Monday, November 11th, is Remembrance Day.
In my household, it is always a day of heartfelt, quiet reflection as we watch the televised ceremony in Ottawa, our nation’s capital. Across this country, it is a sombre day of reflection and gratitude in recognition of those who have lost all or part of themselves, forever changed by their courageous efforts.
My paternal grandmother’s immediate family, the Laverdières of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, has an impressive record of contributing to the Second World War effort. Six of the twelve siblings, which included seven boys, served in the armed forces:
Pte. Sylvio Laverdière
Som. Paul Laverdière
Pte. Raymond Laverdièe
Sgt. André Laverdière
Bernard Laverdière, R.C.A.F., Canada
Louis Laverdière, R.C.A.F., Overseas
Of note, my great-uncle André “donned the Khaki” in 1940 as a gunner in an Anti-aircraft Battery. Shortly after enlisting, he went overseas and was involved in intensive action during the dark days of the Battle of Britain, the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.
A few years later, with shocking suddenness, it was reported in the Gravebourg newspaper that Sgt. Major André Laverdière had been killed in action in Italy on Oct 7, 1944, during the Autumn Campaign at the age of 23.
André Charles Laverdière
L/10244, Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
André Laverdière left to mourn his wife, mother, father, five sisters, and six brothers.
He is honoured at the Cesena War Cemetery in Italy—one of the smaller war cemeteries, containing 775 graves, 307 of which are Canadian, representing nearly every unit of the Canadian Corps. Most of those buried here fell in the nearby battlefields between late September and early December 1944, during the Allied advance from Rimini to Forli and beyond—an advance across one flooded river after another in atrocious, wintery autumn weather.
Because of this personal family connection, I continue to observe the solemnity of Remembrance Day year after year.
A few years ago, I learned that many younger veterans cannot participate in the Remembrance Day ceremonies. The painful memories and flashbacks of their time in service to Canada during wartime, military conflict, and peacekeeping are too fresh, too raw for them to endure. Many of them have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), a relatively recent diagnosis involving a disorder that was previously recognized but not adequately described, understood, diagnosed, or treated.
This leads me to reflect on a journey I have embarked on: learning to practice and teach iRest Yoga Nidra. This secular practice is a research-informed adaptation of the ancient practice of yoga nidra, a meditation for deep relaxation and healing. The origins of iRest (Integrative Restoration) Yoga Nidra date back to 2003, when its founder, Richard Miller, PhD, was invited to consult on a research project at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Due to the study’s successful results, wounded service members were invited to participate in iRest as part of their healing care plans. The Defense Centers of Excellence in the United States currently recognize iRest as a complementary and alternative medicine for treating PTSD. Based on research with iRest, the U.S. Army Surgeon General has listed Yoga Nidra as a Tier 1 approach for addressing pain management in military care.
In the general population, iRest studies have also been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain, insomnia, and other sleep disturbances, as well as depression and anxiety. It is an effective set of resources for wellbeing.
I offer complimentary iRest classes on Tuesday mornings, which include guided meditations for health and healing. The last class is on November 12th, but we’ll resume early in the new year. Please feel free to join us. Click here to learn more.
Yours with loving remembrance,
Jeannine
