Time: Not long ago at Fort Bragg, N.C., the country’s largest military base, seven soldiers sat in a semi-circle, lights dimmed, eyes closed, two fingertips lightly pressed beneath their belly buttons to activate their “core.” Electronic music thumped as the soldiers tried to silence their thoughts, the key to Warrior Mind Training, a form of meditation slowly making inroads on military bases across the country. “This is mental push-ups,” Sarah Ernst told the weekly class she leads for soldiers at Fort Bragg. “There’s a certain burn. It’s a workout.”
Think military and you think macho, not meditation, but that’s about to change now that the Army intends to train its 1.1 million soldiers in the art of mental toughness. The Defense Department hopes that giving soldiers tools to fend off mental stress will toughen its troops at war and at home. It’s the first time mental combat is being mandated on a large scale, but a few thousand soldiers who have participated in a voluntary program called Warrior Mind Training have already gotten a taste of how strengthening the mind is way different — dare we say harder? — than pounding out the push-ups. Read more here.
9 Comments. Leave new
If you seriouly think Meditation is good for preparing solidiers to go into battle and mindlessly kill total strangers, then I will give it up straight away!!
I am sorry. They can call this “meditation” but it seems like mind control to me, the exact opposite of practicing freedom from all grasping. This is packaged to sell “mental shaprness” with the goal of overriding any reality of connectedness and holding on to the single concept of individual superiority. They can call it meditation, but it is not.
Your comment raises some interesting questions.
I’d question the assumption that the point of this training is to help soldiers “mindlessly kill”. I’d rather military personnel have focus and mental discipline than be stressed and distracted. That way they’re much less likely to kill anyone.
All the people I know who have done military service have done so because they felt a call to serve others and to transcend themselves — something that’s not a million miles away from a spiritual motivation, and which involves considerable discomfort and putting their lives in danger. While I’d often question what military personnel are asked to do, I have great respect for people who have chosen that path.
As for giving up meditation — wouldn’t that be like giving up exercise because soldiers do physical training? Or like giving up healthy eating because healthy soldiers are better soldiers?
I do think it’s worth making the point, though, that meditation in itself isn’t sufficient to fuel a spiritual life. An ethical code is an essential prerequisite for that, as is a degree of insight, and without those things meditation can be misused. It could be misused by soldiers, as it apparently was by the samurai. I’m assuming that this is something like the point you were making.
Of course, Bodhipaksa, you are correct and I apologize for what may have appeared to be a sweeping statement. I live in a U.S. military research city – 75% of my friends work for the military. They are all beautiful people. I did not in any way mean to disparage the individuals or their path. I have practiced what I have learned to call “devotional” yoga for 20 years. It is different than “gym” yoga. However, I began my devotional yoga path with gym yoga. I know that all gym yoga people are on their individual paths, some of whom will end up in devotional yoga. Still, there is an essential difference – what you referred to as an ethical code may be a big part of it, as are intention and insight – which differentiates gym yoga from devotional yoga. And still, I mean to say that there is an essential difference between mind control and meditation, between bio-feedback and meditation, and between stress reduction techniques and meditation although I have to agree that, on the surface, they might all appear similar or the same. This article may drive home the importance of using a qualifier before the word “meditation.” As a zen meditator I look forward to an open discussion with military meditators – I am sure we will all learn from each other.
Hi Kathy,
I’d imagine that a lot of the military personnel taking up meditation are doing so for very “worldly” reasons and in order to be “tougher.” But I know committed Buddhists who originally took up meditation in order to be “cool” or to meet attractive people, and the came around to a different perspective. It’s not impossible that these guys might experience some real spiritual growth.
I suspect that the way the article packages the training may not be accurate — cultivating “fearsome warriors.” It sounds more like what we’re getting is “cooler-headed” warriors (more in control of themselves) and more emotionally-intelligent warriors (able to come back to civilian life without bringing a bunch of aggression and stress with them).
There are, as you point out, definitely things that are like meditation that aren’t. And while the attitudes expressed by some of the men are very macho, I don’t think it’s necessarily the case that what they’re being taught is not genuine meditation. Mindfulness can definitely lead to greater endurance and courage. The Zen tradition has stories like the monastery that is being overrun and the monk who stays behind. He refuses to bow to an invading samurai who angrily tells the monk he’s a man who could run him through with his sword without blinking. The monk cooly comments that he’s a man who could be run through without blinking. That attitude of courage and non-attachment comes from genuine spiritual practice. Until I hear more I’m not assuming that this course that’s being taught isn’t introducing real Dharma.
I think maybe I have misunderstood the background and objective of Wildmind “Buddhist” Meditation?
It was my understanding that Buddhism adheared to a philosophy of non violence and was against killing. Hence I don’t understand the celebration of the fact that the army are adopting meditation to enable them to be more efficient in every respect.
I also find it hard to equate my concept of meditation with the objectives the army are seeking to achieve.
I’m quite sure that that they are not intending to instill the sort of courage whilch will enable their soldiers to reply, like the monk, that they can be run through with a sword without blinking!
Again perhaps I am wrong but I always associated Dharma with Buddhist teachings, and I assumed Meditation, was a tool to assist with following those teachings and not of itself capable of instilling the Dharma.
I would be grateful for any enlightenment on the above.
Hi Gerry,
Posting a news article about meditation practice in the military isn’t in itself celebrating anything — it’s just what we do. We try to collect and make available all significant news stories on meditation so that our readers can know what’s going on in the world of meditation. Posting a story doesn’t imply approval.
You’re absolutely right — Buddhism teaches nonviolence. All I know about this meditation program is what I’ve read in the article, so I don’t have much to go on in terms of judging it. But in principle, given the reality that we have a military, I’d rather that military personnel were developing mindfulness than not. For one thing, troops in stressful situations will be less likely (I would hope) to make rash decisions and to lose their heads, leading to less loss of innocent life. For another, soldiers who are able to manage their emotions better will be less likely (again I would hope) to bring undigested stress back into civilian life, leading to a reduction in post-traumatic stress and the violence that can lead to.
As I said, I don’t know enough about this program to either celebrate it or condemn it, but I can see how it could be a force for reducing the amount of violence in the world. Who knows, if some military personnel really take on board the potential karmic consequences of harming others (and remember that that’s a relatively rare event — one third of all US soldiers in WWII returned home without having fired a shot) they may even decide to change careers.
I’m not sure what grounds you have for saying “I’m quite sure that that they are not intending to instill the sort of courage which will enable their soldiers to reply, like the monk, that they can be run through with a sword without blinking”. I’d have thought that was very much the case — although not quite as literally as you seem to be taking my remark. Soldiers who are more mindful are less likely, say, to retaliate against civilians who are insulting them or harassing them. They’d be better able to handle their emotions. I think that would be a good thing.
Dear Bodhipaksa,
Thank you for your very helpful and comprehensive reply to my comment.
It is always helpful to get another viewpoint on a situation, and, as in this case, see a positive side, where there seemed to be none.
Many thanks again,
Very best wishes,
Gerry
Hi Gerry,
Thanks for your kind reply. I’d imagine you’re probably wary — and rightly so — of the way that historically religion has sometimes allied itself with militarism, and lent its blessing to violence. As you’ve probably gathered, I don’t hold with that at all.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa