Download or read book Walking Toward Peace written by Cindy Ross and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2021-04-01 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Walking Toward Peace shares the intimate stories of veterans who, post-deployment, have wrestled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through a process called "ecotherapy," spending time in nature to promote healing and mental health, they have found new tools to deal with issues that have resulted from combat experiences: survivor’s guilt, nightmares, lack of trust, depression, hypervigilance, thoughts of suicide, and lack of purpose. Some veterans profiled here have gone to extremes, spending months on long-distance expeditions, like hiking the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail or canoeing the 2,320-mile Mississippi River. For many others, however, brief excursions in the outdoors offer an opportunity for healing. Author Cindy Ross examines current research and perspectives of professional therapists and provides information on organizations devoted to healing veterans in the outdoors. Each featured veteran is depicted in an illustrated portrait. Veterans share their stories, frequently as they sit by a campfire, describing wartime traumas and their present lives. Through their collective voices what becomes clear is that anyone suffering from any form of PTSD may discover the powerful comfort and healing that can be found in the outdoors.
Download or read book American Camino written by Kip Redick and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-10-15 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the relationship between long-distance hiking—in this case, hiking the Appalachian Trail—and spiritual pilgrimage. Kip Redick interprets the Appalachian Trail as a site of spiritual journey and those who hike the wilderness trail as unique contemporary pilgrims.
Download or read book Written in the Snows written by Lowell Skoog and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2021-10-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Century of Northwest wilderness skiing stories by noted expert 150 black-and-white and color photographs Celebrates the friluftsliv, or open-air living spirit, of backcountry skiing In Written in the Snows, renowned local skiing historian Lowell Skoog presents a definitive and visually rich history of the past century of Northwest ski culture, from stirring and colorful stories of wilderness exploration to the evolution of gear and technique. He traces the development of skiing in Washington from the late 1800s to the present, covering the beginnings of ski resorts and competitions, the importance of wild places in the Olympic and Cascade mountains (including Oregon's Mount Hood), and the friluftsliv, or open-air living spirit, of backcountry skiing. Skoog addresses how skiing has been shaped by larger social trends, including immigration, the Great Depression, war, economic growth, conservation, and the media. In turn, Northwest skiers have affected their region in ways that transcend the sport, producing local legends like Milnor Roberts, Olga Bolstad, Hans Otto Giese, Bill Maxwell, and more. While weaving his own impressions and experiences into the larger history, Skoog shows that skiing is far more than mere sport or recreation.
Download or read book Thirty Days with My Father written by Christal Presley and published by Health Communications, Inc.. This book was released on 2012-11 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author describes her reconciliation as a adult with her father, a veteran of the Vietnam War who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, as they try to overcome painful memories and find renewed hope for the future.
Download or read book Log Cabin Years written by Cindy Ross and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-01-19 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Cindy Ross is one of today's most eloquent and thoughtful writers on the connection between humans and the natural world."—Richard Louv, New York Times bestselling author The Log Cabin Years is the inspiring story of how award-winning author Cindy Ross and her husband, artist Todd Gladfelter—a young couple totally inexperienced in construction—built a log home using raw trees and without the use of power, how they recycled and used salvage to supplement their materials, and how the home went on to become a living, breathing part of their lives together. With a perfect mix of memoir and practical information, The Log Cabin Years explores the ways the couple not only developed their building skills but defined the values and virtues by which they would continue to live—self-confidence, freedom, and independence. As the cabin walls grew, so, too, did Cindy and Todd—as individuals and as partners. Building a home forced the couple to learn to argue constructively, communicate openly, and work within the parameters of each person’s unique personality. The Log Cabin Years is a great example of how two people can learn to work together through difficult times, both mental and physical. For their efforts, they were able to build, and then live in, a beautiful home—debt free. From hosting Appalachian Trail hikers to offering a sanctuary for recovering veterans, from providing a place to homeschool and teach their children to launching Todd’s very successful career as a chainsaw carving artist, the cabin has given back, fostering creativity, learning, and healing. Building your own home has long been an American dream. The desire and need to live more sustainably has seeped into all aspects of our lives. The Log Cabin Years will speak to all people who wish to live a more sustainable life, empower themselves, build relationships, learn skills, and perhaps create a hand-built home of their own.
