“Love is the Anchor” for PTSD -Healing Our Invisible War Wounds
Dear friends,
The Anchor for PTSD is “Love!”
“Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Love is the Leading Companion and Advocate capable of healing our invisible wounds, and the only force capable of touching our nation with Hope, while Bringing Complete Renewal in our relationships.
I have felt such a constant and urgent tug on my heart in the last weeks growing ever-so much — in regards to PTSD & other invisible war wounds for our homefront heroes and their spouses/families.
I feel that “Now is the time for our healing” and this topic of PTSD is a courageous community challenge which needs explored delicately, surely, that all the while longs to be powerfully uncovered, so that Love can reach its core.
I. Let’s break down the ugly image of PTSD – shall we? What might it look like?
Personally, I would say that it is as a demon-looking mask that few wish to try to take off, for fear of not understanding it or being consumed by it. What my heart says is that really underneath the mask is a vulnerable child simply asking for clear communication in a safe space, gentleness, genuine attention, healing through sharing, finding help through simple understanding -with others who can relate, and longing for a new order of lifestyle through the gift of a calm restructure, and to be a recipient of unconditional love and comfort, and eventually a further advocate(s) Under Love for greater healing of our nation.
This ugly weapon really is the opposite of what we think. The daggering invisible wound is actually so fragile, and therefore many layers are put over it by society through silence(which is the real killer, for it keeps us in the cage) -mostly of fear, shame, or painful misunderstanding.
I am not speaking as an expert, but rather a student of that which I care very much about.
In my personal experience, I was a military spouse, while my husband was deployed through Afghanistan and Iraq wars. My husband and I did change because of the effects of the wars on our lives. Much sacrifice on the homefront in our personal lives and the call to responsibility and maturity had to be given to the tasks at hand of missions to be faced. We each coped in our own ways, and still are.
Speaking as one of those OEF/OIF couples out there, it can feel empty, void, endless for a solution, lonesome without the opportunity for understanding, and our military family is so scattered that most of us have been working through things alone as individuals and couples, and leaving it to chance to heal in our own timing.
Dear friends, How can healing occur this way?
While we cope in our own ways that is okay, but we share a common thread – a living Compass and Holding Space.
We are One even in this chaos, this sacred mess of synchronicity.
…The difference of hope is that we do share the same path and one direction and a Companion who anchors us -Love is the thread that weaves through every living being in the Universe. We are Sourced in love and this Love is our anchor and our compass.
Love Is “for us!”.
What helps one may not help another in regards to routines and techniques but Love is unchanging and our universal foundation.
By living integrally from a conscious loving platform within, we are able to engage our whole self.
We can step up on this new platform courageously and begin to reach out to each other. We are family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BONUS SHARING & Some Very Good Videos on PTSD and organizations stepping up to the plate now, especially for our OEF/OIF veteran military couples!
II. Technique and Ritual for PTSD may be helpful as well:
While I do believe that Calm activities for the mind and gentle practices can make all the difference for each individual, and this is important to incorporate into a lifestyle that nourishes the mind, body, spirit and soul back.
WHAT’S YOUR CALM PRACTICE??
Do You Engage a ROUTINE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR WHOLE BEING?
I believe it is here that healing will be found, and ever so much more as we return to this place.~~~We can add gentle practices to this space where Love resides within us in order for us to be able to expand and live more consciously from this new position of being helped.
JOURNALING was my personal practice for 5+ years which saw me through a lot, including chronic illness/ PTSD. This gentle practice is what helped me personally with PTSD. My PTSD came from chronic illness shortly after my husband’s return from Iraq. I cannot say for sure that my PTSD was from the effects of deployment and war, alone. However, I do believe that a large factor of my PTSD story was related to being so emotionally strong for so long (16 months – 1 year of which hubby as in Iraq)and I was holding that strength space until I could fall into a softer net and rest from being the overly-supportive homefront spouse role in that lengthy period of time.
I do not regret having been through PTSD and continue walking through it into wholeness and emotional recovery. I feel that my experience of PTSD/trauma with my health has helped my mutual compassion – understanding and Team support role alongside of my husband. While we both carry our own invisible war wounds, we have chosen to unconditionally love each other through them and keep our team together.
I care SO much about OEF/OIF couples and PTSD struggles!! I cannot say this enough.
As I write this today, Love is rising up stronger within me, I want to shout HOPE from the mountaintops! This Love motives me to be the living example that we can do the impossible! this Love is the opposite of fear and loneliness.
Love is the medicine. The antidote within each of us is our unity and our capacity for love.
Love Itself is our anchor and ever-present Companion, walking us through from moment to moment. We have never been completely alone!
Love Is.
This Powerful Center for our minds, body, souls and spirits to find rest.
Psalm 23: 1-3
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
For any military spouses who wish to learn more about journaling for emotional cushion/calming ritual, you are welcome to join me at http://www.lovesleadingjournal.com and connect with a sisterhood community.
For those of you who are interested to learn more about PTSD from a positive group of individuals that are surviving and thriving beyond this label, I found some videos that are very helpful!
Enjoy!
