Gratitude

Today I'm in Port Orchard, cat sitting with the apple of my sister's eye, Samantha. It's a cold, dark, wet day that started with snow, but fortunately none stuck, as it's gotten too warm.

It's a good day altogether to feel a little gratitude, for what is and what isn't.

I'm most grateful today for the ability to breathe and the ability to move. I'm glad to be here and not somewhere else, and I'm looking forward to class in Seattle tomorrow.

Here's the updated asana list, for reference purposes.

1. Tadasana.* Stay in "up" position one breath longer each time, up to four breaths. That means inhale up, exhale, then inhale again, exhale down; then inhale up, exhale, stay up one-and-a-half cycles, exhale down, and so forth.

2. Parsvottanasana.*

3. Trikonasana, four times each side. Modified with arm down when stretched to the left, due to shoulder injury. Lateral bend stretching the right side four times to compensate.

4. (a) Uttanasana with (b) chest lift. Four times for (a) and (b)

5. Down Dog** from table top. Since we're exhaling up rather than inhaling up, the four repetitions will be slightly longer than nos. 1 and 2. For example, exhale up, full breath cycle, inhale down.

6. Dvipada Pitham.*

7. Urdhva Prasrta Padasana.*

8. Shoulder Stand. Raise on inhale; stay for 16 breaths, then exhale knees to chest and inhale down.

9. Bhujangasana.* Modify for shoulder.

10. Salabhasana.*

11. Apanasana.**

12. Pascimatanasana, parts (a) and (b) (like no. 4).

13. Ardha Matsyendrasana; eight breaths each side.

14. Cakravakasana/Vajrasna. Eight times.

15. Savasana.

Pranayama follows.