Participating in sustained demanding and intricate physical activity engages the effort-driven reward circuit. Pottery provides meaningful relief from depression on a neurochemical level. Pottery reminds the brain that we can exercise control even in challenging environments. As we move away from both paid and private manual labor, we must consciously seek out opportunities to participate in these activities in which our brains are wired to find pleasure and equilibrium. Pottery is a particularly valuable activity due to the involvement of dexterity. Some people find that pottery, like yoga, has mind clearing benefits.