“Life without war is impossible, either in nature or in grace. And whether physical, mental or spiritual, the fact is that the basis of all life is antagonism.” (Chambers)
In following the warriors road, many of our Veterans have become its victims, attested to by the simple fact of the rising number of PTSD cases and suicides. And whether its effects are physical or mental, trauma knows no bounds, having symptoms ranging from the commonplace to the complex. Often central to questions of “moral injury,” regarding just cause and mortality, it follows then that something other than standard practice is often required to effect recovery. Hozho, a Navajo (Dene) word, referring to balance and harmony, connotes to just such a process, one which recognizes that recovery must include the agency of the spirit. Routinely overlooked in modern medicine, “spiritual-wellness” remains of significant importance in Native American healing traditions, most of which retain purification rites and ceremonies to cleanse the human spirit, which is seen as foundational to recovery. Interestingly, a similar emphasis can also be found in Asian traditions, as expressed for instance in the historical Bushido Code of feudal Japan. Apart from being instrumental in the formulaic development of the Samurai class, Bushido served not only as a code of ethics for the warrior society, but a spiritual treatise which promoted the “inner work” required in remaining “fit-for-service.” In addition, we can also find parallels in Sun Tsu’s The Art of War, with one commentator noting: “What is notable throughout and what raises this work far above that of a simple military manual is not only the elegance of its prose, but the underlying Taoist principles; the depth and meaning of which serves to impart an element of mysticism which is no doubt responsible for its continuing and universal appeal.”
That said, the U.S. Military and its Allies, after more than twenty years engaged in the Global War on Terror (GWOT), and a disproportional number of veterans having suffered the negative effects of multiple deployments, not to mention personal injuries to themselves or their families, many Vets struggle in readjusting to civilian life, as well as in finding the help they need in dealing with mental or physical complications arising from combat. Yet due to the nature of combat itself, with its overwhelming emphasis on the physical over that of the spiritual, it’s little wonder that parallels can be found within the Veterans Administration itself? And in that regard it raises and even greater concern – the VA’s lack of confidentiality when it comes to the reporting of mental trauma cases to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). A systemic issue that not only serves in adding further complexity to a process which begs for simplicity, but has left veterans so disillusioned with the process that their actively seeking alternatives. And they’re out there! Whether found in Native American healing traditions, clinically administered psychotropic programs, or the increasingly popular wilderness experience, where the natural world is often the best physician. Of some interest then is the fact that these alternatives all have one thing in common, an emphasis on spiritual solutions for psychosomatic problems. This in turn begs the question. If the common link for the creature that is man can be found in the realm of the spirit, it follows that restoring a connection with one’s own spirit, and the God of creation, should be of primary interest to anyone seeking recovery and restoration in a holistic sense.
CoupStick Chaplain 