(Soldiers in the zone, or carrying stress home from the zone, respond to 'mindfulness' practice after studying Buddhist meditation master, Thich Nhat Hanh.)
Mindful Breathing
The soldiers I teach often have problems with post-traumatic stress. I give them an exercise in "mindful" breathing, from the Buddhist tradition, but universal in application. This soldier describes her experience in very original language that shows the healing power and grace of mere breathing, when we bring awareness to it....
"I used to practice breathing all the time when I was little just for the fun of it because I thought it was a silly little thing to do. Now, as an anxiety-filled adult, sometimes I forget to breath.
"My mind races too much and I'm so overwhelmed with whatever is going on around me, I forget to take a moment to myself and take a breather.. After doing this breathing, my body is so much looser compared to how tense and rigid I can get when I feel like I'm drowning in my own skin. Being able to take a few minutes to relax and un-focus, and just release everything I had been feeling the past few weeks has put me in a place where I feel like I'm floating...
"Revolving around the depression I have, the breathing was like a hug to my mind and my wild emotions. I was able to put a stop to the horrible things I was thinking about and it was all thanks to just a few minutes of silent and observant breathing."
~Pepper D.
*****
"Rarely do I find the time to accomplish tasks that are for my own benefit. I am in charge of soldiers. Stress arises and moments become tense, constant work begins to weigh me down. During this moment I realize I can take 5-10 minutes to relax so I close my door, sit in a comfortable position and clear my mind to calm myself. “Mindfulness of Breathing” is an ancient Buddhist practice that, sometimes in my line of work is a necessary occurrence.
The soldiers I teach often have problems with post-traumatic stress. I give them an exercise in "mindful" breathing, from the Buddhist tradition, but universal in application. This soldier describes her experience in very original language that shows the healing power and grace of mere breathing, when we bring awareness to it....
"I used to practice breathing all the time when I was little just for the fun of it because I thought it was a silly little thing to do. Now, as an anxiety-filled adult, sometimes I forget to breath.
"My mind races too much and I'm so overwhelmed with whatever is going on around me, I forget to take a moment to myself and take a breather.. After doing this breathing, my body is so much looser compared to how tense and rigid I can get when I feel like I'm drowning in my own skin. Being able to take a few minutes to relax and un-focus, and just release everything I had been feeling the past few weeks has put me in a place where I feel like I'm floating...
"Revolving around the depression I have, the breathing was like a hug to my mind and my wild emotions. I was able to put a stop to the horrible things I was thinking about and it was all thanks to just a few minutes of silent and observant breathing."
~Pepper D.
*****
"Rarely do I find the time to accomplish tasks that are for my own benefit. I am in charge of soldiers. Stress arises and moments become tense, constant work begins to weigh me down. During this moment I realize I can take 5-10 minutes to relax so I close my door, sit in a comfortable position and clear my mind to calm myself. “Mindfulness of Breathing” is an ancient Buddhist practice that, sometimes in my line of work is a necessary occurrence.
"After
a week of meditation I felt a weight lifted from my body as well as my
mind. I was able to focus more clearly on the tasks at hand and was able
to leave work on a positive note. While I meditated I noticed that I
had many thoughts that varied greatly from schoolwork that was due to
the next mission I would go on. I am unsure whether I actually had more
on my mind or if I simply became “aware” of the thoughts as they
presented themselves. I observed sensations of warmth coupled with a
calmness of mind and body. I realized that my mind and body operate as
one. They are not separate from each other and, while acting as one,
they produce a slight euphoric state. If I felt myself become too relaxed,
losing posture, I immediately regained my composure. When I felt as if
I had meditated enough, I stood up and continued
my day.
"I noticed a change. I felt more relaxed and less vulnerable to
negativity. The mundane tasks I worry about melted into a simple goal: to
accomplish the greater outcome. Through the practice of
“Mindfulness of Breathing” I was able to reduce stress that had
compounded upon my day to day thoughts and actions."