Download or read book War and the Soul written by Edward Tick and published by Quest Books. This book was released on 2012-12-19 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: War and PTSD are on the public's mind as news stories regularly describe insurgency attacks in Iraq and paint grim portraits of the lives of returning soldiers afflicted with PTSD. These vets have recurrent nightmares and problems with intimacy, can’t sustain jobs or relationships, and won’t leave home, imagining “the enemy” is everywhere. Dr. Edward Tick has spent decades developing healing techniques so effective that clinicians, clergy, spiritual leaders, and veterans’ organizations all over the country are studying them. This book, presented here in an audio version, shows that healing depends on our understanding of PTSD not as a mere stress disorder, but as a disorder of identity itself. In the terror of war, the very soul can flee, sometimes for life. Tick's methods draw on compelling case studies and ancient warrior traditions worldwide to restore the soul so that the veteran can truly come home to community, family, and self.
Download or read book At Hell s Gate written by Claude Anshin Thomas and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2006-01-10 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this raw and moving memoir, Claude Thomas describes his service in Vietnam, his subsequent emotional collapse, and his remarkable journey toward healing. At Hell's Gate is not only a gripping coming-of-age story but a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to the discovery of inner peace—a journey that inspired Thomas to become a Zen monk and peace activist who travels to war-scarred regions around the world. "Everyone has their Vietnam," Thomas writes. "Everyone has their own experience of violence, calamity, or trauma." With simplicity and power, this book offers timeless teachings on how we can all find healing, and it presents practical guidance on how mindfulness and compassion can transform our lives. This expanded edition features: • Discussion questions for reading groups • A new afterword by the author reflecting on how the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are affecting soldiers—and offering advice on how to help returning soldiers to cope with their combat experiences
Download or read book Deciding on Trails written by Amy Camp and published by . This book was released on 2020-12-29 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DECIDING ON TRAILS is for every local champion, thought leader, and dreamer who knows that trails can make a difference in their community if only their town would recognize the value of trails. Written by one of the first Trail Town practitioners, it covers the history of Trail Towns, recommended best practices, and how the concept has been adapted in dozens of places around the U.S. and Canada. This book is not a "how to" for structuring a Trail Town program. Rather, it is a call to action for trail communities and those dedicated individuals who want to cultivate a trail culture, embrace Trail Town best practices, and to once and for all "decide on trails." If you want more for your community and know that trails are part of the solution, this is the book for you. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DECIDING ON TRAILS "Deciding on Trails is a 'must read' for communities that hope to integrate trails into their placemaking efforts. Amy's passion, knowledge, and empathy are evident in her work and make her the perfect person to tell this Trail Towns story." --Laura Torchio, Director of Education, Project for Public Spaces "This ground-breaking book addresses head on something that has long been missing from conversations about trails: that they are more than the sum of their economic impact. Amy perfectly captures the many reasons communities ought to connect to their trails. Easy to digest, fun to read, and full of inspiration, this book is destined to become a staple in my trail reference library. " --Mike Passo, Executive Director of American Trails "Deciding on Trails is a book for people who want more for their places. This carefully researched, heartfelt book will easily convince community champions to embrace their trails. And these pages are not only full on inspiration, but this book provides these champions with the tools they need to make the most of their community's trails." --Kent Spellman, Consultant at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Download or read book Veterans of War Veterans of Peace written by Maxine Hong Kingston and published by . This book was released on 2016-03-15 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace" is a harvest of creative, redemptive storytelling-nonfiction, fiction, and poetry-spanning five wars and written by those most profoundly affected by it. This poignant collection, compiled from Kingston's healing workshops, contains the distilled wisdom of survivors of five wars, including combatants, war widows, spouses, children, conscientious objectors, and veterans of domestic abuse. " Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace" includes accounts from people that grew up in military families, served as medics in the thick of war, or came home to homelessness. All struggle with trauma - PTSD, substance abuse, and other consequences of war and violence. Through their extraordinary writings, readers witness worlds coming apart and being put back together again through liberating insight, community, and the deep transformation that is possible only by coming to grips with the past. For more than 15 years, National Book Award-winning author Maxine Hong Kingston has led writing-and-meditation workshops for veterans and their families. The contributors to this volume are part of this community of writers working together to heal the trauma of war through art. Maxine Hong Kingston's books-" The Woman Warrior, China Men, Tripmaster Monkey, The Fifth Book of Peace," and others-have won critical praise and national awards. President Bill Clinton presented her with a National Humanities Medal in 1997.
