© GETTY IMAGESWomen knit clothing for London evacuees in during the Second World War
Knitting, crocheting and jam-making have never been associated with great thrills - but, it turns out, they work wonders for wellbeing.
A study has found that people who participate in arts and crafts feel happier, calmer and more energetic the next day.
The activities which the researchers listed also included cooking,
baking, performing music, painting, drawing, sketching, digital design and creative writing.
All have in common that they are relaxed and creative.
Many of the more traditional activities cited by the researchers are popular with Women's Institute members.
Janice Langley, chairman of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, told the
Daily Mail: "
WI members have enjoyed creative activities and crafts since the very first WI meeting in 1915, so it's great to hear this study has found some evidence that these interests could lead to increased wellbeing and creativity. We'd encourage everyone thinking of giving a new project a try just to get involved."
The WI,
which counts the Queen among its members, is enjoying something of a renaissance.
It celebrated its centenary last year and has more than 212,000 members.
The study took place at Otago University, New Zealand, where 658 students were asked to keep diaries of their experiences and emotional states over 13 days.
Dr Tamlin Connor, study's lead author, said: "There is growing recognition in psychology research that creativity is associated with emotional functioning.
"However, most of this work focuses on how emotions benefit or hamper creativity, not whether creativity benefits or hampers emotional well-being.
"Engaging in creative behaviour leads to increases in well-being the next day, and this increased well-being is likely to facilitate creative activity on the same day."
"Overall, these findings support the emerging emphasis on everyday creativity as a means of cultivating positive psychological functioning."
The study, which was published in the
Journal of Positive Psychology, found that the students showed more enthusiasm and "flourishing" - a mental health term describing happiness and meaning - in the days following creative activities.
The greed to do good or to promote good or to facilitate good or to understand good or to further good or to foster good or to study good or to discover good or to share good or to create good is still greed.
You can say, spell, write long essays, do studies and research, imagine 'good' and even perform 'good' a million times, but if it (this preoccupation with 'good') is masking greed (which it is), it is not good.
It is greed.
Try to remember that.
No one will however.
No one will however because everyone wants to be part of the party, the magnificent social party (the modern techno-hierarchy with many frolics and treasures)--the one where everyone imagines and lies about everything and no one dares to tell the truth.
No one dares to tell the truth because truth-tellers are usually shot dead.
Truth-tellers are shot dead because, well, truth just doesn't seem to be that much fun.
And greed is.
ned, out