“Warrior Pose, a war correspondent’s memoir”, by Brad Willis
(a book review).

Yoga Leaflet 16

In his book “Warrior Pose, Brad Willis details his personal journey from a career as a war correspondent to a life as a permanent disabled person. It shares his descent into years of darkness; a battle against depression, painkillers and alcohol. Ultimately, he triumphs over his disabilities and
throat-cancer. With determination he transforms himself and his life as he learns to connect with his deeper Soul Power, particularly through yoga.

Without a journalist training but with a major in English and a few years as a self-employed drop-out in nature, Brad literally stumbles into an interview at a local TV station. It is a case of mistaken identity. Unexpectedly he gets the job. He learns fast. In the next few years he turns himself into an astute investigative reporter. He uses pictures and words to peel back the veneer of society as he exposes corrupt business and political practices.
It becomes his obsession to become a foreign correspondent. He wants to report from the front-lines anywhere in the world. The question is how to achieve this.

It is through agencies that he is discovered. Over time he is offered more prestigious and dangerous positions. Eventually many News Agencies have to close many of their branches due to the high costs of running news in war-torn countries. Brad always retains his job and contract.

In 1986 he is inside Afghanistan having found his own connections and way behind the front-lines. Here the mujahideen in the mountains organise guerrilla attacks against Soviet outposts on major roads, that connect the few major cities of Afghanistan, all of which are under Soviet control. They film this war against a battle-trained Russia and move back to Pakistan where one third of the Afghan population (5 million refugees) live under the most horrid conditions. Once home this is all reported initiating a lot of aid from Americans for those in the camps.

It is at the end of this year that Brad hurts his back when he is on holiday in the Bahamas. He closes down the shutters before a tropical storm and falls down when he is trying to shut a window right at the top of a vaulted ceiling. From then on, his back hurts a lot. He refuses surgery and is given a brace and medication. Over the years he learns to hide his condition and pain for he does not want to lose his job. It has become his identity.

In 1987 he interviews Oliver Tambo and Chris Hani in Zambia. In 1989 he covers the drug wars in Columbia and Bolivia, which involves young street orphans, who are misused for the delivery of drugs and prostitution. In 1990 he covers an election in Nicaragua, then the Persian Gulf War followed by Kundistan in 1991.
After that he is based in Hongkong from where he covers Asian stories in Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines to name but a few. It is in 1992 that his back finally gives in dramatically. He is flown back to San Diego where he receives emergency back surgery (a fusion). After some recovery time he still goes back for a visit to North Korea with a brace.

On subsequent check ups it transpires that his back has not fused. He is given a year’s salary, with medical expenses paid but he does not recover. He loses his job and is officially declared permanently disabled. His chronic pain consumes him. He becomes overweight, overly dependent on medication and alcohol, intolerant and depressed.

In 1998 he and his wife have a son called Morgan, which lights up his life. When Morgan is 3 months old Brad gets violently ill and is diagnosed with fourth degree throat cancer. An invasive operation occurs and he is given 2 years to live. He has radiation treatment.  His depression deepens and his attitude to those around him is appalling, but he loves his son.

His family finally confront him to clean up his addictions and dependence on medication. He goes into some rehabilitation program cold turkey. From now on he begins to transform himself motivated by his son, to become the father he deserves even if he is destined to die soon.
Through a pain clinic he is introduced to yoga and he immediately knows this is for him. He moves from a self-indulgent type A personality to a considerate healthy and vibrant person (over time!).
Ultimately his marriage fails as his wife does not relate to his newly found yoga world and aspirations. They have moved in different directions and with his new approach to life, he accepts it gracefully.

The yoga approach does not only repair his back but the cancer is still in remission. It has never returned. Brad applies the full yoga philosophy and practices with passion. He becomes Vegan, is up well before sunrise to meditate, chant and do breathing exercises. He studies the ancient texts and has opened his own Deep Yoga Studio with his second wife Laura who is an Ayurveda practitioner. He defines himself as Bhava Ram which means “living from the heart”.

It was the voice of his 2-year-old son that finally moved him out of his despair when he said to him:
“Get up, Daddy!” It becomes his motivation mantra over many years of healing.

This book exposes shattering circumstances, both in outer war situations and in our own inner landscape.
I can highly recommend it as a different way to come to our Soul Power (as Brad calls it) and find our true nature.

You can find him on YouTube, e.g. an exposition of his book given by him about 2 years ago, as well as other interviews.

Marjolein (15 01 2018)

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15824211-warrior-pose