2nd Back Injury

Well technically it's not a back injury and also this happened before the "1st" back injury.

Interception (click to enlarge)

I grew up in Texas and loved football as a kid.  I was athletic and had lots of energy to burn.  I joined our school football team in 3rd grade; the youngest grade that you could play organized football.  During a game in 5th grade I intercepted a pass and was instantly tackled by 356 players from the other team.  At least, that's how it felt.

The adrenaline rush was so high that I didn't realize until the middle of the night that I was injured.  Evidently I broke my collar bone.

I also grew up in a Christian Science family so doctors were taboo.  My Dad, Mom and I prayed for a healing.  Sure enough my shoulder got better.  I could even sleep on my right side after several years.

Right Shoulder 1.5" lower

The bones healed at a strange angle that resulted in my right shoulder being about 1.5 inches lower than my left shoulder.  This has effected my posture, as you might imagine, and is particularly painful when doing things like doing dishes (convenient :) and zazen (inconvenient :(.

I share these injuries to give some background as to the root cause of my problems and why I have experimented with the specific solutions I'm going to share.

Each of our bodies is unique.  The main thing I would suggest to people with pain issues is to experiment until you find a solution that works for you.  Our bodies and mind should have a balance and harmony.  Macho isn't really Zen.  Ultimately, if done with commitment, zazen will present enough challenge to both body and mind.  Finding the position of least discomfort is both practical and supportive of your Zen practice.  This includes the chair and, for some with extreme physical issues, the bed.

Friendly bows _/|\_