Meet Todd Casterline, married with two boys from the small town of Wimberley, tucked in the hill country of Austin, Texas. A veteran who served over 25 years in the military, Todd began to experience noticeable symptoms of stress and anxiety from his previous experiences in the military along with the never-ending demands of his current job as an Aviator. Then he learned Transcendental Meditation ™. Here’s Todd’s personal account of his symptoms and how TM changed his life.
“From personal experience, I can attest that transcending through the Transcendental Meditation ™ technique has altered my life. After serving over 25 years in the active military, my life was filled with stress, pressure, and agitation, as I have commonly seen in my friends and colleagues. The persistent levels of cortisol and adrenaline in my body led to a multitude of issues including insomnia, chronic fatigue, digestive issues, and unpredictable mood swings.
I simply could never turn my mind off. Every waking moment was spent thinking about work; what I was unable to accomplish the previous day due to time constraints, prioritization of other tasks, or nonpriority tasks I had forgotten to accomplish and needed to be accomplished as soon as people arrived at work the next morning. 
My mind repeatedly played back vignettes of interactions I had with others that were not particularly favorable. Like a series of short films, I replayed my previous interactions with certain individuals I didn’t get along with, and imagined how the next interaction would go, which was usually not in a positive and constructive manner. I learned to deal with these issues by ingesting copious amounts of alcohol daily, except when I was scheduled to fly the next day. I knew deep inside I was slowly killing myself from the stress and coping mechanisms.
I had an eye opener when I received a Fitbit watch for Christmas one year. I used the Fitbit to track my workouts including steps taken, miles run, and heartrate. One of the watch’s features lead me to the shocking discovery that I was averaging 2.3 hours of sleep each night, and it wasn’t deep sleep. My insomnia was a real thing, and as an aviator, it was a great way to kill myself and others. Other effects of my insomnia and chronic fatigue involved irritability, a pessimistic attitude, and reduced productivity, which included the inability to make a sound decision without overthinking the outcome repeatedly.
After my wake-up call, I knew I had to make changes in my life. I sought out meditation and eventually discovered the Transcendental Meditation ™ technique. It seemed highly suspect to me at first, but I decided the risk of not trying it was greater than the risk of trying it. After learning the theory behind TM and the technique itself, I gave it an honest effort and meditated twice a day. The results were not evident at first, but after several months, they became undeniable.
I now have no issue getting to sleep, normally drifting off within minutes of laying down. My body craves sleep like it never has before. I no longer have mood swings and bouts of anger. If I recognize at times that I am not happy about a situation or person, I am able to move on without letting it fester for the rest of the day or several days.
Although I work a grueling weekly schedule, ranging between 50 and 80 hours a week, then taking classes after hours, I have enough energy throughout the day. My mental fog is gone. I don’t get hung up with decision-making and I don’t continuously second guess my decisions. When I don’t have a clear and immediate answer for an issue, I tend to have an epiphany the next day with the solution that allows me to take immediate action.”
Although Todd says he is still a work in progress and a long way from his goal, his steady improvement has been noted by his spouse, close friends, and colleagues.
Todd, who was known to throw his cell phone across the room when he was frustrated with someone or a situation, is now able to be the “calm in the storm” and remain composed when others are not. He is often asked by his friends what he is doing and how he learned about Transcendental Meditation™.
Todd says, “Although I willingly share the benefits I received from my TM practice with anyone who is interested, I am still puzzled by the apprehension from people who inquire. I’ve been told numerous times, ‘Yea, I definitely need to do that,’ or ‘Can you recommend a book or a link to get started?’ I remind them that I was also suspect before I started the practice and even a few weeks in. The change was not immediately obvious to me, but looking back at where I was, I see the difference is undeniable.”
Todd holds on to a deep desire to help others heal and reap the benefits of TM, just as he has, and he hopes he has planted a seed in others that will sprout in time. Learn more about Transcendental Meditation for Veterans
