Warrior of the Month: Charlie Raske

Meet Charlie

Our April Warrior!

At Zen Yoga & Wellness, we believe in celebrating the incredible individuals who make up our community—those who inspire us with their resilience, dedication, and kindness. Each month, we recognize a Warrior of the Month, someone who exemplifies perseverance and personal growth.

This month, we are proud to honor Charlie Raske, whose journey is nothing short of remarkable. Through strength, determination, and the healing power of yoga, Charlie has transformed his life, overcoming chronic pain and reclaiming the activities he loves. His story is a testament to the profound impact yoga can have on both body and mind.

Join us in celebrating Charlie’s inspiring journey—read more about him below!

From Charlie Himself…

"Many years ago, I had a serious fall while hiking and injured my lower [L] back, [L] SI joint, [L] hip, and [L] knee. A year and a half of heating pads and a TENS machine kept me going. A three-hour hike would result in two days with a heating pad and TENS machine just to block the pain.

In the medical field, I was assigned my own pain team. I was prescribed so many pain medicines simultaneously that I walked around in a medicine cloud. The treatments didn’t rid me of the pain, they just helped me tolerate it.

Along with the medicine, I spent many, many hours at physical therapy, massage therapy, and heated pool therapy. I did feel some relief, but not anything substantial or lasting. I tried everything—acupuncture, cortisone injections, nerve ablations, Prolotherapy, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)—and still found no relief from my pain.

What a miserable time. For about a five-year period (although I never stopped trying), the now chronic pain severely affected my everyday life and the activities I enjoyed—hiking, driving, and even sitting through a concert. In August of last year (8/24), I was informed by my pain team that they had exhausted every treatment option, but they were willing to continue and increase all the medications.

(I don’t say this to discourage anyone from trying these treatments… they just did not work for me.)

Discovering Yoga and a New Beginning

"I started yoga at Zen Yoga & Wellness last year in September (9/24). After a very short time (maybe 6 or 7 classes), everything just started to loosen up. A few more classes and I could walk without a limp! After two months, I was 90% pain-free! I stopped all my pain medicines and remain 90% pain-free. I started doing two-hour hikes with a backpack on fairly level trails, with no pain. Very seldom do I now use the heating pad or TENS machine.

I’ve now been hiking up a mountain. Absolutely amazing!

Life After Yoga

"Has yoga helped me? It changed my life! I’m back hiking like I want, I drove back and forth to North Carolina without pain or a TENS machine, and I can sit through concerts without pain.

The change in my quality of life has been absolutely amazing. I can’t think of not doing yoga. Not only has yoga eliminated my chronic pain, it has lessened my anxiety and stress. Everything is better with yoga.

Thank you, Zen Yoga & Wellness community!"

Charlie’s story is a powerful reminder of the healing and transformative potential of yoga. If you or someone you know is struggling with chronic pain, stress, or mobility issues, consider stepping onto the mat—you never know how life-changing the journey might be.

Stay tuned for next month’s Warrior of the Month, and join us in celebrating Charlie’s inspiring journey!