You have entered on the warrior’s path, but you may be struggling to see where it leads. You may not know how to complete your initiation from young fighter to warrior elder. A mature warrior is a of great value to society, but you may not feel valued. Your soul may be stuck in the training camp or on the battlefield where it witnessed harsh and heartbreaking realities.
During the Civil War, this distress was called “soldier’s heart.” In World War I, it was called “shell shock.” Recently it has been called “PTSD.”
As you have protected society in times of threat, it is society’s job to protect and tend to you now that you are back from military service. It is our responsibility to share any burdens of grief, guilt, and anger you may carry because of the things that were done to you, the things you saw, or the things you did in our name.
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Photo credit:
- “Security Patrol” by Sgt. Matthew Moeller, US Army, licensed under CC BY 2.0