Download or read book Reinhold Messner My Life at the ebook written by Reinhold Messner and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2014-09-19 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: •*Reveals the long view from an icon who, with age, has added wisdom to his list of accomplishments •*Messner climbing firsts: the world’s fourteen peaks taller than 8000 meters; Everest solo; Everest without supplemental oxygen •*Author of more than 60 books Reinhold Messner: My Life at the Limit, the newest book by the famed mountaineer, is a conversation between Messner and interviewer Thomas Hüetlin, an award-winning German journalist. It reveals a more thoughtful and conversational Messner than one finds in his previous books, with the “talk” between Messner and Hüetlin covering not only the highlights of Messner’s climbing career, but also his treks across Tibet, the Gobi, and Antarctica; his five-year-stint as a member of the European Parliament; his encounter with and study of the yeti; his thoughts on traditional male/female roles; and much more. Readers learn about Messner’s childhood, his thoughts about eating ice cream with girls (against), politics (mostly liberal), and his technique for killing chickens (sharp scissors). Messner is known as one of history’s greatest Himalayan mountaineers, a man who pushed back the frontiers of the possible for a whole generation of climbers. While the interest in My Life at the Limit is that it exposes much more of the man than his climbing career, that career is still utterly remarkable——and Mountaineers Books is proud to present this book, which is core to our mission, to audiences across North America. ***For a limited time, donors to our Legends and Lore series will receive a signed copy of My Life at the Limit. Click here > to learn more.***
Download or read book Healing Our Bloodlines written by G. K. Hunter (George Kamana Hunter) and published by Kindred House Media. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 8 Realizations featured in Healing Our Bloodlines by G. K. Hunter reveal a path to liberation from the cyclic pain passed down from elders to children. These realizations were gleaned from 15 years of multi-cultural workshops and client sessions where participants bravely faced their family trees to discover the invisible burdens that they had inherited. As they lifted those burdens, they found their special gifts that were germinating deep inside. Those who have embodied the 8 Realizations were rewarded with 8 Birthrights, the very nourishment that empowered them to release their past hurt, embrace their true passion, and celebrate their most authentic identity. By walking this path, you become a Catalyst for generational change. New York Times Bestselling Author Andrew Carroll endorsed Healing Our Bloodlines, saying: "History has a way of leaving indelible, even deep scars on a lineage, and those wounds often find their way to the next generation of the family tree. But Hunter has discovered an empowering way to lift the sometimes painful remnants of the past, demonstrating to his readers an approach that sheds this melancholy and helps them to become the living legacy of a healed and inspiring lineage." More Endorsements:"I have spent my life transmitting tradition as a vital and profound means of confronting and celebrating life’s hard earned truths. George Kamana Hunter has shown me that trauma can be transmitted along with tradition and has distinguished between storytelling and burden dumping. His insights are deep, his wisdom profound, his strategy fascinating and his goals admirable. I have learned much from Healing Our Bloodlines. It has put into words and into exercises some of struggles of a lifetime of learning, wrestling with the past and trying to create a better future for myself and for the world in which I live. The great Hasidic Master Menachem Mendel of Kotzk once said: 'Nothing is as whole as a heart that has been broken and mended.' G. K. Hunter shows us why." -Michael Berenbaum, original Project Director for the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum & Author of The World Must Know: The History of the Holocaust “Healing Our Bloodlines is a powerful tool for understanding the trauma which affects us all. George Kamana Hunter eloquently and poignantly shares, with unique personal vulnerability, wisdom on how to find a path to freedom and healing. It is an unveiling of truths which are sorely need today." -Joanne Shenandoah, Grammy Award winning artist, multi-cultural peace advocate, & Native America’s most celebrated musician.
Download or read book A Woman s Journey written by Cindy Ross and published by Appalachian Trail Conference. This book was released on 2009-08 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This enthusiastic account of one woman's hike of more than 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine on the legendary Appalachian Trail established her as a new voice among A.T. authors soon after its initial publication in 1982. Today, it's a classic.Artist/writer Cindy Ross split her trek across two years in the late 1970s, before the A.T. became popular for long-distance hiking. That, in no way, diminished the adventure of hardships and joys, loneliness and new friendships, physical and spiritual self-discovery, and radical change that mirrored the ridgecrests and valleys she crossed. Her sketches and vivid descriptions bring to life not only the personalities encountered along the way but also the true spirit of the Appalachian Trail community-a far-flung yet tightly knit family of all ages and backgrounds who share a love for a simple footpath where all are, simply, hikers.
