On this International Day of Yoga, I am grateful to be a part of the new and developing Battle Born Yoga Project. Though my activity within the project has been slow thus far, new developments are helping me to switch gears and pick up momentum. The project is and will allow our local military-connected community to have free access to yoga and meditation.
My yoga history began here in Nevada, in 2001, when I saw a high school friend and fellow musician doing some interesting stretching. I asked what that was and eventually saw a Yoga Journal magazine in our local library. It was attractive…
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With counseling through Give An Hour, exploring my Taps Project through Sierra Nevada University’s MFA Interdisciplinary Arts program, and meditation, this year has been quite the adventure.
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During our 10 residency a guest speaker mentioned recalibrating as artists. Life recalibration is definitely on the menu since our residency, and with the support of actual practice, brothers, therapy, etc… Similar to the challenges of biking up a mountain road and then seeing the views, plus biking down, I’m looking forward to seeing how I recalibrate and integrate my life/practices this semester and in general.
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On the 28th of September, on the way to support a friend’s wedding in Aspen, Colorado, I visited the Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail. This trip was an unexpected manifestation of a childhood skier’s dream to visit Colorado’s mountains (from around the mid 90’s).
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This past Labor Day weekend was spent thinking about the fact that in about four months I’ll begin the MFA Interdisciplinary Arts program at Sierra Nevada College,
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Two U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadets have attended the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association’s (RMPA) annual convention for three years in a row, presenting on what they have studied and learned from interactions with Naropa University. Why they are presenting started when I was introduced, by Naropa psychology professor Peter Grossenbacher, to Michelle Butler a behavioral sciences professor at the academy. The introduction was after the inaugural Veterans Day event I hosted at Naropa in 2015.
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It was a day to honor peace and the end of war, and the words associated have a lovely feel to them. “At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends.” (History Channel)
Remembering this day with the original spirit of it helps me to appreciate it and honor it in a deeper way.
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Today I did an Oath of Service for the third time in my life. It’s fascinating to reflect on the differences of how each of them felt. The first time was when I enlisted to serve my country as a U.S. Army Musician. The second time was as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2016 serving at Naropa University to start building Veteran services (outside of a VA certifying official for veteran benefits). This third time was again with AmeriCorps at the same location.
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My journey of writing a book began in a writing class at Naropa University during the fall semester of 2013. It was my third time taking the class and I needed to make sure I did well on the final assignment to pass it. Our final assignment was to turn in a manuscript of the work we had done during the semester. I wasn’t impressed with the semester’s work I had done, so I inquired about writing one paper for the final assignment. The teacher mentioned it would be firmly graded and had to be the same length as the final manuscript (about 20-25 pages).
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