Yoga trend catching on with soldiers

[Renaissance]

Yoga trend catching on with soldiers

PENSACOLA, Fla. - When Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina finally did the splits after months of struggling with the difficult pose in yoga class, the limber women around him applauded.

Zarracina, a 24-year-old Naval Academy graduate and flight student, admits he would have a hard time explaining the scene to other Marines.

Each class ends with a chant for peace. Then, instructor Nancy La Nasa hands students incense sticks as a gift for their 90 minutes of back bends, shoulder stands and other challenging positions.

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"At first it seemed a little shocking - soldiers practicing such a peaceful art," writes editor Rita Trieger.

Upon closer inspection, she said, she noticed "a sense of inner calm" on the aviators' faces.

"War is hell, and if yoga can help them find a little solace, that's good," said Trieger, a longtime New York yoga instructor.

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Seems the love and light crowd have finally found their appropriate target market. Their warm and fuzzies can be used to deny the real atrocities soldiers are commiting in the world. If however, they're looking for real solace - instead of yoga I recommend to stop murdering innocents.

 

[anart]

oh.......my.........god..........

Well, perhaps it is for the soldiers who prefer the bliss state generated by their own neurochemicals to the drugs handed out by their superiors. We certainly cannot have them trying to observe objective reality, or they might see themselves as they really are, thus causing all 'peace' to break out.

 

[John Chang]

I wouldn't confuse airplane pilots with the ground pounders - you need a certain amount of higher level smarts to be a pilot, whether you're flying for Uncle Sam's Flying Club or somebody else.

You also need to be a bit strange. Flying's a risky business, and the people who do it, aren't exactly normal.