Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, was first popularized in Japan, which later became known in the United States through exhibitions and illustrated diagrams. Modern day Origami has made a comeback in recent times to practice mindfulness and to enhance memory and concentration.  

Origami in Japan is an established art form that is integrated into elementary school curriculum to help them develop patience and spatial skills to help them be mindful. 

Here are a few ways of how origami helps you become more mindful: 

1) Easier access makes it very handy 

The great thing about origami is that it is a simple piece of paper that you can access from anywhere. Usually you can find colorful pieces of paper at any stationary shop near you and keep it with you for later. It is a form of engagement that is both for adults and children that helps you to be self-reflective anytime you want.  

2) Origami helps you to be present in the moment 

Origami helps you to be aware of what's happening in the moment and keeps you focused. It's a great tool for kids to develop their spatial and perceptual skills, improve their dexterity and practice their hand-eye coordination in a way that they enjoy. 

It's a great way to help children with special needs or with attention deficit disorder to focus and improve their attention. It is also easy to teach them mathematics with the help of origami. 

3) Origami can be used to let go of self-judgment or perfectionism. 

Unlike other activities or any art form, origami is an art form that is peaceful and beautiful. It is craft, science and meditation all at once. Give yourself time and space to practice this art form and let go of self-criticism, judgment or perfectionism to truly surrender to the process of learning origami. 

4) Persistence and practice will give you perspective  

Focused attention and meditation has been seen to promote calmness and stabilize the mind. When it comes to attaining the stage of meditation in origami, one needs to learn the folds by heart first. After the learning stage, one can achieve the meditative stage through persistence, practice and patience.  

Cambridge lower secondary curriculum taught at Thakur Global School of Education regularly engages students to practice origami to develop their creativity to help them express themselves in a fun way. Known as one of the best International Schools in Kandivali, Mumbai, the TGSE curriculum is tailored to suit individual requirements of kids.