Learning to Throw: A Mindful Approach to the Potter’s Wheel
Wheel throwing is a dynamic and deeply rewarding activity, but it doesn’t click overnight. At Tao of Clay, we believe that with time, patience, and attention, anyone can learn to throw. Our approach centers not only on technical skills but also on mindfulness by tuning into the body and connecting with the clay in the moment.
Managing the Moving Parts
Throwing involves a surprising number of variables: wheel speed, water levels, hand positioning, body alignment…the list goes on. Since the mind can only focus on one thing at a time, each piece of the puzzle comes online gradually, with practice.
It takes time for everything to integrate, and that’s expected given the dance of the myriad of elements needed to be mastered.
At Tao of Clay, we understand how frustrating it can be when things don’t “click” right away. That’s why we’ve designed a course that supports you through those moments while focusing on presence, enjoying the process, and offering gentle reminders to return to techniques that work.
Clay as Meditation
One of the most unique and powerful aspects of throwing is how meditative the process can be. It demands full attention not just from the mind, but from the body as well. You begin to notice what your hands are feeling, where you’re applying pressure, how your breath is moving. That quality of awareness is the essence of mindfulness.
We always begin throwing classes with a short mindfulness practice. Just five minutes of breathing can help develop an attention that directly supports your work on the wheel. Learning to notice something as specific as what part of your finger you’re using can lead to better results.
Want to learn where these techniques began?
A little background on our founder Josh Herman’s journey from Hakomi therapy back to clay.
The Foundations: Attention and Alignment
Mindfulness is one of our core teaching principles, but it’s not the only one.
Body stabilization is a key principle. Throwing isn’t about using muscles to force the clay into position; it’s about posture and using your body efficiently to throw with ease. We teach students about the hip hinge, a way to lean into the clay in an effortless way. Learning how to hinge at the hips and transfer body weight through the arms and hands into the clay is foundational and sustainable. It typically takes a couple of weeks for those neural connections to develop and for students to begin stabilizing effectively.
Another important principle is something we like to call bending the clay. Unlike traditional approaches that apply opposing pressure directly across from each hand (which can tear or tire the clay), we use offset hands. This allows the clay to gently bend between our hands and fingers. It is fun to experiment with applying less force to discover the clay responding with more cooperation.
This idea of bending rather than forcing ties into the Taoist principle of non-violence. We aren’t here to overpower the clay, but to guide and collaborate with it, allowing it to move in ways that are already natural to its form.
Learning the Variables
Once students are grounded in body awareness and pressure technique, we introduce key throwing variables, including:
Water management
Wheel speed
Pressure evaluation
Body positioning
These are the fundamentals every student must learn to manage to throw successfully.
The Step-by-Step Process
With foundational principles in place, we move methodically through the throwing sequence:
Setting up the wheel
Centering the clay through coning
Opening the clay to establish a floor and base
Pulling the walls (thinning and lifting)
Shaping inward (for bottles, globes) or outward (for bowls, vases)
Once you can shape both inward and outward, you’re capable of making just about any form.
Beyond Throwing: Trimming and Glazing
After the form is thrown, we teach trimming and introduce basic glazing techniques: pouring, dipping, and waxing—just enough to help students complete a finished piece.
We use our own in-house glazes, developed right here in the studio for mid-fire electric kilns. These glazes are based on formulas Josh has tested and refined over 35 years in his personal practice. Students work with professional-grade materials and get professional-quality results. With a wide range of colors and finishes, our glazes help elevate the final piece. One thing we know from years of experience is that the right surface can make the difference between a good pot and a great one.
Curious about our custom glazes?
Why Our Class Is Different
Our Intro to Throwing course is six weeks long, and we take our time moving through the fundamentals. Unlike other intro classes that rush past key concepts, we give techniques like hand positioning, pressure evaluation, and body mechanics the focus they deserve. We articulate a clear and systematic approach to throwing. Many students come to Tao of Clay having taken an Intro class from another studio but don’t have confidence or even a clear understanding of the techniques they need to learn how to throw. We believe that every subtle detail should be gone over multiple times such that a student has a clear path forward in developing throwing techniques. Too often instructions are vague, corrections are non-existent and students end up feeling that they don’t have the ability to throw.
With repetition of the fundamentals and core movements, while emphasizing alignment and awareness, students build real skill. We found this approach not only helps people enjoy the learning process, but also gets them throwing effectively within six weeks. We are happy to share that students often see results faster than they expect.
Practice Is Key
Proficiency comes through practice. That’s why we offer access to student open studio hours, so you can spend time outside of class refining your technique.
A two-and-a-half-hour class might sound long, but trust us time flies on the wheel. Extra practice is what makes the learning stick.
Student Practice Hours:
Tuesday: 6–9 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM–2 PM
Friday: 6–9 PM
Sunday: 1–5 PM
Ready to Get Started?
Sign up for our next Intro to Throwing session →
Join us for six weeks of hands-on learning, mindfulness, and discovery.
