Published on Thursday 9 July, 2020

A Different Spin on Anxiety

Lifestyle Solutions partnered with Sons of Obiwan Saber Academy earlier this year, opening up a great opportunity for the people we support to enjoy a new and exciting life experience Lightsaber theatre combat.

Sons of Obiwan Saber Academy owner and founder, Luke Boyton, introduced and demonstrated lightsaber ‘spinning’ during a recent visit to our Wallsend Community Hub. Lightsaber spinning involves learning a sequence of spinning moves using a lightsaber to create a choreographed and visually impressive lightshow routine. Many of the spins and twirls demonstrated were familiar to the people we support as they followed the art forms of Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Through his work with us, Luke has been teaching the art of lightsaber spinning to people who experience anxiety, as it’s been shown to be an effective tool for reducing and resetting anxiety levels.

“Spinning is a Zen activity where thought will interrupt the flow of the saber. By teaching a form of Zen thought process, we can demonstrate to students a feeling of greater calm than they would normally experience. Once they know that a calmer state of being exists, it gives them a new baseline to aim for,” said Luke.

Lifestyle Solutions’ National Business Development Lead, Patrick Wilsmore, who initiated the partnership between Sons of Obiwan and Lifestyle Solutions in 2019, is thrilled to see the positive impact the program is having on the people we support.

“This sort of activity allows customers to tap into and create new and exciting experiences and memories whilst also learning subconsciously about history, physical education, balance, and a culture and a universe which presents a focus on the telling of modern fairy tales,” said Patrick.

In addition to reducing anxiety, Lightsaber Combat Theatre also engages people on a physical, mental and sensory level and helps them to exercise their ability to make choices and maintain independence.

Watch the video below to see Luke’s spinning techniques in action. If you’re interested in learning Lightsaber Combat Theatre and spinning, real authentic lightsabers are available to purchase through your NDIS plan. Contact us to learn more.

IMPRESSIVE: Luke Boyton and Dylan Willmott demonstrate their spinning routine. Both Luke and Dylan hadn't had the opportunity to rehearse for many months prior to filming, however we think they absolutely nailed it!