Download or read book Worth Fighting For written by Rory Fanning and published by Haymarket Books. This book was released on 2014-10-13 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Fanning combines memoir, travelogue, political tract, and history lesson in this engaging account of his 3,000-mile solo walk from Virginia to California” (Publishers Weekly). Just days after the US military covered up the death by friendly fire of Pat Tillman, Rory Fanning—who served in the same unit as Tillman—left the Army Rangers as a conscientious objector. Disquieted by his tours in Afghanistan, Fanning sets out to honor Tillman’s legacy by crossing the United States on foot. The generous, colorful people he meets and the history he discovers help him learn to live again. “Fanning’s descriptions of the hardships and highlights of the trip comprise the bulk of the book, and he infuses his left-wing politics into a narrative peppered with historical tidbits, most of which describe less-than-honorable moments in American history, such as the terrorist actions of the Ku Klux Klan and the nation’s Indian removal policies. What stands out most, though, is the selflessness and generosity―which come in the form of stories, hospitality, and donations for the foundation―of the people Fanning encountered during his journey.” ―Publishers Weekly “Rory Fanning’s odyssey is more than a walk across America. It is a gripping story of one young man’s intellectual journey from eager soldier to skeptical radical, a look at not only the physical immenseness of the country, its small towns, and highways, but into the enormity of its past, the hidden sins and unredeemed failings of the United States. The reader is there along with Rory, walking every step, as challenging and rewarding experience for us as it was for him.” —Chicago Sun-Times
Download or read book Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist and Other Essays written by Paul Kingsnorth and published by Graywolf Press. This book was released on 2017-08-01 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative and urgent essay collection that asks how we can live with hope in “an age of ecocide” Paul Kingsnorth was once an activist—an ardent environmentalist. He fought against rampant development and the depredations of a corporate world that seemed hell-bent on ignoring a looming climate crisis in its relentless pursuit of profit. But as the environmental movement began to focus on “sustainability” rather than the defense of wild places for their own sake and as global conditions worsened, he grew disenchanted with the movement that he once embraced. He gave up what he saw as the false hope that residents of the First World would ever make the kind of sacrifices that might avert the severe consequences of climate change. Full of grief and fury as well as passionate, lyrical evocations of nature and the wild, Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist gathers the wave-making essays that have charted the change in Kingsnorth’s thinking. In them he articulates a new vision that he calls “dark ecology,” which stands firmly in opposition to the belief that technology can save us, and he argues for a renewed balance between the human and nonhuman worlds. This iconoclastic, fearless, and ultimately hopeful book, which includes the much-discussed “Uncivilization” manifesto, asks hard questions about how we’ve lived and how we should live.
Download or read book Walking the Medicine Wheel written by David Kopacz and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The authors--a psychiatrist and holistic and integrative medicine physician and a Native American visionary--present how to use the circular pathway of the medicine wheel to re-train the nervous system of our returning veterans suffering from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).--
Download or read book Afterwar written by Nancy Sherman and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2015 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on in-depth interviews with service women and men, Nancy Sherman weaves narrative with a philosophical and psychological analysis of the moral and emotional attitudes at the heart of the afterwars. Afterwar offers no easy answers for reintegration. It insists that we widen the scope of veteran outreach to engaged, one-on-one relationships with veterans.
Download or read book Until Tuesday written by Luis Carlos Montalvan and published by Hachette Books. This book was released on 2011-05-03 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A heartwarming dog story like no other: Tuesday, a lovable golden retriever, changes a former soldier’s life forever. A highly decorated captain in the U.S. Army, Luis Montalván never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, his physical wounds and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. He wondered if he would ever recover. Then Luis met Tuesday, a sensitive golden retriever trained to assist people with disabilities. Tuesday had lived among prisoners and at a home for troubled boys, and he found it difficult to trust in or connect with a human being–until Luis. Until Tuesday is the story of how two wounded warriors, who had given so much and suffered the consequences, found salvation in each other. It is a story about war and peace, injury and recovery, psychological wounds and spiritual restoration. But more than that, it is a story about the love between a man and dog, and how, together, they healed each other’s souls.
