When it comes to wellness, what better way to find balance than with the Force?
We recently hosted an exclusive Disney Cast Life wellness event in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. As a mental health advocate and host of the Star Wars Mindful Matters series, Ashley led hundreds of cast members through important mindfulness techniques, including meditation and deep breathing exercises – some of which paid homage to Luke Skywalker’s training with Master Yoda.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health, which is why I’m so happy to be sharing these important exercises through the lens of Star Wars with cast members,” Ashley said. “In the films, Yoda taught Luke how to feel the Force, using techniques very similar to how we’re grounding ourselves with our surroundings today, connecting to the energy around us.”
Ashley also spent personal time with attendees, recounting stories of her own wellness journey throughout her Star Wars career and even shared how she discovered the inspiration behind her fashion and lifestyle brand, Her Universe.
“I wanted to give female Star Wars fans an opportunity to express their passion for the brand while helping change the perception that science fiction and fantasy is just for men,” Ashley shared about the Her Universe product line. “I also hope to inspire girls to create big dreams because if you can dream it, you can do it – something I’ve believed since my childhood visiting Walt Disney World and still today.”
However, we cannot reach our dreams without taking care of ourselves along the way. Here at Disney, we encourage all our cast members to stay on top of their health and wellness goals with special offerings like the Be Well, Be You cast wellness reward program or exclusive resources including a free Headspace Plus membership.
One thing Ashley wanted cast to take away from the morning? Be kind.
“I always ask myself what Ahsoka would do. Kindness can sometimes be perceived as weakness, but Ahsoka taught me that kindness is one of my greatest strengths.”
If you’re interested in also taking part in a lesson, the Star Wars Mindful Matters video series is available at starwarskids.com. You can also catch up with Ahsoka Tano, voiced by Ashley Eckstein, in the new Disney+ original series Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi debuting Oct. 26.