MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Everybody needs to find inner peace, even warfighting Marines.
With thousands of service members returning home from more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the growing pressures of U.S. military budget cuts, the Family Advocacy Program at Quantico hopes their new yoga program will help Marines reduce stress and improve mindfulness.
“Yoga for Wellness,” which launched last week at the Barber Physical Activity Center, is designed to be the physical compliment to Marine Corps Community Services’ traditional behavioral health services like stress and anger management, said Rebecca Childress, prevention and education specialist at FAP.
“With stress management and anger management, one of the No. 1 tools that you have to calm your body after you’ve been triggered is your breath,” Childress said. “If you can calm your breathing down, get in sync and rhythm with it, then you’re going to be more likely to calm yourself.”
Along with learning breathing techniques, participants will also concentrate on self-awareness, acceptance and regulation. Of course many of the physical aspects of yoga can improve flexibility and strength, but Childress said that isn’t the main goal.
“It’s not about twisting yourself into a pretzel, but finding peace and calm, and allowing your body to quiet,” Childress said.
Although it’s been less than two weeks since the yoga program launched, it has already begun garnering interest around the base.
“’Yoga for Wellness’ is certainly something that has some opportunity for success out here [at The Basic School],” Col. Todd Desgrosselliers, commanding officer of TBS said. “I would like to have it at lunch time, once or twice a week for our Marines.”
Many people deal with stress in different ways, but Childress hopes their yoga program will provide another avenue to achieve, what she believes is the Corps overall goal: total wellness.
“So much of what you see the Marine Corps going toward now with counseling services and Semper Fit addresses the mind, body and spirit,” Childress said.” “We can’t just say ‘we’re going to offer you counseling, but not provide any [practical mental and physical exercises] to back it up.’”
“Yoga for Wellness” courses are held Thursdays at 1 p.m. at the Barber Physical Activity Center. No pre-registration is required. The class is designed for service members but military families and Department of Defense employees can also attend. For information contact the FAP at, 703-784-2570.