The Peaceful Warrior Program, facilitated in collaboration with the Indigenous Coordinator, offered Year 7 boarders a unique blend of didgeridoo resonance and guided meditations to cultivate mindfulness and resilience. Through sessions that introduced students to techniques like Box Breathing, the program provided tools for managing stress and enhancing focus. Students responded with comments like feeling more “at home” and relaxed, and many applied the breathing techniques in practical situations like sports and test preparation. The sessions evolved to meet the students’ needs, with the inclusion of breathwork and sensory awareness exercises, leading to noticeable improvements in their emotional regulation and well-being. The program’s success is evident in the students’ engagement and the lasting impact of these mindfulness practices on their daily lives.

Here is an outline of the 6-week Peaceful Warrior Program:

Week 1: Introduction to Mindfulness and Breathing Practices

• Overview of the Peaceful Warrior Program and its goals.
• Introduction to basic mindfulness concepts and guided breathing exercises.

Week 2: Deepening Relaxation with Didgeridoo Resonance and Box Breathing

• Breath and body connection exercises, followed by didgeridoo sound bath.
• Focus on enhancing relaxation and stress relief through deepening mindfulness practices.

Week 3: Navigating Emotions and Grounding Practices

• Emphasis on using breathwork to manage emotions like homesickness.
• Didgeridoo sound combined with sensory awareness techniques for grounding.
• Students practiced using these tools to calm themselves in challenging situations.

Week 4: Building Emotional and Bodily Awareness

• Continued focus on Box Breathing and expanding emotional awareness.
• Discussions on applying mindfulness practices in real-life scenarios (e.g., exams, sports).
• Students noted greater ease in integrating these techniques into their routines.

Week 5: Practical Application and Integration

• Repetition of key practices, reinforcing the use of breathwork and mindfulness in daily life.
• Group discussions on challenges faced and successes achieved in applying the techniques.
• Introduction to more advanced relaxation techniques.

Week 6: Reflection and Consolidation

• Recap of the skills learned throughout the program.
• Group sharing session focused on how the program impacted their lives, both in and out of school.
• Final didgeridoo session to bring together all elements of the program, followed by a closing guided meditation.
• Students expressed positive outcomes, noting applications in sports and academics, signaling the long-term benefits of the program.

This structured approach ensures that students gradually build both the skills and confidence to apply mindfulness and resilience techniques in their everyday lives.