Asanas as Friends

As I gradually rebuild my asana practice, I have been thinking about how each pose has a kind of character or being that makes doing the pose feel like visiting a friend. As I explore more possibilities, I feel a fresh appreciation for the gifts of each asana.

When you have a close friend, but have not seen them in a long time, there is a beautiful joy in the moment of reuniting. I am experiencing that joy when trying a pose and finding that I can visit that good friend once again. Maybe with some props, maybe a modified version, but still, the pose welcomes me.

This process is highlighting the intrinsic character and the distinctive features of each pose. Not just their shapes, but the way they affect my breath, my mind, my mood and my innermost being. The way they speak to me. About two weeks into my convalescence, I was able to do chair Sarvangasana (Shoulder Balance). What a joy! Returning to this good friend helped me understand more deeply its gifts – nourishment, contentment, tranquility, inner spaciousness. A couple weeks later, I was able to try Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two Legged Reversed Staff Pose) through the chair, and got to tase its unique flavor – openness, buoyancy, optimism, expansive energy.

Revisiting poses and reacquainting myself with their actions and effects has given me a refreshed appreciation of the power of asana practice, and the importance of working in all the categories of poses. Standing poses, seated poses, twists, forward extensions, back extensions, inversions, abdominal/lumber poses, and restorative poses all have a place in our practice. Each pose, like each friend, has its individual ways of educating, culturing and informing us, drawing us toward a state of balance and wholeness.

My efforts to rehabilitate my surgical leg continue. Knee flexion has improved, but my leg still feels quite rigid. I have been swimming, walking, practicing yoga and receiving massage. Physical therapy will begin soon. I am doing my best to remain patient and to appreciate subtle changes. One section of BKS Iyengar’s Light on Life is titled Always Be Happy with the Smallest Improvement, so I am trying to keep those words of wisdom in my heart.

At my post op appointment in early March, I received some tremendously good news. One effect of this surgery is that even the non-treated lower left leg and the non-treated right limb benefit, as the whole lymphatic system is being regenerated. My lower leg, which was not treated, is already responding so well to the surgical intervention that Dr. Chen feels it is not necessary to do the liposuction procedure on the lower leg. The lower leg treatment is even more painful and difficult than the upper leg, so it is a huge and unexpected relief that I do not need to do it.

Instead in the fall, we can go on to the super microsurgery called LNVA (Lymph Node to Vein Anastomosis.) In this procedure, the doctor will use 40 times magnification and a suture 8 times finer than a human hair to connect lymph nodes to veins in the groin. The result is that the veinous return of blood to the heart helps the lymph fluid to move as well. This surgery is much less invasive and painful than the one I just had and should result in an even deeper benefit to the lymphatic system.

Over time, I look forward to returning to my full yoga practice, and to regaining my ability to hike, travel, attend concerts, and other activities that have been curtailed by lymphedema.

The journey continues! My love and appreciation of yoga continues to grow, along with my love and appreciation of you, my companions on the path.

With love and thanks,
Karen