U.S. war veteran, Staff Sgt. Dan Nevins has experienced the terror and destruction of war. In the 2014 Battle of Fallujah, his 18,000 pound vehicle was hit and turned into an airborne fireball. In this instant, he lost his partner, lost his legs, and for a time, lost his sense of purpose.
Finding Strength, Overcoming Doubt
Distraught and reeling from the physical and emotional turmoil of this event, Nevins returned home without limbs and without hope. “What could a guy with no legs do? In my mind it was nothing,” he told ABC reporters.
However, with his strong and resilient spirit, he refused to accept defeat. Although so much was shattered that day, it was in this moment that Nevins started on his new journey; a journey to find peace, solace, and inner strength. Shedding his assumptions, fears, and doubts, he gathered his courage for a greater cause:
You don’t change the world to change your life. You change your life to change the world. ~Dan Nevins
The Yoga of Healing
Yoga came to be his mode of expression and his agent for change. Discovering his body anew and uncovering what yoga meant to him personally, Nevins found that he could still achieve amazing physical feats, still be a warrior, and still love himself. He also found that his story of struggle and triumph was a powerful inspiration to others.
As a yogi and teacher, Nevins shares his story and his message. When he tells his students to “rise up!” into their Mountain Pose, the command is not only a physical one, but a spiritual calling too. Nevins tells reporters, “If I can tell the story well enough and connect to it emotionally and give that to them, that can be perspective for them as well. So they can learn what I learn without having to go through what I went through.”
With his diligent and dedicated spirit, Staff Sgt. Nevins inspires many to find their inner strength. By sharing his pain, his process, and his courage, he teaches his students to confront their own vulnerabilities and to soar above them.
You can follow his uplifting journey on Instagram and Twitter.
