Honoring the Body
Our bodies communicate to us. The trick is learning which messages are true and which messages are deceptions. Pain and discomfort are interesting messengers. As an athlete, it is important to learn which variety of pain means STOP, and which varieties of pain are safe to push through. The same can be said of fatigue. When is it best to listen and lay down, and when is it important to show the body who is boss?
Part of answering these questions requires knowing your body and your own personal tendencies. Are you someone who says STOP too often and allows mild discomfort to prevent you from working hard? Does this prevent you from getting in the kind of shape that would most honor your needs? Or, are you the kind of person that relentlessly pushes through pain and winds up injured and burnt out?
My natural tendency fall in the latter category. I have been categorized as type A, a hard worker, pitta, extreme. However, there have been a few experiences in my life that have taught me when, and how, to truly surrender to the wisdom of my body.
Personal History: Ten years ago I broke my seventh cervical vertebrae and shattered my sixth cervical vertebrae during a snowboard accident. I was fortunate. I didn’t have to have surgery and I didn’t require a hallow (a metal brace that is screwed in to your skull). A series of unusual events that prevented an accurate initial diagnosis allowed me to escape these potentially life altering procedures.
This experience brought me up-close and personal with my own mortality. I got a crash course in how important spinal health is and how many, seemingly unrelated activities, profoundly affect this nerve and energetic center.
Very literally, the spine is the backbone of our mortal self and it is worth being listened to and worshiped. This does not mean, however, that we should become a victim to spinal pain. Instead it is important that we have an open dialogue with our spine and learn the ins and out for how to unlock its universal flow.
I try to have a daily conversation with my spine and to do my best to honor it in whatever way I have at my disposal. Perhaps that honoring comes in the form of a hot bath or a massage. Maybe I need to purchase a urgonomic chair or wear looser clothing (don’t underestimate such details). Often, I return to my yoga mat and bring fresh blood and energy to the core of my being.
Thankfully, my understanding of yoga asana and alignment principals allows me to find spinal healing simply by standing properly or breathing with intention. If you ever find yourself with back pain, take a look at your posture. Where are you collapsing? For an interesting discussion around back pain and the effects of emotions on posture, check out my other blog at: http://cosmickatie.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/choose-space/.
I truly believe it was divine intervention that caused me to be introduced to yoga a year after my accident and that the powers that be allowed my first studio experience to be inRichard Freeman’s The Yoga Workshop, in Boulder, Colorado.
I believe Richard Freeman is a true genius. His insight is vast, and he has the ability to transmit his knowledge in an eloquent and playful manner. I find his sharp intellect and discriminating judgment to penetrate my mind with deep, unwavering wisdom about alignment and yoga philosophy. If you ever have a chance to take a class from him or his key students I highly recommend you do. Every minute I spend around him is a true honor.
In the meantime, his CDs and DVDs are quite informative. I recently picked up a copy of his CD series, The Yoga Matrix and I’m now listening to it for the fifth consecutive time in my car.
Before going to bed last night, my spine made a request that I take today off of my asana practice. I have been healing from an injury, and my body wanted to integrate the progress I have made. Therefore, I want to sign off tonight with a simple suggestion. As you begin to take your final savasana for the evening, scan your body and allow its deep wisdom to inform your choices. Perhaps your body is dying for a hard workout tomorrow, full of new challenges. How will you find the time and rise to the challenge? Perhaps instead, your body can best be honored with rest or a gentle practice. If you are a notorious over-achiever, how will you overcome the internal dialogue that tells you, “you must push through?”
Your personal guru rests inside of you waiting for you to listen to its profound teachings. Meet this guide with strength of will and a willingness to try something new. Believe in the truth of your inner core and experience the true harmony of spirit that is available to you in each and every day.