Ramón Salazar is the Executive Director of Warriors at Ease, a nonprofit established in 2011 to integrate yoga and meditation into the military community. As an Army veteran and yoga instructor, he shares his journey from serving as a combat medic to discovering yoga and becoming an instructor. His passion for yoga led him to join Warriors at Ease in 2020 as the Teach Program Manager, where he contributed to the organization's mission of supporting veterans through trauma-informed yoga practices.
Warriors at Ease offers dynamic training programs designed to empower yoga instructors with the skills needed to support the military community effectively. These programs include:
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Riley and Ramón discuss the importance of yoga tailored for veterans, emphasizing the need for awareness and sensitivity to their unique experiences. Ramón shares his personal experience of feeling uncomfortable in a regular yoga class due to the instructor's positioning and lack of communication. He highlights how Warriors at Ease training focuses on creating a safe environment, using clear communication, and addressing specific needs like breath work and adaptive poses for injuries. They agree that these small but significant adjustments can make yoga more accessible and beneficial for veterans, helping to regulate the nervous system and support mental health.
Introducing yoga and mindfulness to younger service members is crucial for early stress reduction and mental well-being. Despite misconceptions that yoga is only for the flexible or those seeking intense workouts, its true value lies in connecting breath and movement to foster overall well-being.
Yoga can significantly impact mental health and physical relaxation, making it highly beneficial for veterans and service members. Warriors at Ease provides specialized training for yoga teachers to better serve the military community, offering various courses and continuing education.
Listeners can support Warriors at Ease by visiting their website for information on courses, and donations, and accessing a special 25% discount on their level one course by emailing reg@warriorsatease.org.
Yoga and mindfulness offer significant benefits beyond the military community, particularly for individuals dealing with mental health issues such as PTSD and depression. While the Warriors at Ease program is designed with military members in mind, its tools and techniques are valuable for anyone experiencing trauma or stress. These methods have been successfully applied to various groups, including senior citizens, demonstrating yoga's capacity to support overall well-being for everyone.
Supporting Warriors at Ease is crucial for promoting veteran's mental health, and contributions through donations and participation in their training programs are encouraged. The value of yoga, meditation, and building relationships for personal well-being is underscored.
Check out the full episode of the Sofia Unfiltered podcast, "Yoga for Veterans: Warriors at Ease Training with Ramón Salazar", available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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