The Workout That Gets Vets through the Home Stretch

Eliot, ME - Yoga in ME, with the support of SATYA, Seacoast Area Teachers of Yoga in Action, is offering free yoga and meditation sessions for veterans Tuesdays at 10:30am at the Yoga in ME studio, 9A Bradstreet Lane in Eliot. No registration is necessary. Drop-ins are welcome.

Although it is often viewed as an activity exclusively for flexible young women, many soldiers and veterans are now using yoga as a complementary and alternative approach to help calm their senses and assist in transition into civilian life. Increasing numbers of new studies are backing this up. A recent study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress showed that Breathing-Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans. Local veteran and yoga teacher, David Glazebrook, CPT US Army RET who served from 1993-2006 and started doing yoga in 2010 agrees, “Being an Army guy, this [doing yoga postures] was a natural fit. My body was beaten after years in the service. I was no longer able to run, and even had a hard time walking long distances. The physical activity kept me focused. As time passed I was able to focus more and more on the breathing. The more I focused on my own breath, the better I was able to calm myself. After about two months of dragging myself to class, I was hooked. Not only did I want to go to yoga, I needed to go to yoga.”

The yoga classes at Yoga in ME are taught by Nancy Garnhart,, MS, a highly trained yoga teacher and massage therapist and director of Yoga in ME. Understanding that there are many considerations when teaching yoga to veterans, Garnhart received specialized training in Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans. The classes are ongoing and open to all veterans and active duty military personnel. “It is an honor to work with the veterans who attend this weekly class. Witnessing the transformations a regular yoga practice can bring is profound. We had a very new student in this morning’s class who reported that his quality of life was already noticeably improved after the first two classes. This is just amazing to witness, “ says Nancy Garnhart. Interested veterans are welcome to drop in to this class any week.

Rochelle Jewell, president of SATYA, says, “We are so pleased to be able to support Nancy’s efforts to bring yoga to our local veterans. Her work is directly in line with SATYA’s mission to support yoga teachers who are reaching traditionally under served populations. Several recent evidence based studies show that yoga is especially helpful to veterans living with PTSD.”

Yoga teaches how to connect the mind and the body through relaxation, meditation and the physical practice of postures. This, in turn, serves to re-wire the autonomic nervous system which regulates our “fight or flight” response as well as the mechanisms that restore us to calm after a stressful event. Regular yoga practice can condition the nervous system to execute stress responses in healthy ways, producing a calming, centering and grounding effect. Mindful Yoga Therapy (MYT) for Veterans is a clinically tested program that has had a lasting positive impact on many veterans who have worked with the program, helping veterans find a calm and steady body/mind to lead productive and peaceful lives. “Yoga is far more than an exercise program,” Garnhart states, “It’s a complete mind-body discipline that can improve the life of every veteran, from World War II veterans to service members just returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Yoga Sessions

Date: Tuesdays
Time: 10:30am
Address: 9A Bradstreet Lane, Eliot, ME
Attire: Wear comfortable clothing. Mats and props are provided.

About Yoga in ME
Conveniently located on Route 236 in Eliot, Maine, Yoga in ME is dedicated to the practice of yoga, meditation and mindful living in a safe and peaceful community. Their vision is to create a supportive community where all who join are valued as individuals. For more information, visit myyogainme.com

About SATYA
Seacoast Area Teachers of Yoga in Action, SATYA, is a local non-profit organization promoting community service through yoga. SATYA recognizes the value of yoga to provide physical and mental health benefits in people from a variety of diverse backgrounds. In addition to veterans, SATYA teachers strive to reach neighbors living with cancer, PTSD and mental illness as well as seniors, teens, at risk youth, the incarcerated, people with disabilities and more. SATYA also supports organizations providing fuel and food assistance in the York, Strafford and Rockingham counties. www.seacoastsatya.com