- IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE TIME
IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN MOST DISTRESSED
AND CAN'T SEE A WAY OUT, AND IF YOU CAN THINK
ABOUT FROM THAT PLACE WHAT WAS THE MOST HELPFUL TO YOU,
WHAT ACTUALLY HELPED YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP
OUT OF THAT PLACE,
IT PROBABLY WASN'T A DOCTOR, IT PROBABLY WASN'T A PILL
OR A SURGERY,
IT WAS SOME SKILL OR STRENGTH THAT YOU FOUND WITHIN YOU.
SO, WHAT THIS DOES IS HELP US BUILD THOSE TOOLS
THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE,
THOSE STRENGTHS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
IN A MUCH MORE PROACTIVE WAY,
SO THEY'RE MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO YOU.
YOU DON'T WAIT TILL YOU'RE IN A CRISIS MODE,
BUT YOU CAN USE THIS EVERY DAY
TO HELP WHETHER IT'S YOUR SUFFERING
WITH CHRONIC PAIN OR DEPRESSION
OR WHATEVER ISSUE YOU'RE DEALING WITH,
THE POWER OF THESE APPROACHES CAN HELP YOU.
- I WAS IN THE ARMY.
I WAS 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION, AND I SERVED OVER IN IRAQ,
THE VERY FIRST PUSH BACK IN 2003.
- I WAS THE 88 MIKE MOTOR TRANSPORT OPERATOR.
WE DROVE THE 5,000-GALLON FUEL TANKERS.
- VIETNAM 1967, 1968.
- AND I WAS INVOLVED IN GULF ONE.
- I SERVED IN SOUTH BAGHDAD FROM APRIL 2006 TO APRIL 2007.
- IT WAS HELL, YOU KNOW, I'D GO OUT ON PATROLS NOT KNOWING,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE GOING TO GET HIT.
- MENTALLY, IT TOOK A TOLL, PHYSICALLY, IT TOOK A TOLL.
- HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MYSELF.
- I GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PROBLEMS, FROM A TO Z.
- ONCE I GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY, I WASN'T ABLE
TO READJUST BACK INTO SOCIETY.
- THERE WAS ONE TIME THAT I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF.
- I WOULD LITERALLY BE TENSE, STRESSED...
- I WAS KIND OF DEPRESSED... - HEADACHES.
- I HAD A LOT OF ANXIETY AND ANGER ISSUES
THAT I WAS DEALING WITH.
- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY BELIEVE
AND I WANTED TO JUST REALLY EMPHASIZE
IS HOW IMPORTANT ALTERNATE OPTIONS ARE
FOR MEDICATION.
NO ONE HAS EVER DIED OF AN OVERDOSE OF TAI CHI,
BUT WE'VE HAD VETERANS WHO'VE DIED
OF AN OVERDOSE OF MEDICATIONS.
SO IT'S HUGE, THIS IS A BIG DEAL,
AND IT REALLY DOES HELP.
- THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ABOUT IT
IS THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE
TO HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE,
HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR SCENARIOS,
YOUR CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
- ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS THAT FUTURE, AND OPEN YOUR HEART
AND OPEN YOUR MIND AND ACCEPT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE,
WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE AND WHAT'S ALREADY OVER WITH
AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO FROM HERE.
- THE BEAUTY OF THIS TYPE OF FOCUS
IS THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU AT ALL TIMES,
AND IT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU AT ANY TIME,
AND IT JUST TAKES TRAINING, AND FOR ME,
IT'S JUST BEEN A REAPPLICATION OF MY MILITARY TRAINING
TO FOCUS ON MY BREATHING.
ALL MINDFULNESS TAKES PLACE THROUGH THE BREATH,
AND ONCE YOU RECOGNIZE THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE
IMPLICIT TO YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT,
YOU THEN APPLY THAT TRAINING.
SO IT'S THE SAME KIND OF THING AS WHEN THE MILITARY TEACHES YOU
THE VALUE OF DISCIPLINE OR THE VALUE OF INTEGRITY,
AND THEN IT SHOWS YOU ITS UTILITY.
SO, THAT'S THE THING, IT'S SEEING THE UTILITY.
NOW, IN THE MILITARY, THEY TEACH YOU
THE UTILITY OF BREATHING FOR SHOOTING A WEAPON.
AND THAT'S GREAT TRAINING.
YOU IMMEDIATELY SEE THE CONNECTION,
YOU SEE ITS USEFULNESS, AND YOU APPLY IT IMMEDIATELY.
THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS TYPE OF BREATHING TECHNIQUE
IS THAT IT'S NOT GEARED TOWARDS PRECISION
AT A TARGET 300 YARDS DOWN RANGE,
IT'S GEARED TOWARDS THE TARGET INSIDE YOU,
AND THE TARGET INSIDE YOU IS--
COULD BE, YOU COULD SAY, YOUR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
- I HAVE SEEN IN THE YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN HERE,
HUGE TRANSFORMATIONS FOR THESE GUYS.
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENTS IN MY LIFE
WAS ONE SOLDIER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SAID
THAT WHEN HE WAS EXHALING,
HE COULD FEEL THE ANGER JUST LEAVING,
AND IT WAS JUST THIS DEEP SORT OF BREATHING
BEING PRESENT.
I HAVE ZERO, UH...
BASICALLY, MY JOB IS TO OFFER THE TOOLS,
AND THEN THEY TAKE IT ON, AND THEY BREATH, AND THEY MOVE,
AND THEY COME BACK TO THE PRESENT,
AND IT'S BEEN A HUGE PASSION FOR ME.
I WANT IT TO GROW, I WANT IT TO GET BIGGER,
I WANT IT TO BE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL,
I WANT IT TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE AIRPORTS.
I WANT IT TO BE EVERYWHERE WHERE THERE'S ACCESS
FOR THESE VETS TO BE ABLE TO GO.
I WANT IT FOR THE WIVES, BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING,
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PTSD,
IT'S NOT JUST THE SOLDIERS, IT'S THE FAMILIES,
IT'S THE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW.
IT'S HARD FOR THESE MEN AND WOMEN TO COME BACK
AND NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO TO KIND OF BE
IN THAT MEDITATIVE STATE, BE IN THAT PRESENT.
- THERE'S ONE THING THAT I REMEMBER IN YOGA
WAS TO CHANNEL THE ENERGY, WHICH IS, YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES,
AND YOU PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER LIKE THIS,
LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO PRAY.
YOU PUT YOUR THUMBS CENTERED TO YOUR CHEST,
AND YOU JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES, AND YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN,
IN YOUR NOSE AND OUT YOUR MOUTH,
LIKE... [INHALES]
AND YOU HOLD IT FOR, LIKE, 5 SECONDS,
AND THEN YOU LET IT OUT THROUGH YOUR MOUTH.
[EXHALES]
AND YOU DO THAT A COUPLE TIMES, AND AS YOU'RE DOING THAT,
YOU PRETTY MUCH WANT TO THINK IN YOUR MIND
ABOUT SOMETHING REAL GOOD, LIKE, SAY, FOR INSTANCE,
I LIKE THE BEACH, AND I LIKE WATER,
SO YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY LIKE,
LIKE WATER, AND YOU JUST THINK ABOUT WATER BEING IN THE OCEAN,
THINKING OF THE SOUNDS OF THE WATER,
THE MOTIONS OF THE WATER,
AND YOU JUST KEEP BREATHING IN...
[INHALES] AND BREATHING OUT...
[EXHALES]
AND WHEN YOU BREATHE OUT, YOU JUST LET IT ALL OUT.
LIKE, WHEN YOU BREATHE IN,
IT'S LIKE BREATHING ALL THE BREATH IN TO YOUR HEAD,
AND THEN WE LET IT OUT, JUST RELEASE IT
ALL THE WAY OUT TO YOUR FEET.
AND DO THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES, MAYBE LIKE 5 OR 6 TIMES,
AND THEN OPEN YOUR EYES,
AND THEN YOU FEEL YOURSELF MUCH EASE,
LIKE, ESPECIALLY YOU WANT TO DO IT,
LIKE, IF YOU'RE FEELING SAD, OR IF YOU'RE FEELING TENSE,
OR A LOT OF US SOLDIERS HAVE ANXIETY, WE HAVE TENSION,
THEY SAY WE HAVE HYPERTENSION,
SO WE GET STARTLED ON A LOT OF THINGS,
AND IF YOU FEEL YOURSELF ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL,
JUST DO THAT A COUPLE TIMES AND THEN OPEN YOUR EYES,
AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BETTER.
- I WOULD CLOSE MY EYES,
AND I WOULD STILL HEAR EVERYTHING AROUND,
BUT I WAS ABLE TO JUST HEAR IT BUT YET NOT PROCESS IT,
SO TO SPEAK.
I WAS ABLE TO FEEL TINGLING, YOU KNOW, IN MY TOES
AND THEN UP THROUGH MY LEGS
AND THEN ALL THE WAY, LIKE, THROUGH MY FINGERTIPS,
THROUGH MY HANDS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY UP TO MY HEAD,
AND IT WAS EXHILARATING.
I DON'T KNOW, I KIND OF LIKE TO, YOU KNOW,
RELATE IT TO, I DON'T KNOW,
LIKE, A DRUG.
