Catching Up -- Surgery

8/9: Arthroscopic surgery, r. shoulder. Torn cartilage, bone spurs fraying rotator cuff, arthritis, bursa impingement. Spurs carved off; bone beneath cartilage shaved off; cartilage rivted into bone wound; approx. half the bursa burned away. Physical therapy started three weeks ago.

8/23: Began teaching yoga in fitness room of nearby office building, Wednesdays and Fridays, 45 minutes during lunch hour. Classes vary from 5 to 12 students. Vinyasa style. Each class requires preparation, thought, presentation. To stay connected with my own practice, I’ve tried to find an evening each week when I can adjust for a teacher-friend of mine’s class. It helps her manage her 20-30 student classes; it helps me stay connected to my own practice; and it allows me the benefit of observing a very talented and experienced teacher at the same time that I’m managing new issues in my own teaching.

Shoulder is getting stronger, though the night and day following a hard PT session can be excruciating.

Managed handstand for a few seconds yesterday. Curiously – I suppose because of alignment – Handstand is less painful than down dog or any of the bent-arm balances.

My own yoga comes before dawn or just before bed.

Meditation has recently been instructed by Sharon Salzberg’s book, Loving-kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. Each chapter ends with exercises. They make a marvelous way to go inside of compassion.

Looking forward to hearing the Dalai Lama next week.