Page 91 - Total War on PTSD

“Yoga is a journey of your own growth and awareness by quieting, strengthening and learning to control the mind, body and spirit.” - Judy Weaver
Courtenay: I did take Yoga classes myself, while they were available to me, when I was still living in Indiana. I loved the way I felt afterwards. While the classes didn’t take my pains and aches away, they did help me to relax and forget some of my stress and anxiety...at least for a little while.
One thing important to Yoga is the breathing. That is one thing I tried to practice on my own before I even knew anything about Yoga. I did it when I was still over in Kandahar, while I was in my bunk at night. I would close my eyes, fighting off a pounding headache (which was pretty much the norm) and try to relax myself by slowing down my breathing and listening to classical music on my headphones...just softly enough that I could still hear the sirens when they went off.
Days weren’t the only times we experienced ‘rocket’ attacks and base perimeter assaults. Those things happened at night too. Often, I felt like the nighttime attacks were an attempt by the enemy to break down our resolve because they knew that every attack would mean that all personnel were supposed to go to their bunkers...whether they had been sleeping or not. The nighttime excursions to the bunkers usually featured a wide variety of dress, from sweats to flannels and nightgowns. Regardless of what people had been sleeping in, those authorized to carry weapons were required to bring them along with them to their respective bunker. When I got to a bunker earlier than usual I was rewarded with the sight of approaching creatures of every shape and size, moving towards me from all directions on the uneven gravel surface, waving their about as though to keep their balance or ward off flies, dressed in Jawa-like robes, with their weapons belts slung around their hips or shoulders, and a hood covering their head from the cold...rendering them completely unrecognizable. I half-expected to hear the Jawa creatures’ call as I saw them creep forwards.
Sometimes I held my breath.
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