In this video, former WWII captain and fighter pilot Jerry Yellin, also an author of “The Resilient Warrior: Healing the Hidden Wounds of War” speaks out about the horrors of returning to civilian life after experiencing the trauma of combat—and how he overcame the hidden wounds of war through the practice of Transcendental Meditation. He was behind the recent Warrior Wellness division of http://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/
here is another direct link: http://www.operationwarriorwellness.org/
You can find his book on Amazon – and I know that its already on my 2012 book reading list! Really looking forward to it! I love listening to his mature take on things.
I recommend listening to the portion of video closer to the end from 1:07:00 to 1:08:00 range where it talks about “PTSD is as a lesion in the spirit.” Very interesting! I really feel in my spirit that this guy nailed it well! this is a truthful way of describing it. This resonated so deeply with me and gave me a new understanding of the obstacle we are facing. It makes sense to transcend and to rise above that which limits and overwhelms and traps one in one’s unhealthy yet familiar, association-driven mental cycles.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic of PTSD, or any feedback that you feel to share if you and your military spouse have personally struggled with this.
If you have more videos you could share with me that are high quality and positive-based, I am open to receiving those links as well in the comments below!
Sincerely,
Jenn Zuniga
Dear friends,
I wanted to post an update in regards to the upcoming Tour for pampering our married military couples on the homefront.
Welcome to the Treasure Hunt–
What I am currently looking for is:
*team collaboration -making strong contacts with those who definitely connect with our vision of Companioning military marriages on the homefront, and utilizing the unique gifts that we each have to make this tour possible.
*Community sponsors – sponsors needed for The Love Companion Tour
a) I’m a newbie at this so I am open to learning the best ways to get sponsors b) are you a potential sponsor, if so I would love to hear from you! you are welcome to write Jenn at lovesleadingcompanion@yahoo.com re: community sponsor for tour
*Connecting with (Veterans who want to help Veterans) and other Volunteers (chaplains, workshop leaders) who want to invest back in our military family.
*Military Spouses, Veterans, Sponsors: Are you close to St. Louis, MO ? Our first event will be here.
However, this is not to hold anyone back who is a bit further distance away. Anything is possible and all of our gifts are needed. If you feel nudged to help with the tour, I believe that we will get you there someway somehow and it will be!
Hugs,
Warmest Sincerity
In–Planning and networking mode!
Jenn Zuniga
The Twin is Out for Military Spouses!! ;)
Dear Military spouses,
I believe that we all need a place to work from, to be nourished and balanced in personal rhythm and valued by community.
I welcome you to the twin of LovesLeadingCompanion, which is LovesLeadingJournal!
Clarification: This is a parallel addition, so LovesLeadingCompanion updates and Tour project will continue to grow here as well! Think of the first as the boy for it is foundational the relationship platform THE CAKE, and the twin girl is the sisterhood connection for emotional cushion and offers the comfort, cozy, luxe Icing on the cake!! Sound good? 
***This new journey is customized for mil spouses, brides in-planning, and women in transition.
Welcome to our new home: http://www.lovesleadingjournal.com
There will be plenty of videos/ video spas available here -that link is easily found when you visit our new twin page.
See you there,
Hugs
Jenn
Hello USA! :) Married Military Couples….
post written on 10 19 11
Dear Married Military Couples,
Welcome to our new page! I hope that you will feel comfortable here.
I know it is still a bit bare bones, but soon we’ll be having videos streaming in fairly consistently and it will feel much more personal! 
Currently we are getting settled in for our nationwide strong vision in the coming months: with getting our book “Love’s Leading Companion” into your hands and hearts, and then in the new year hopefully Meeting You! on our upcoming Hospitality Tour “The Love Companion Tour” ..YAY!
~~~~~~~~~
A Note from my heart to yours:
I really just want to dive in and share what is on my heart today! So, I was at work the other night thinking about the Tour… and I was feeling so so passionate about this vision, which is to reach military couples and strengthen marriages in unity on the homefront! Well, I was also imagining what it will feel like on Tour with you, as couples coming together to share such an intimate bond on this relationship journey and experiencing resonating stories. The energy of all of us in one room is going to be incredible and so happy and also likely tearful.. At last we will no longer be scattered and feel so alone! As I was thinking about this, this beautiful song came on overhead and impacted my whole being, and I felt my very soul was crying out “Yes!” Feeling so tender of this great love that continues to burn within my heart for this vision, and this new remarkable season that has arrived!! I am so so glad to be here, and to be sharing this moment with you!~
I want to share this song with you, and can imagine this as one of our ballroom dance #’s to encourage and strengthen us all when the days sometimes feel to want to cave in on us with the burdens as military spouses. May God bless you and yours in such an intimate way!
~I am so excited to kick off the first real post with such a powerful song! I have also just updated our YouTube video page and will have new videos showing up there soon! Thank you for your patience!
Keep Holding On [Avril Lavigne] –my message to you today is to “Be Strong, and know that you are not alone! We understand and we are doing all we can by moving into this new! remarkable season of unity through connecting military couples together in a much-needed way! xx”
Luv always,
Jenn Zuniga
