Do you suffer from lower back, sciatic & or hip pain? According to an article on the Statisca website, Published by John Elflein, Nov 21, 2019 https://www.statista.com/topics/4333/back-pain-in-the-us/ “Back pain is one of the most common health complaints among adults in the United States.” I myself have been plagued with back pain since my twenties but regularly wrote it off as just overdoing an activity. After switching to a more sedentary job in my thirties, the pain became more regular. Unfortunately, I continued to ignore the issue as I was a busy working single- parent. Finally in my forties the pain developed into a more intense and regular sensation that I finally decided to go to a Chiropractor. After several visits without relief she talked me into getting my spine x-rayed which revealed a Spondylolisthesis of my L4 vertebra. I’ll probably never know what caused this slippage as injuries, athletics and genetics are all viable culprits and the only recommendation from a western medicine perspective was surgery. This was not a favorable solution for me thus began my journey.
I believe in the bodys' natural ability to heal. Many cultures throughout history have recognized the relationship between the mind and body. Yoga, which means “union” can we viewed not only as the union with the divine, but also the union between our physical structure and our mental constructs. Like myself, many others believe it is possible to heal the body through dealing with root belief systems that cause stress and dis-ease in the body. Louise Hays was a big proponent of this premise and wrote many books on the subject. Recently I heard an astonishing story of Dr. Joe Dispenza whom healed his spine after a debilitating bike accident where he broke six vertebrae and was told he would never walk again. Through regular focused meditation, he healed his spine completely which re-energized my feeling of hope.
Since then, I have been exploring all aspects of my daily life to make sure everything I do supports a healthy spine. In addition to chiropractic care, I continue my regular Kundalini Yoga practice and also add specific asana focused postures that help open the energy channels in the pelvic region. I practice awareness, observing and correcting any spinal mis-alignments on and off the mat. I’ve expanded beyond the physical structure and cleaned up my diet to remove possible inflammatory foods. Finally, I actively consider and work on my underlying emotional beliefs. Although I don’t consider myself an expert on this topic and admit I still am experiencing pain, I have invested a considerable amount of time focusing on this topic and believe I’m on the right track. I’m happy to share the valuable tools and insights I have learned, as I know I am not alone.
My new class, “Lunchtime Yoga for back, hips & the lower triangle” begins Friday June 5th, 2020 from 12pm-12:45pm at the Moccasin Springs Lotus Studio. Using a variety of yogic tools and styles we will explore these four themes; Allowing/Relaxing; Foundation/Alignment; Building the Core; Flow of Energy/Circulation. Each week we will focus on one theme, building and integrating them as we go through the month. Although the class is designed as a series to gradually build and integrate these themes, drop-ins and people experience any type of chronic pain are welcome and will find value.
In addition to this new class, I will continue to teach a more traditional Kundalini Yoga class 2x per month (the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from 8:15-9:15 am). As well as continue to offer a monthly 5 Element Dance class, the second Sunday of the month from 11-12 pm. Dancing, walking and movement are a requisite for a healthy & happy spine! I look forward to seeing and moving with you soon. Stay safe and happy!
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