*****
"I notice when you are being mindful of people when you walk, you pickup more about what that person is doing. When sitting you can control your breathing and focus on your surroundings, and if you cut down on your senses, like closing your eyes, you can listen and actually hear things that you couldn’t with your eyes open. Basically your acuity level goes up! Being in the military we are taught to “STOP! LOOK! And LISTEN!” For us it is having situational awareness, which is the same as being mindful of your surroundings."
*****
"More than just stopping to smell the roses, mindfulness means being aware of the square inches of space that my body possesses in the universe. Just as the flicker of a butterfly’s wing affects the whole of the rest of the world, my intake of breath is of value, and should matter, and be noticed."
*****
"Breathe, relax, aim, and squeeze... Wonder if Guru has ever visited sniper school? Be safe over there brother... " (Keven B.)
*****
"I have always been up for a challenge. A breathing exercise in a combat zone is one of those challenges I decided to take on. After reading the requirements of this exercise I determined that as it was written, it would not have the effects that was intended. There is not really a way to sit comfortably and let your mind go. So, I modified this exercise in order to see if it would work.
"I am a helicopter crewmember. I sit in an aircraft all day long flying throughout the country of Iraq. In order for this exercise to work for me, I needed to incorporate the long periods of time sitting. I actually took a scientific approach to this exercise. The breathing exercise was performed 5 different times in 3 different situations. I intentionally did this to see if the methods described in the writings would work for everyone in any situation.
"The first situation I put the techniques to the test was in my room upon waking up. It was very easy at that time of the day to allow myself to follow the instructions to the letter. It was very peaceful to just sit there and allow myself to relax during the process. The rest of the day was actually very productive and I was much more relaxed the rest of the day. The next situation I decided on was during one of my “admin” days. It is these days that all of the day-to-day needs are taken care of. This day in my week can become a point of stress for me, so I decided to really put the breathing to the test. I found a quiet spot to sit down and do the technique. I found that these days are not good days to try to relax no matter how good the exercise is. There are just too many distractions on the ground that distract me no matter how hard I tried to focus. The final situation that I chose was probably the craziest idea I have had in a long while. I decided to try breathing just before launching on a mission. As I strapped myself into my seat in the helicopter I pulled out a sheet of paper and followed the instructions on it.
"I was amazed how relaxed I become sitting there. All the tension and anxiety toward the upcoming flight left my body. It actually helped me focus on my mission and not stress out or over react to situations as they came up during the long mission. This technique was such a help for me on the trip that day, that I was commended on my military bearing and poise. My fellow crew members asked for my secret and I shared it. I was skeptical though. I had to fly two more times to confirm my findings.
"Confirmed!
"I have made a conscious decision to continue this practice as a part of my pre-flight mission preparation. I have even taught the rest of my crew, and we now add a few extra minutes to are routine in order to sit and breathe and relax before we launch."
*****
"While I was serving in Afghanistan for the second time overseas in combat, my team and I found ourselves walking through a wadi (empty river bank) which happened to be full of land mines. Unfortunately we found this out only after losing two of our counterparts by explosions going off within feet of us. After the first two explosions went off, we started to receive small arms fire from two different locations. At the worst possible moment one of my soldiers was seriously injured losing both of his legs, part of his hand, and nearly losing his life. Receiving so much different chaos all at once, and understanding that any wrong movement would more than likely injure or kill another one of us I truly believe that it was a test from God. I had honestly thought I was on my own, and that I had done something to anger God. By utilizing the Buddhist method of “truly breathing” I was able to remain calm, and elevate some of the stress that was going on around me. I understood that it was indeed my moment of truth, my test. It was up to me to get my soldiers out of the terrible situation that we had become a part of. I honestly believe that by utilizing this simple religious practice, I was able to think clearly, and to remove my guys safely from danger, and in turn successfully completing my challenge from God." ~Jared B.
