It has been said that the only warriors who do not suffer after combat are those who were killed. I cannot attest to that for all battle tested warriors but I certainly can for one---me. Some years ago a young, 13 year old eighth grade student from the Fairfield, Iowa Middle School once asked me, Were you wounded in the war?
I had been invited to speak in Mrs. Broz's class for many years to talk about my wartime experiences. I had been asked and answered many questions but this one was different. I paused, thought deeply and quickly, and replied.
Yes I was wounded, seriously wounded but not a wound that anyone could see and fix. His question gave me pause to quickly think about warriors in all the wars that have been fought, including mine, whose wounds were unseen, untreated and debilitating even though no blood was shed.
I spent a sleepless night wondering if my answer had satisfied him...or me. What was there about my military service that left me so hopeless and so helpless when I returned home to civilian life? Was it me? The military itself? The combat? This is what I recalled; perhaps the answers would come as I wrote my experiences down.
I've been practicing Transcendental Meditation for 40 years. It's a great tool for reducing stress ... especially the stress our men and women of the Armed Forces are going through now. --Clint Eastwood, Academy Award-Winning Film Director
Stress causes, anxiety, depression, and violent behavior. Transcendental Meditation is a remarkable process for reducing stress-it can help people live a long and better life. --Mehemet Oz, MD, America's Doctor
In this riveting memoir, a true American hero describes how Transcendental Meditation changed his life for good. A must-read for those struggling with the aftershocks of combat, and their loved ones. --Norman Rosenthal, M.D. Author of Transcendence: Healing and Transforml“2