I just returned from an inspiring weekend with 300 educators interested in bringing mindfulness into our schools. Home from the conference, here are a few things that feel important to share.

Snow globes are not only some of my favorite knick-knacks, but they're also a perfect tool to illustrate the clear perspective that we can developed with mindfulness meditation.

A meditation teacher, suggested that the key to happiness lies in how we frame our experience. His mom agreed that every time she complained about something, she'd add the following words to the end of the sentence: "and my life is blessed".

The President's speech on Sunday night was nothing short of a victory lap, and not just a victory lap to celebrate the passing of an historic health insurance reform bill. He took a victory lap for the return of the long-view.

For years I couldn't find a visual way to show my mindfulness students how past, present and future are all part of the present moment -- until I taught a clinic for teachers in Singapore.

My favorite local sight is the image of the solar powered Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica pier. It's not only beautiful, but a metaphor for the creative and the analytical way our minds work.

Is it possible to translate mindfulness into something that can benefit everybody regardless of religion, ethnicity, education, or age without dumbing it down and forfeiting authenticity?

I doubt that any parent, upon reflection, hopes that his or her actions will make it more difficult for kids to learn and get along with others at school or home.

It's important our kids learn a new set of ABCs too -- one that draws upon the very old values of Attention, Balance and Compassion.