Whether you’re wrestling with a monkey mind, or you can’t seem to bust out of a negative-thinking rut, or you need a quick mental break at work, there’s a new mindfulness practice that’s as effective as it is pretty: the DIY glitter jar. “Think of a glitter jar as a metaphor for the mind,” says Christopher Willard, PsyD, a lecturer in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Growing Up Mindful. “The glitter represents our thoughts and feelings, which start to swirl around and make it hard to see clearly when we’re busy.” When you catch yourself in this state, simply shake your glitter jar and watch the sparkles settle, remembering that your mind does the same when given the chance to quiet down.
To make your own, simply fill an empty Mason jar, spice container, or plastic water bottle with water, add a few pinches of glitter and some vegetable glycerin (to slow the fall of the glitter), and seal.
By Meghan Rabbitt
This article was first published in the print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.
