Offering the Missing Peace in Our Schools
Why do we do what we do?
Right now is a really stressful time to be alive, but most definitely a student. Not only do you have to worry about the pressures of homework, tests, grades, friends, family, and other obligations; there's also the stress of cyberbullying, social media, political instability and climate change. Additional obstacles these students can face include poverty, neglect, abuse, addiction, incarceration, and violence. Life can be unpredictable, loud, stressful, and chaotic; all of which leads to overwhelming sensations and dysregulation of their nervous systems.
Public underfunding has left schools without the extra assistance students need to deal with their current reality. Teachers and staff are doing their best for our kids; but with ballooning class sizes, shifting standards, and not enough resources, educational professionals are often just as overwhelmed as students.
This is where Humble Warrior Collective can fill the gap.
Students are asked to sit and focus for long periods of time. If they can’t sit quietly and focus, often they are seen as classroom disruptions or behavioral issues.
But students aren’t taught how to sit or focus; and sometimes they just can’t because their nervous systems are dysregulated.
We offer tools to help students self regulate and deal with stress; giving students more focused time in the classroom with a better ability to receive the information as it's presented.
Our yoga program offers students a safe environment to connect with stillness - both inner and outer. This maybe the only time in their day when they can experience quiet and have the opportunity to just be.
Humble Warrior Collective offers students a skillful space to connect with their body and breath. Teaching them how to breathe fully and control the breath while they are young can lead to life-long healthier breathing and less illness.
As students sharpen the skills of breath and body awareness, we begin to strategically introduce different forms of meditation. Meditation has been shown to help increase focus and concentration for students, both in and out of school.
Many schools don’t have dedicated spaces that foster brave conversations. Humble Warrior's unique curriculum introduces topics that create the opportunity to reflect, be vulnerable, and practice self-inquiry.
We believe that self-discovery means learning who we truly are and what we stand for; not just what society says we should be. We believe self-discovery is as important as math and science skills.
Our teachers act as positive role models who demonstrate a calm, non-judgemental way of being along with modeling how to appropriately regulate emotions and create communities that are inclusive and caring.
Our yoga classes facilitate diverse interactions, bringing together students of different backgrounds who may not have met otherwise. Yoga is non-competitive; so it is an excellent physical outlet for all kids, non-athletic kids don’t feel the need to perform and athletes get a break from expectations of winning or perfection. We help cultivate a sense of belonging and community. In a time when many kids feel left out or not good enough, a yoga community can be a place to belong.
Humble Warrior teaches the “soft skills” that even most adults have trouble with - how to function in community, set boundaries, create goals, and deal with difficult situations with grace.
Kids are increasingly asked to communicate through technology. Yoga offers them the opportunity to disconnect from the screen and connect with how they are feeling - good, bad, or otherwise - in their body, mind, and energy levels.
Exercising this mindful connection to what their current experience is continues to nurture self-regulation and hope so they know
1) how to take care of themselves in the moment
2) what they need to do to self-regulate
3) create a plan on how to move forward
Simply bringing attention to the now offers hope towards the future and points the way forward to set and meet attainable goals. One breath at a time. One step at a time. One Humble Warrior at a time.