This is a long overdue post about the apparent contrast, to military types, about some of the necessary "mind-body medicine" concepts like "soft belly breathing" -- a useful, easy form of meditative calming.
A few months ago I was privileged to take part in a week-long practitioner training for mind-body medicine, and military providers and the VA made up a large percentage of the participants. Much of the work took place in small groups, and in our ten-person group, there were more than a few VA providers (from occupational therapists to psychologists and counselors), along with one combat veteran. As the group learned and practiced various techniques for mind-body medicine -- which have proven benefits for reducing stress, lowering heart-rate, increasing endorphins, etc. -- the combat veteran described his initial discomfort with the practice. "This is just a hard sell to us veterans," he said, sitting up straighter in his chair, "we've worked hard to strengthen our core, and get the rock-hard abs. And now you're telling us to practice something called 'soft-belly breathing'?" We do everything in our power to avoid the soft belly, seemed to be his point. And yet...funny how mind-body stress management techniques are actually another, potent way to do just that: Strengthen our core. By the end of the week-long session, the veteran had gone from feeling like he was there as an impartial observer, to see if "this stuff" would "work for his guys," to someone who was starting to get the implication of how it could help him, too, in his own life.
Somewhere in the Midwest right now, I just know there's one great combat veteran, finding his own balance between "rock hard abs" and "soft-belly breathing." And beginning to show the way to so many others...
Editor's note: Here's an example of James S. Gordon, M.D., founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, leading you through "soft-belly breathing." It's incredible simple to do. In three minutes of practice you've pretty much mastered it. Enjoy :-)