IT'S LIKE A NATURAL DRUG WITHIN YOURSELF, YOU KNOW,
TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH THINGS, YOU KNOW,
HELP YOU FACE THE WORLD, YOU KNOW,
TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH NORMAL EVERYDAY STRESS
INSTEAD OF HIDING AWAY FROM IT.
AND, LIKE, THE PART WHERE, YOU KNOW,
YOUR MIND JUST CREATES
JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT
WHERE YOU PUT YOURSELF AT, IT'S JUST LIKE NOTHING AROUND.
I WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT PEACE WITHIN MYSELF.
- TO EXPERIENCE A CALM,
A PEACE.
MY BREATHING, IT WAS AMAZING.
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN OUR MINDS
AND OUR BODIES.
IT WAS JUST AMAZING.
IT'S HARD TO REALLY EVEN DESCRIBE
THE PEACE, THE RELAXATION, THE CLARITY THAT I HAD.
- WELL, IT'S JUST, WHAT THIS EXERCISE DOES
IS IT ALLOWS YOU TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES YOU TO, LIKE, YOUR HAPPY SPOT OR SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW, TAKE YOUR MIND OFF
WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW?
- IF YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME 5 YEARS AGO,
I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU TO GO "F" YOURSELF,
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO TRY IT, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE I'D THINK THAT'S, LIKE, ALL HIPPIE STUFF,
BUT I WAS A DOUBTER, TOO, AND I DOUBTED ALL THAT,
AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A LAST-DITCH EFFORT,
AND, FORTUNATELY, IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPING ME OUT.
YOU KNOW, I'M MORE ACTIVE, I'M MORE SOCIAL,
I GO AND TALK TO PEOPLE,
AND ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE OF US, YOU KNOW, THAT I MEET,
LIKE, ON THE STREET OR AT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW,
I ASK THEM, "HEY, YOU KNOW,
"HAVE YOU BEEN EXPERIENCING ANY KIND OF, LIKE, ISSUES,
ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS?" ALL OF THEM SAY NO.
WE ALL DO,
BECAUSE WE ALL DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF TITLE,
YOU KNOW, OF SOMEBODY WITH PTSD,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CIVILIANS,
PEOPLE THAT NEVER SERVED,
THEY LOOK AT US LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INFECTIOUS
OR LIKE WE'RE GOING TO KILL THEM,
WHICH I THINK IT'S [BEEP].
BUT, YOU KNOW, I STILL FACE THOSE PROBLEMS EVERY DAY,
BUT IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME LIKE IT USED TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN I FIRST STARTED, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE, LIKE, THROUGH TREATMENTS, YOU KNOW,
THERE IS A LOT OF TRIALS AND ERRORS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD TO REALIZE
THAT DEALING WITH PTSD IS SOMETHING
THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
I JUST CAN'T SHY AWAY FROM IT, YOU KNOW?
SO I USE THESE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES,
YOU KNOW, AND, SAY, BE ABLE TO PUT MYSELF IN A WAY
TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH SOCIETY.
- YOU START OUT WITH A SET OF MOVEMENTS
AND A SET OF TECHNIQUES,
AND IT REGULATES AND FLOWS THE CHI IN YOUR BODY.
THE CHI IS ALSO KNOWN AS ENERGY IN CHINESE MEDICINE.
THAT'S WHAT CHI IS. IT'S CALLED ENERGY.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT FILTRATES THROUGH YOUR BODY,
AND IT GIVES YOU...
IN ESSENCE, IT UPLIFTS YOU.
IT GIVES YOU A REFRESHENING,
ANOTHER WAY OF TRYING TO BASICALLY
RECHARGE YOUR SYSTEM.
- IT WAS JUST SOMETHING DIFFERENT
THAT JUST CALMED ME DOWN CONSIDERABLY.
IT WAS A NICE FEELING,
BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE THE ENERGY IN MY BODY
WAS BEING TRANSMITTED
TO A MORE EVEN-KEEL.
PHYSICALLY, I WAS IN GOOD SHAPE.
MENTALLY, I THOUGHT I WAS IN GOOD SHAPE,
AND NOW, ENERGETICALLY, I WAS GETTING IN GREAT SHAPE.
- YOU KNOW, I WAS SKEPTICAL IF THIS WAS GOING TO WORK.
I MEAN, I HAD READ UP ON IT,
I'VE SEEN A VIDEO OR TWO ON YOUTUBE
ABOUT THE QIGONG STUDY, BUT I WASN'T QUITE SURE
IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR ME,
BECAUSE I SUFFERED FROM IT FOR SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
I JUST WASN'T SURE.
BUT AFTER THE FIRST SESSION, I WAS A BELIEVER.
- IT ALSO HELPS YOU DEAL WITH DIFFERENT GATES OR KEYS.