*****
" On the first day of this exercise I was stationed out along our outer perimeter in the middle of the night. It was about three in the morning and it had been a quiet night so I thought it would be a good time to try the Buddhist practice. I went and sat on a pile of sandbags and took one last look out onto the horizon before shutting my eyes. I saw the fires off in the distance and the full moon silhouetted the burnt out shells of Iraqi tanks. There was no question about where I was, but when I closed my eyes all that went away. I sat there and just paid attention to my breathing, letting it come and go without controlling it. Not a lot of thought came to me that first night. I simply sat there and allowed myself to forget where I was, I was just a body in the middle of the desert without a care in the world. When I opened my eyes again after five minutes it felt like I had just had a full night’s sleep. I felt relaxed and calm, almost like I had let my mind take a little vacation. I enjoyed it so much that I came back to the same spot the next night.
"Day two of my Buddhist experiment was surrounded by more distractions, as well as a deeper separation between my mind and body. Once again I was out along our perimeter in the middle of the night. Clouds had blown in covering the moon, making it pitch black outside. I felt like I was the only person around for miles. I closed my eyes and began noticing my breathing as I had done the night before. Except on this night my breathing was accompanied by several thoughts as well. The thoughts started when I heard a pair of Blackhawks approaching from the South. However, the team of helicopters approaching me did not jerk me back into reality. I simply allowed myself to acknowledge that they were there, which took me deeper into my relaxation than the night prior. My next thought was of my three year old German shepherd back in Indiana. I did not miss him, I simply wondered what he was doing right then. It was ten minutes before I opened my eyes again and I sat there for a second thinking about what had happened. Not letting the helicopters distract me, only noticing that they were there, took me deeper into my relaxation. Also, without any guidance, my mind drifted towards my dog. I did not miss him and get sad, or think about the fun we have and smile. I merely acknowledged the thought of him which made me feel like I was in the audience, watching my brain perform a show. For the second night in a row I was completely refreshed and did not have a care in the world. I could not wait for the next night to once again let my mind and body take a vacation.
"The third day of my experience put the relaxation technique of Buddhism to the test. It began as a windy day, which brings with it the wall of dust from the east. The dust set in and the air became gritty and heavy as well as limiting visibility. This also means that the enemy can get closer to set up their rockets without out surveillance detecting them. Twenty minutes into my shift the siren sounded and the rockets began falling. While the rest of the “soldiers” ran to a bunker, my squad saddled up and went to work. It is always a heart pounding, adrenaline pumping experience that is often hard to calm down from. I was anxious for the sun to go down and get to my Buddha bags, as I had come to refer to my spot as. The sand had died down and the moon was shining bright like it was on the first night. I got over to my spot and sat there for awhile to calm myself down and not rush into the technique. Finally I closed my eyes and once again concentrated on my breathing. I noticed almost immediately how good it felt to breathe in fresh air rather than dust. I thought about my lungs expanding and how happy they must be to get clean air once again. As more and more thoughts came to me, I did not allow myself to dwell on them. I simply accepted that I had the thought and let my mind continue on. When I finally opened my eyes it had been almost half an hour. I sat there again and thought about what had happened. For a while it felt like I had not even been there. Not only did I feel like I was not in Iraq, I did not feel like I was anywhere. Not allowing my brain to dwell on any of my thoughts was calming as well as relaxing. The best way to describe it is like sleeping, but being awake to enjoy it.
"In conclusion, my experience with the Buddhist method allowed me to escape reality and just “be”. I was able to separate my mind from my body and see my brain as just another organ doing its job. I learned that when I turn my mind off, my body is finally able to relax. I have never been one to turn my mind off or ignore my thoughts, but I found the technique made me feel more relaxed than I have in months. The assignment was to do the exercise for three days; however, I will definitely put the technique away for a rainy day. I may not do it every day, or even once a week, but I know that if my mind and body ever need a vacation that I can give them one."
