Dear Friends, Yogis and Yoginis,

My progress has continued, and my rock star status has remained. Who would have thunk that such recognition would come from this event? I'm still not able to put weight on my leg, and will be on crutches for 2 more weeks. To answer some of your incoming questions, the procedure I had was a labral tear repair (deep in hip socket) and they also realized, once in the hip, that the cartilage needed repairing as well. (In the car accident I was in, as many of you know, I was sitting in the passenger seat with my right leg in meditation posture (ardha siddhasana) and my left foot on the dashboard. So, PSA (public service announcement): keep both feet on the floor board!) The cartilage repair is what has me on these crutches for 6 weeks total. It takes time for cartilage to stabilize and begin to grow new cartilage. Once that has been deemed to have happened, I will be asked to walk again like normal, though I'm guessing normal won't feel too normal at that point.

I've been blessed with lots of support around the house lately - neighbors, students and friends have stopped by to walk Piquito, clip my gladiolas and dahlias for vases in the house, weed the clover and dandelions in the front bed, and water the vegetables. The apples and acorn squash will need harvesting soon, and the lima beans are still growing fat in their pods.

Also, I've learned a few tricks with my crutches...

• Did you know that you can use them like large chopsticks to pick up your laundry?
  
• With enough core support, one can step over the edge of a bathtub while balancing on the crutches...
  
• You can use them to get a great chest opening stretch - while balancing on one leg, you do a standing backbend with the crutches in your armpits. What a relief from all the forward flexion!
  
• You can hold open a too heavy door closing too fast for your hobble speed by staking one crutch against the door. You then use the other crutch to hop through the doorway. (Really, you would think that if a public bathroom has a handicapped stall, they also have a door a handicap person can use easily!).

I have accomplished a few more worldly, and might I say significant, things as well...

• I've been writing short essays for this years Living Yoga publication (should be ready in October sometime).
  
• I've been doing the planning and development for our upcoming Dharma Study Group (also to start in October, Tuesday the 7th). This will be a collaboration with Raphael Cushnir, Barb Beck and Leslie Bevan.
  
• I managed to make Key Lime Pie while standing on one foot (was that worldly and significant, really?).
  

Moving forward...

• This week I begin more water therapy and possibly do the breast stroke in the pool!
  
• On Sunday I head back to teaching my regular weekly classes, albeit on crutches - my assistant teachers will be quite busy!
  
• The yoga series and workshops that I teach will start up again this Sunday as well.

October is a big month for Living Yoga - we've got our first ever Yoga and Social Justice retreat at Breitenbush Hot Springs (look for an e-mail with details to follow), our Annual Gala Event "It's Not A Stretch!" and the calendar/publication/journal will be available. This month there is an article in Alternatives Magazine that I wrote about my experience of attending a Restorative Justice Seminar in June of this year. You can click here to read the article.

Thank you again for your support, your e-mails, your camraderie and your advice! (oh, and the invitation to Hawaii!). I look forward to seeing you on the mat soon...

Much love,

Sarahjoy

PS. Oh Gosh, how could I forget to mention (must be the lying around in the CPM (continuous passive motion) machine - it's so mind-trancing... I'm heading to India in Feb of 2009 and would like to invite students to come along. Ashley Ruback of Reback Travels is organizing the tour, which she has been doing for years. We're having an informational session and gathering, with Indian treats, on Sunday, September 28th at amrita. We'll be sending you a bigger announcement about this in a few days. In the meantime, check out her website at www.redbacktravels.com
Much love,

Sarahjoy