THAT HELPS DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOUR BODY.
I DEALT WITH A LOT OF RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS,
WITH RHINITIS.
ONE OF THE KEYS WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO THE MIDDLE
OF YOUR MEATY PART OF YOUR HAND,
AND YOU ROTATE IT 5 MINUTES, BOTH HANDS,
AND IT ALSO STIMULATES YOUR LUNGS.
- IF YOU ARE IN THIS BLACK AREA, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S PRETTY NEAT ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF
IS THAT YOU GET TO RECOGNIZE
THE TEMPORAL OR THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF YOUR THOUGHTS,
OF YOUR FEELINGS.
YOU GET TO SEE THEM AS A FLOW, AS A RHYTHM,
AND IF YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THAT THAT RHYTHM IS GOING TO CHANGE--
SOMETIMES IT'S GOING TO GO UP, SOMETIMES IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN,
BUT IT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
AND WHEN YOU REAPPLY YOUR TRAINING,
THAT CHANGE CAN GET SMOOTHER,
SO YOU DON'T GO UP SO HIGH, YOU DON'T DROP SO FAR,
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL
LIKE "THIS FEELING THAT I HAVE WILL NEVER EVER END,
AND I'LL NEVER NOT BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS."
YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY.
- IS IT EASY SOMETIME TO REMEMBER THESE TECHNIQUES?
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU DO [INDISTINCT],
THEN YOU SAY, "OH, WAIT A MINUTE,
LET ME REEL MYSELF BACK IN."
THAT'S THE KEY OBJECTIVE, REELING YOURSELF BACK IN, OKAY?
JUST LIKE YOU CAST YOUR LINE OUT IF YOU GO FISHING.
YOU MIGHT MISS A SPOT, THEN YOU GOT TO REEL IT BACK IN
AND GET BACK TO THE SPOT.
BUT THE KEY OBJECTIVE IS YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOU MISSED IT.
- IT'S CALMING.
WHEN YOU'RE BREATHING AND YOUR BODY,
AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE RIGHT WORDS TO EXPLAIN THIS,
BUT WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN SYNC,
IT'S SPECTACULAR.
- IT'S JUST AN HOUR, BUT THAT HOUR KEEPS YOU GOING
TILL THE NEXT WEEK.
AND THAT'S WHY I ENJOYED IT.
- WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU
IS AT LEAST THAT IT'S WORKING FOR ME,
AND IT'S WORKING FOR A LOT OF VETERANS, JUST GO AND TRY IT.
JUST GO AND TRY.
- SO, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF JUST DOING IT AT HOME,
IT'S A MATTER OF DOING IT ANY TIME YOU FEEL TENSE,
SO YOU DO TAKE THE TOOLS WITH YOU
AND USE THEM CONSTANTLY, AND IT HELPS ME GO FORTH.
- IF YOU'RE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN, TRY IT.
AFTER THE FIRST SESSION, I GUARANTEE YOU,
YOU'LL BE SOLD, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING
IS YOU'RE MOVING YOUR ENERGY-- IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU.
THERE'S NO ADDITIVES TO THIS. IT'S JUST YOU.
- JUST IN CASE ALL THE FEMALE VETERANS
THAT'S OUT THERE
THAT'S SCARED OR PRETTY MUCH JUST CLOSE-MINDED
TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF DOING YOGA,
PLEASE, WHATEVER YOU DO, JUST OPEN YOUR MIND
AND BE OPEN TO THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO TRY.
- ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS THAT FUTURE
AND OPEN YOUR HEART AND OPEN YOUR MIND
AND ACCEPT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE,
AND WHAT'S ALREADY OVER WITH,
AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO FROM HERE.
AND THE FIRST STEP IS YOURS.
- I JUST WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY...
NAMASTE,
WHICH I LEARNED IN YOGA,
WHICH MEANS "PEACE BE WITH YOU."
- AND VETERANS WHO BEGIN TO DO THIS
IN THEIR LIVES AND MAKE IT REAL
AND PARTNER WITH US IN MAKING IT BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER
ARE PART OF NOT ONLY, I HOPE, IMPROVING
THEIR OWN SENSE OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
BUT WILL HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT AS WE BRING THIS OUT
TO OTHER VETERANS AROUND THE COUNTRY,
AND REALLY MODEL THIS FOR AMERICA.
I THINK THAT OUR HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW IS QUITE BROKEN
AND PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING,
AND WE HAVE THIS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY,
STARTING WITH EVERY INDIVIDUAL, PERSON, AND VETERAN,
TO LEARN AND SHOW HOW IT CAN BE DIFFERENT,
SO I JUST THANK THE VETERANS ONCE AGAIN
FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY
THAT'S ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF HEALTH CARE.