By Hannah Schenker
The quickest lesson on mindful meditation you’ll ever get, by the youngest teachers you’ll ever have. – Filmmakers Julie Bayer Salzman & Josh Salzman (Wavecrest Films)
Anger is something we all feel, yet how many of us know what to do with such strong emotions? That’s where mindfulness comes in, as these insightful kids discuss in this short film called Just Breathe, by filmmakers Julie Bayer Salzman and Josh Salzman (Wavecrest Films). You might like to show this film to your own kids and talk about it. This is also something many of us adults can learn from too.
The inspiration for Just Breathe came to filmmaker Julie Bayer Salzman when her then-5-year-old child began learning about mindfulness in school. He and a friend were discussing how emotions affect different parts of the brain, and how to calm down by taking deep breaths.
“We quickly realized it was something we would have to learn ourselves,” Julie says, “as it is far more beneficial overall if parents are embodying the same philosophy, or using the same tools, their kids are being taught.”
Julie completed a 6-week online course on mindfulness through Mindful Schools. She went on to create this short film with her husband, featuring her son and his classmates speaking candidly about what they had learned at school about mindfulness, emotional regulation and brain activity, and what they do when they’re feeling these big emotions.
“We recognize mindfulness is an ongoing practice, and do our best to keep working at it every opportunity we get – whether in the classroom, on the baseball field, in our home or at work,” Julie says. “The benefits of the practice are vast and varied, and we believe it is the key to a healthier, more peaceful future.”
Find more from Wavecrest Films on their website, on Vimeo and on Facebook.
