David’s steady hours in the evening have come to a close, so he was expecting a quiet week last week, teaching just a few hours some afternoons. However, he was asked to teach a couple of short-term, intensive classes, so he ended up teaching more hours in the week than in any previous week. He would not want to do it every week. And yes, David no longer has a ponytail. He cut it in early October.
I started taking a yoga class in Japanese at the end of February. It’s not that my Japanese is good enough to do that, but my yoga is. I thought I would learn some Japanese in the class, but actually, I don’t need to know any of the words they use because I can watch, and I have been doing yoga for so many years, that I can participate just fine without any language. I actually am disappointed that I am not learning more Japanese in the class, but I have been very happy with the yoga class. It has helped me get back into a regular routine of daily yoga practice, and the pain in my arm that I have endured since late September/early October has decreased. I do not yet have full mobility in my right arm, but the constant pain is gone, replaced by a low-grade sensation. I can reach for things with that arm and have almost full use of it now.
It is a sad story because as it mysteriously started hurting so many months ago, I cut back on doing yoga because I thought it needed to heal. I started babying it, expecting it to heal. After so many months of babying it, it just got worse, so I investigated pinched nerves on the Internet I found a site that proposed a totally new approach to repairing nerve damage. (Although I do not really know if nerve damage is/was the problem. I just know it is not muscular.) This site suggested that the established philosophy of not using an arm (or other body part) that had damaged nerves is wrong. This doctor suggested that, in fact, we need to retrain the nerves with regular, intentional practice/use.
As I tried out his theory, I found my arm was getting a bit better. However, it was slow progress. I decided to take the yoga class to see if I could pick up the pace of healing. Actually, during the first yoga class, I realized I had blocked energy at the base of my spine that was directly linked to my arm. Instead of arm exercises, I needed to do spinal stretches! Indeed, the pace of healing increased significantly once I started doing yoga regularly again! Although it has been a painful few months, I learned some things about my body and self-healing, and I am feeling very positive about it. Of course, it is easier to be positive when I do not have constant pain!
I have had a long, long break even with all my traveling in February. I like this calendar year. I have actually had time to prepare for my course, and that was a lot of work because it is a new course for me. I have also had time to work on my research project. I should be working a bit more intensely on the research project, but with no pressing date, it is easier to be more relaxed about it. We should know this coming week whether our proposal for a conference in Bangkok is accepted or not. If it is accepted, there will be a bit more pressure to get that work done.
Classes start for me on April 12th. Most Japan Study students are back in Tokyo now, so students have been dropping by my office this week. Currently, they are relaxed and enthusiastic about things. I hope the mood takes us right through to the end of June!
I spent the past week working intensely on my website. That created a lot of frustration and even some traumatic moments, but it is now published. It is not perfect, but interested people can view it at http://www.f.waseda.jp/kgourd.
David is working on getting our photos into the gallery, and then we will be able to post them. He has gotten caught up on his reports for his classes, so we might be able to do some exploring this weekend and get some additional interesting photos, too.
Momma, which arm was hurt? I’ve been doing yoga, too. I’ll take you to class when you come back to Seattle! I’m flexible with no strength, but just the other day I balanced on my arms for just a few minutes! (I have no idea what the name of the position is, but I tuck my knees into my armpits upside down.) Of course, now I’m taking a week off on vacation, but I’ll be back to in next weekend!