Thanks, Karen! Here's the recipe for a Mind Jar from a favorite children's book:
A mind jar is a meditation tool to use whenever a child feels stressed, overwhelmed or upset. Imagine the glitter as your thoughts. When you shake the jar, imagine your head full of whirling thoughts, and then watch them slowly settle while you calm down. Mindful breathing is one of the best ways of practicing mindful awareness because your breath brings oxygen to your brain and body, creating a sense of calm. You’ll need:
• Empty clear glass or plastic jar with a lid
• Sparkles or glitter in various colors
• A bottle of glycerin (to thicken the water and help the sparkles fall slowly)
• Clear liquid dish soap (to lower the surface tension of the water so the sparkles don’t just stay on top)
Fill the jar three-fourths full with warm tap water. Add glycerin almost to the top - but not too close. Put in about four drops of liquid soap. Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar enough to dissolve the glycerin and soap in the warm water. Now you are ready to begin the meditation / mindful breathing activity.
The water in the jar is your mind’s natural state. Remove the lid and put in a pinch of glitter/sparkles for each thought you notice. If you have more than one color of glitter, you can use different colored sparkles for different kinds of thoughts. For instance, you can use one color for angry thoughts, one for fearful thoughts, and another for other thoughts. Have fun with it!
When you’re ready, put the lid on tightly and mix it all up by turning the jar upside-down and right side up five or six times. Now you can see all the sparkles spinning and rushing around—this is your upset or busy mind.
Set the jar down, and breathe in and out slowly. Repeat this a few times. You can gently ring a gong or bell if you have one. Notice how the sparkles settle slowly down to the bottom. As they do that, let your thoughts settle, too. When you’re ready, ring the gong again - make sure you notice how the sound gets softer and softer before it disappears.
Save the Mind Jar to shake up and use next time you need it. Or just use it to practice your mindful breathing!
- Excerpt from Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean, Wisdom Publications.
A great article! Mindfulness matters in all things, especially writing. What is a mind jar?
Thanks, Karen! Here's the recipe for a Mind Jar from a favorite children's book:
A mind jar is a meditation tool to use whenever a child feels stressed, overwhelmed or upset. Imagine the glitter as your thoughts. When you shake the jar, imagine your head full of whirling thoughts, and then watch them slowly settle while you calm down. Mindful breathing is one of the best ways of practicing mindful awareness because your breath brings oxygen to your brain and body, creating a sense of calm. You’ll need:
• Empty clear glass or plastic jar with a lid
• Sparkles or glitter in various colors
• A bottle of glycerin (to thicken the water and help the sparkles fall slowly)
• Clear liquid dish soap (to lower the surface tension of the water so the sparkles don’t just stay on top)
Fill the jar three-fourths full with warm tap water. Add glycerin almost to the top - but not too close. Put in about four drops of liquid soap. Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar enough to dissolve the glycerin and soap in the warm water. Now you are ready to begin the meditation / mindful breathing activity.
The water in the jar is your mind’s natural state. Remove the lid and put in a pinch of glitter/sparkles for each thought you notice. If you have more than one color of glitter, you can use different colored sparkles for different kinds of thoughts. For instance, you can use one color for angry thoughts, one for fearful thoughts, and another for other thoughts. Have fun with it!
When you’re ready, put the lid on tightly and mix it all up by turning the jar upside-down and right side up five or six times. Now you can see all the sparkles spinning and rushing around—this is your upset or busy mind.
Set the jar down, and breathe in and out slowly. Repeat this a few times. You can gently ring a gong or bell if you have one. Notice how the sparkles settle slowly down to the bottom. As they do that, let your thoughts settle, too. When you’re ready, ring the gong again - make sure you notice how the sound gets softer and softer before it disappears.
Save the Mind Jar to shake up and use next time you need it. Or just use it to practice your mindful breathing!
- Excerpt from Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean, Wisdom Publications.