fell into an abyss. Not a person on Earth could have told me that somewhere in this darkness was a glimmer of light.
It was an overwhelming love for my two-year-old son that finally motivated me to transform my life. This realization was triggered one morning when he tearfully implored me to âGet up, Daddy.â Getting up required recreating myself in body, mind, and Soul. I had to move past my rational mind and journalistic cynicism, and find the courage to venture into a realm of self-healing and inner awareness I once dismissed as absurd. There, in the deepest reaches of my being, I discovered my own battlefield, with wounds to treat, conflicts to resolve, and peace to be made.
It was the greatest challenge I have ever faced, but ultimately I overcame cancer and a broken back, forged a new life, and was able to be the father my son deserved. My healing journey taught me that there is an inherent power and natural intelligence within all of us. By tapping into these forces, we can move far beyond our perceived limitations and often achieve miraculous results. We see this in the mother who performs an astonishing feat of strength to protect her child, in the passerby who rushes into a natural disaster to save a life, and in the small children who flee war-torn villages and somehow manage to survive against staggering odds.
These might seem like isolated incidents that have little to do with us, but they illustrate a great truth: The capacity to rise up and overcome great obstacles is our birthright as members of humankind. The more fully we reclaim this right from a system that has all too often disempowered and disenfranchised us, the more we are able to experience profound healing, liberate ourselves, and chart new courses in our lives.
Although years of physical pain and emotional anguish were nothing I ever would have wished for, I now realize that a broken back, failed surgery, cancer, and a lost career were my greatest teachers and biggest blessings. They taught me more about the world than all myprevious travels and experiences combined, compelled me to face myself, and made me a better human being.
This book details my personal journey from a career as a war correspondent to life as a permanently disabled person with terminal cancer. It shares my descent into years of darkness; the battle against depression, painkillers, and alcohol; and the story of how I ultimately clawed my way back into the world. My intention is that Warrior Pose will inspire all who face physical and emotional crises to dig down deep, connect with their power, and unfold their fullest potential.
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Bhava Ram
(Brad Willis)
AUTHOR â S NOTE : Some names in this book have been changed for reasons of confidentiality. My healing program as outlined in this book is not a formula for anyone other than myself. The practices I undertook should never be done by persons with certain health disorders, and an experienced doctor, teacher, or healing practitioner should always be consulted by those facing serious medical challenges.
CHAPTER 1
Afghanistan
M AHMOUDâS EYES mesmerize me. They are deep ebony. Plump as a newborn fawnâs. He holds my gaze with such blazing clarity that I feel frozen in time. Heâs a small, slender boy. Ten, maybe eleven years old. His thick, black hair is beginning to show again on his shaved head. His perfect white teeth glisten as he softly smiles.
His quivering body is bright red, covered with third-degree burns. Large patches of skin have peeled away from his torso, which is now covered with open sores. He is lying on his side in partial fetal position on top of a thin mattress on a rusty metal bed. Bloodstained gauze is wrapped around his ribs, both arms, and his left thigh. It hurts just to look at him, and I canât begin to imagine his pain.
The rest of Mahmoudâs burned body, too tender and wounded to touch, is exposed to the dank air of the refugee hospital. Itâs close
Marcus Emerson, Sal Hunter, Noah Child