Who doesn’t want to be a Jedi in real life? Through mindfulness, we may come closer to understanding how a Jedi’s mind works. That’s now possible with Mindful Matters, launched in celebration of Star Wars Day by Lucasfilm. Star Wars Mindful Matters is a brand-new series of shorts on Star Wars Kids hosted by Ashley Eckstein, the voice of fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.
The series, a collaboration among Eckstein, Citrone 33, and Lucasfilm, aims to bring mindfulness to a young generation through the lessons that fan-favorite Star Wars characters and stories have taught audiences over the years. In each video, Eckstein will lead one Star Wars-inspired mindful exercise, teaching viewers that it only takes a moment to make a difference in one’s day.
Entertainment can be a powerful tool for change on and off-screen, and today a growing number of entertainment companies understand how much impact can be created beyond the theater. That’s especially true for a brand as iconic as Star Wars.
“You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere,” Yoda famously said to Luke. Mindfulness and meditation seem like a natural continuation of the story. In fact, Lucasfilm has also partnered with the mindfulness app Headspace for Star Wars-themed breathing exercises. Mindful Matters has a chance at inspiring a younger generation to learn about these practices.
“This video series has been a passion project and a dream of mine for several years. Jedi Master Yoda teaches us that training our mind is just as important as physically training our body, and I’m thrilled to bring some mindful lessons from Star Wars to the forefront in an accessible way to kids and fans of all ages,” explained Eckstein in a statement accompanying the release.
According to Lucasfilm, each video is clinically based on evidence-informed educational resources provided by the movement On Our Sleeves® for children’s mental health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The first two videos are available now on StarWarsKids.com, with more releasing soon.