Bubbles of Mindfulness

 When I was first discovering Mindfulness, and was still trying to understand it and utilise it in my life, I had a breakthrough moment one day that had a really profound effect on me. 

I was walking through the city centre one busy Saturday afternoon deep in thought and head down, making my way through the crowds. There were people everywhere; families, couples, individuals; all hustling and bustling about. Suddenly I was aware of a small crowd surrounding a man just in front of me.

It was like a film…………. One of those moments in a film when something freezes and everything around it seems to be in slow motion. Instead of looking down at the floor the crowd were all smiling and looking up into the air…………… watching giant bubbles. The man had fashioned a bubble making gadget from a large tray and a big piece of wire that was twisted into a circle. He was dipping the wire into the tray and lifting it slowly and these awesome, giant bubbles were forming and everyone was mesmerised….adults and children alike, and myself included. It was like time had stood still. 

There was nothing else in my mind for the whole time that I stood there watching the bubbles form and then float majestically off into the sky. I don’t know how long I watched but it was the most calming experience. It occurred to me that watching the bubbles was a form of Mindfulness and that the calm pocket of time that I experienced could be recreated. 

I bought sets of bubbles and took them into class for my group and told them the story and encouraged them to give it a go.

I have used bubbles in my Mindfulness practice since that day. As well as encouraging the observing of the bubbles to help to distract the mind, I have also utilised the blowing of the bubbles as a breathing exercise.

 Bubbles can be fun for adults and children alike and can be used to create a shared playful and joyful activity. They can also spark curiosity, be exciting, motivate experimentation and exploration and create opportunities for interaction and anticipation. Bubbles also provide a point of focus and can help to cultivate mindfulness. Blowing bubbles can have a calming impact on the nervous system and watching bubbles can also be calming. 

Blowing bubbles can help to manage anxiety. Exhaling slowly is calming and blowing bubbles is a way to slow down and lengthen the outbreath. Controlling our breath helps us regulate our nervous system and our emotions and can relieve stress and tension. When we blow into the bubble wand and watch bubbles coming out, we also learn first-hand about cause and effect, and crucially have a feeling of success and achievement. Life can be a playground if we choose to make it one…

What’s not to love?