I've been doing classes for three weeks now. There have only been one or two guys attending. The problem seems to be the times. A lot of the guys work and have families so making a 5:00 class is very difficult, 3:30 is impossible for most.
I would like to schedule three classes a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at 6:00. I don't know if a staff counselor can make those times, but, if I can do a little fund raising; I could pay a stipend for a counselor and an assistant sensei [I have a woman from out dojo with excellent Aikido who would love to do it and this might attract women Vets], get some basic insurance coverage and cover some travel costs, copying and a web site, about $30,000. However, I gotta get off my butt and do it!
The Vet Center wants to stop classes for about a week to see if there is some way around the scheduling. They want to keep the classes going as they see some progress with the guys who do come and want to make it easier for more to attend.
Actually, having only 1 or 2 in class has enabled me to gain clarity on what is needed and how to deliver it better. Stressing breathing, releasing energy [ki] from the whole body moving it to "center" and using it constructively seems to be helping, even after only a few weeks. I emphasize that energy, in and of itself, is neutral, neither positive or negative. One of the consequences of trauma, particularly CRPTSD, is that this energy gets turned against us, negatively. "Releasing" it, and flowing it to center allows it to be used positively. The Vets, and the counselors, seem to like both the imagery [of flowing the energy] and the functionality.
I have to apologize. I've just done a mediocre job of condensing one of the most important chapters in the book. I promise to try and explain it better as I go on.
(Original blog post may be found
here.)
