…you get me, only happier and weilding a sword. Awesome.
I woke up this morning with yoga and my Kung Fu weapons class on my mind. My new mat arrived in the mail over the weekend. It’s very sticky, very comfy and very cushy. Having the right tools for the job makes all the difference.
Happy Wednesday 
It’s pouring rain outside! I had planned to be outdoors today, hiking around and taking photos, but the weather didn’t cooperate. That’s okay, we need the moisture. Already, the lawns out front are a lovely shade of bright green (smile). So instead, I’m inside surfing the web and watching the Thundercats on DVD (hey, it is a Saturday after all).
Since sitting on my bum isn’t really what I had in mind for today, my thoughts have wondered off to my long-forgotten yoga practice, and my desire to be active again. In a really nasty cycling accident 2 years ago, I flew (yes, flew, as in through the air…) off my bike and landed down hard on my right side. That accident resulted in a crushed elbow joint, cracked and bruised ribs and a badly bruised hip socket. At the time, I had been an avid yoga student for several years, but after injuring myself the way I did I couldn’t continue my practice. Even after a year, many postures that were weight-bearing on my arms or right side were too uncomfortable. I had pretty much given up hope that I could pursue yoga with the same enthusiasm I had before. What made it worse was that whenever I got too cold, or whenever it was about to rain, I’d wake up in the morning with a painfully stiff right arm and hip. Lucky for me, this is Colorado, and the rainy days are few in number. The discomfort has lessened with time, but it has left me feeling self-conscious and feeling like my body is older than it is.
Ironically, I credit yoga with helping me to walk away from the accident like I did, literally. Yoga is known for its capacity to strengthen and lengthen the muscles of the body, keeping one who practices regularly in a constant state of muscular fitness and relaxation. I’ve heard many doctors say that a lot of injury to the body is caused not by the impact itself, but by the body’s reaction to the impact–that is, it’s tendency to tense up and block blood flow. After being hit and sustaining the injuries I did, I was still able to get up and walk the mile and a half back home (the person that caused the accident left the scene without offering assistance). I certainly had my share of injuries as a kid, and that may have had a lot to do with my ability to manage the pain, but I really believe my physical fitness had much to do with it also.
This morning, for the first day in years, I had to look to the sky to tell the rain was coming–my arm and hip didn’t ache at all! That feels really good, and it’s encouraged me even more to be proactive and get back into a good practice again. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten how expensive yoga classes can be! The yoga studio closest to my home would cost over $100 per month if I only attended 2 classes per week! Geez! I don’t live near to the center I attended 2 years ago, but it looks like there is a rec center nearby. Hopefully they have yoga instructors, as I’ll need help getting back into proper form with many of my postures, and hopefully the prices are more affordable–family-centered community programs usually are.
Well, I should get back to watching my cartoon; the Thundercats are on the move again, and this time there’s an evil talking oooze…