***** "The month of September had been a very difficult month for me because I was experiencing several factors causing stress. My youngest brother was killed, I just decided to retire from the military, I had to buy a house for my family, work had me traveling all over the place, and I had to start looking for a second career.
"I tried the relaxation technique a few time and I did not experience anything. My wife saw I was frustrated so she asked what was going on. I explained to her that I was trying this relaxation technique to help me relieve stress and to help with a writing assignment for my college class. As I started to explain the technique, she immediately stopped me and said that she has been doing this for years. I explained to her that I had not experienced anything from doing this technique. My wife then proceeded to talk me through it.
"She had me sit on our bed with my legs folded across each other. She turned down the lights and ensured it was quiet. She then talked me through the technique ensuring I focused on my breathing and not to try to control it. She told me not to sleep but to observe my thoughts as they came through my mind. She explained how important it was to be aware and experience the peaceful visions. I did this technique for some time before I actually allowed myself to experience peacefulness. Suddenly, all the stress I was experiencing seemed to be nothing of true importance. This allowed me to focus on what needed to be done and to stop worrying about failing.
"Through mindfulness meditation, I realized that the solutions to everything were right in front of me. My body felt so peaceful. I do the relaxation technique before I go to bed now, and I truly sleep. I wake up refreshed and full of energy." (A. H.)
Ryokin Sand Garden
We offer a Live Classroom in Zen Buddhist art, after which students can comment on their virtual tour of the Ryoken Sand Garden in Kyoto, Japan.
"Our unit has our own Ryokin Sand Garden. It is our memorial to our fallen comrades. It is here where we can go and pay our respects to these warriors who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Their names are forever engraved on this granite monument, where they will never be forgotten. It is here that every member of the organization can pay respect and carry on the standard that these fallen heroes have set."
*****
"The first time that I started the mindfulness relaxation practice, my body kind of rejected it no matter what I did. In a way I felt like I was cheating on my religion. We as Christians have tunnel vision, so when something new comes along our mind, body and soul reject it.
"Day two of the relaxation process, I see that it had some effect on my every day trials. For the past ten months I have been in a combat zone,so there is always an edge on my shoulder. However, when I woke up in the morning I felt a calmness about me much different that any other day out here. As the day went on, it seemed as if nothing could get me upset. Immediately I started to think of the relaxation process which I did the night before. I even thought about continuing the process every day.
"The third day was a test to see how I would react. We received a mortar round in our compound. The impact rattled everything within a half mile radius. However, it seemed as if something inside said to me, Everything is going to be alright. Throughout this process I have learned that its OK to be open-minded. After all the events that happened, I am seriously considering continuing the mindfulness practice. It is really an internal learning experience about my abilities. Considering how calm I was during all of the events, I am sure that repeating this relaxation process will help me manage my stress." (Michael T.)
****
"I went into this meditation exercise with a closed mind. I always thought that I never had time to meditate or that it would not work for me. Today was especially true. As I sat down my mind was telling me, 'You have a lot to do right now, you really do not have time to do this.' I argued with myself for a few minutes more before I finally did it.
"I sat down, closed my eyes, and started breathing. I envisioned the stream, because as soon as I closed my eyes a list of things I had to do just flooded in. One by one I would toss a petal in the stream. I do not know if this significant or not, but each petal would turn into a lotus flower. Each flower I watched float gently down the stream and over rocks. I swear for every flower petal I tossed my head would feel lighter. I did not feel lightheaded. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my head. I have always heard that cliché, 'a load off my shoulders', but I never realized what the person truly was saying. This exercise taught me that stress is a weight inside your brain, if you are not careful you may pull something.
"I will definitely take the time to meditate, especially when I have way more to do than I think I can handle. This exercise taught me to slow down and put my flowers into order by what was more pressing to least important. When I figure out what problem needs to go where, I can send it floating. I did not realize how uptight I was. This exercise helped my mind to breath and my body to relax.
****"I am reading the book, Peace Is Every Step, by Thich Nhat Hahn. I would recommend it to anyone who was interested in trying to live in the now... Being in Iraq really helps me stay centered, because you never know what will happen if you stop paying attention."
