Neodymium Mindfulness Mobile

I heard somewhere that before you speak, check if what you are about to say is true, kind, useful, and at the right time. Maybe the Buddha said it (?), I'm not sure, but these four checkpoints have helped me a lot when I feel angry/argumentative or wanting to participate in some gossips/criticisms of someone. Rather than blurting out something to satisfy my anger/ego on the spot, I review my perspective with these questions, re-read the mood, choose my words in a kinder way or another time to speak. I really believe that these checkpoints would be helpful to you in some ways or another.

So I made this mindfulness mobile with these simple reminder cards such as "Is it true?" or "Is it the right time?" to be in spaces that I often am in or look at. For me, it's either my desk or my computer monitor. I like how this mindfulness mobile is dynamic and interactive in the way that the cards can rotate around and words would appear and hide with the blowing breeze. It's much less static than visual reminders posted on the wall.

Also, the tiny but powerful neodymium magnet balls allow you to adhere the mobile to many metallic surfaces (ie under a lamp shade or wall bookcase) and even stack another layer of mobile cards below or add shiny pendants or anything decorative to it.

Heheh I just had to sneak in my bunny

Select Your Materials and Begin

The materials for this project are pretty flexible. I used colorful origami paper to decorate the back of the reminder cards. A sketchbook with somewhat firm paper (or any card stock paper that isn't too flimsy) was used for the card itself.

I plan to make 4 reminder cards, but I sketched out the measurements for 8 cards because it gives me more leeway to test designs or letter effects with the extra cards.

Next is writing the reminders: "Is it true?" "Is it kind?" "Is it useful?" "Is it the right time?"

Although I like these four mindful speech reminders, you can choose whatever you want to be more mindful of or even pictures of loved ones.

After sketching out the card shape and cutting them out, I glue the cards to the origami paper. Try to spread a light, even coat of white glue and put some heavy books on top to press the front & back together. Finally I trimmed the edges.

Cross-shaped Hanger

Again, this step has a lot of flexibility. I made a simple cross-shaped hanger for the cards, but your mobile can be much more elaborate (or simpler, such as a zen-like one-card mobile).

I used two 5" pieces of bamboo skewer glued together with hot glue, then wrapped gold thread around the middle (to cover the glue) followed with a few wraps of thin jewelry wire (for the magnets).

The hooks on the end of each arm are made by tightly winding more jewelry wire and finishing with a loop using needle-nose pliers.

The Wire Stand

The mobile uses the magnets to hang from a wire stand that I made out of some mechanics wire from an auto store. But magnets can hang from lots of places, so be creative.

I tried making two and hanging one below the other. I also used a few more magnets to suspend a nice piece of jewelry under the mobile.

Thanks for taking a look. Let me know what you think, and please post pictures if you make a mindfulness mobile.