeing. That’s why taking a ceramics class really is the new form of meditation or yoga, with an artistic twist! Best of all, you’ll get to experience a real sense of pride and achievement as you watch the clay blossoming under your hands and turning into something beautiful and functional that you can take home and use in your daily life.

Say goodbye to screens for a couple of hours at your local ceramic studio

When you sign up for a fun-filled introduction to wheel throwing at your local pottery studio, you are not only giving yourself a chance to learn some amazing new skills – and cultivate some welcome calm – you’re also giving yourself a break from technology. Too much screen time has been shown to have a negative effect on our wellbeing, including making it harder for our brains to switch off at night when we want to go to sleep. By spending some time away from your devices, and focusing on something physical and creative, you will give your mind and body a much-needed chance to reconnect.

Wheel pottery classes also provide a unique place to strengthen your bonds with your nearest and dearest, as well as with yourself! Invite a couple of your best mates along to your next workshop, and share plenty of laughs and beautiful mistakes over the clay wheel. Or book a couples’ session for you and your significant other at ceramic studios in Australia. A beginner pottery class makes a great addition to your usual date night ideas, particularly around Valentine’s Day or anniversaries, as you can make each other adorable personalised clay creations—from cute mugs to vibrant planters.

Learn how to be patient with yourself (and the clay too!)

You may not realise it, but another advantage that wheel throwing can bring to your life is how it can teach you to cultivate positive personality traits, such as increased calm, creativity and patience.

For example, if you've been feeling frustrated lately, you might want to consider signing up for a ceramics class near you! When you attend a beginner pottery workshop, you have to develop patience with yourself, as you take time to master the new skills—from how to sculpt the clay on the wheel, to how to decorate and shape it. As your patience grows, you will be able to use it in other areas of your life too, developing new strategies to cope with disappointments and frustrations. This newfound patience, nurtured during your sessions of throwing clay, will not only lower your blood pressure but also help you deal with challenges in your life.

Here are 7 reasons to sink your hands into a ceramics class.

Embrace a zen attitude during fun-filled pottery classes

Besides being a thoroughly enjoyable and stimulating activity, a ceramics class can also help you to improve your mindfulness. As you patiently work with the clay, shaping it into something unique and practical, you will also find yourself entering a soothing meditative state that leaves you feeling utterly relaxed and restored. The benefits of ‘going with the flow’ in this way are numerous and include improved creativity and focus, lower stress levels and heightened positivity. These advantages will enrich all areas of your life.

In fact, they could also enrich other people’s lives too! If you are the head of a hard-working office—whether in Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth—why don’t you sign your team members up for a beginner pottery class? These workshops provide the perfect setting for team building activities, allowing your co-workers to forget about targets and deadlines for a few hours, and truly connect with each other—and with their own creativity.

Taking some time to practice wheel throwing will also lift their mood and is sure to provoke plenty of smiles and laughter, as they have fun learning a new skill. These positive feelings will work wonders back at the office, boosting your employee wellbeing, which is sure to have an effect on productivity.