South Bay psychologist Laure Loughlin, along with fifth-graders Camila,
Cassidy and Alejandra. The students participated in an after-school
Mindfulness Workshop with Ms. Loughlin and created "mindful jars." The
concept of the mindful jar comes from the book "Moody Cow Meditates" by
Kerry Lee MacLean. The colorful glitter in the jar represents a person's angry
thoughts. When the jar is shaken, the glitter "swirls around like crazy
in the jar," just as our thoughts do when we are angry. But, then the
glitter slows down and gradually settles to the bottom of the jar, just
as our
minds do when we take deep breaths to recover from being angry. The
girls intend to use their mindful jars, as well as other mindfulness
techniques they learned from Ms. Loughlin, to help them stay calm and focused during stressful times.