****
"I experienced 'mindfulness' during my 2nd deployment in 2004. My unit was convoying from Kuwait to our forward operating base in Iraq. I was the driver of my vehicle and I also had to point my weapon outside of the window while using my other hand to steer. I remember feeling several mixed emotions; I was terrified but my face was emotionless. I would engage in eye contact with any local driving beside me to let them know, 'I see you and I will shoot you if you do anything.' Lord knows, I did not want to kill anyone. "You never know what could happen on a convoy so with that in mind, everything I looked at was as if it were the last thing I would ever see. There could be debris and dead dog carcasses along the road, and still I was able to see beauty. Every breath I took was savored; every sunset I saw was etched in my mind. I never felt more alive in my entire life than I did during that convoy, because I appreciated every breath, every sight, and every sensation felt through my body. I was living in the present moment and felt an incredible oneness of my spirit and body. "Thinking back on that experience, I would love to live my whole life taking that approach. There are moments when I feel that way, but it normally happens in the face of danger or when I suffer loses in my unit. Although I am not Buddhist, I would love to understand this way of being and incorporate it into my life. I believe it is something for every human soul, regardless of one’s religion. I hope that others approach it with open-mindedness. I wish you the best applying Hanh’s practice to your daily life."
****
“Before encountering the teaching of “mindfulness” in Buddhism, I would have never thought breathing or living in the now as a spiritual act. I realize how often I have done this as a way to relax. I remember sitting in a bunker at dawn and being able to face the mountains at a sunset, and it really is nice to be able to just stop for a second and relax and take in the beauty around you. I think it just proves that this practice can be done anywhere, and sometimes it needs to be done. I see it as a way of almost resetting your mind, even if it is just to think about how nice the sunset is, instead of wondering if the next mortar round is going to land close.”
****
"I was in Iraq for eleven months and on most days did at least twelve hours of patrolling on the streets of Baghdad. I think I and my soldiers became experts at walking mindfully there. Any thoughts of the past or the future have no place while you’re in danger of being shot with every step you take. I think it is great that something taught in a peaceful religion just comes naturally in a hostile environment."
****
"Mindfulness is the practice of bringing your attention back to the present moment, primarily through breathing and awareness. As I begin my research and take the first steps into this journey, I find my self trying to find my own words for the Experience of mindfulness. On the search I discover I am able to do just this every day: 30 minutes have passed, heart rate is 160. I will push another 20 or 30 out on the never ending staircase. As I keep pedaling along but never moving forward, I start to think about my breathing, smoothing out the jagged edges.
"1,2,3,4, hold; 1,2,3,4, out; 1,2,3,4, hold; 1,2,3,4.... The slow rhythmic internal chant brings me away from the woes of these days. In here no soldiers are lying in the burn center in Texas. In here we don’t have to memorialize a young female Lieutenant who was said to have been the best in his command by an Infantry Lieutenant Colonel. In here, there are no spouses to notify of their husbands injuries. In here, just 1,2,3,4 hold; 1,2,3,4 out; 1,2,3,4, hold; 1,2,3,4...
"I open my eyes. The gauge on the elliptical running machine says my heart rate dropped to 148, yet my effort hasn’t decreased."
*****
From an 'Essay' on Buddhist Mindfulness Practice
How do you maintain mindfulness in a busy work environment?
"For me look impossible my upsets supervisors my workers unhappy look for the welfare of other person don't give me time for relax I try everything that i human can to avoid stress even medicines and nothing work. Maybe I forgot the basic when was I kid take time to think in the now and enjoy live take a minute and breathe relax enjoy that I am alive that live smile to us I said AHHHHH!!! while I'm in stress I smile the rest of them don't understand what we go trough if we forgot about smile a breath and relaz we be living on hell. When I smile and breathe problem goes away for a split second and I walk in heaven." (Antonio)
