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| “Wind Song” the healing music of Native Americans click to view and listen.. |
Please support my mission of helping families who suffer from PTSD and moral injury…order my book, Reconciliation: A Son’s Story. Click and order paperback or download Kindle version. Buy my book at Barnes & Noble as well… Thank you! Steve Sparks, Author
Native American traditions and PTSD… Quote from this website article…
BY ELAINE BASSIER
ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS
ELKO, Nev. — Native American traditions may be the key to helping modern-day veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Taki Telonidis, the producer for the Western Folklife Center’s media office in Salt Lake City, has been working on a documentary called “Healing the Warrior’s Heart” that explores the ways some Native American tribes treat their veterans when they return from war.
Telonidis said around two million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some come home fine, others have life-changing injuries and “many are coming home with invisible drama,” or PTSD.
Some tribes refer to PTSD as a wounding of the soul, Telonidis said. Part of the veteran’s spirit is still on the battlefield, and he said the tribes have traditions that can heal his or her heart.
“What they’re trying to do is bring their spirit home,” Telonidis told the Elko Daily Free Press (http://bit.ly/1enSiX4).
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I remember clearly from childhood history studies in school how Native Americans participated in the very first Thanksgiving in America. Along with Thanksgiving, November is also a good month to celebrate and honor Native American Heritage. We have much to learn from the American Indian traditions, especially in alternative treatment strategies focused on healing the warriors wounded soul. Native Americans believe that the warrior leaves part of his spirit on the battlefield after returning home. A new documentary film mentioned in this posting called “Healing the Warrior’s Heart” explores the ways some Native American tribes treat their veterans when they return from war. The mindfulness and human connectedness or spiritual techniques are becoming popular and are supported by the Veterans Administration. Alternative treatment strategies for PTSD have been very much a focus of my own journey of healing and in the research for writing my book. My on-going work in helping others through writing this blog, book signing and speaking events continues to be a critical work in progress to help keep my feet on the ground. There is no quick fix to life after trauma, and it appears that the Native American traditions offer we survivors much hope in achieving a healthy, productive, and happy quality of life. While we can celebrate as trauma survivors, it is equally important to thrive during the extended healing process…
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story click to order…
