by Amba Stapleton  

 

It may sound as though I’m just being nicey-nice, or that I’m trying to be politically correct. But, I’m not! The truth is, you don’t need arms, legs, fingers or toes to practice yoga; you don’t need to be able to stand, walk, sit or even lay on the floor. In order to practice yoga, you only need two things: First, of course, you need the desire to practice yoga. The only other necessity is a spinal cord.

Do you have a spinal cord? If you answered yes, then jump right in. You’re well on your way to your first and final yoga instruction.

What’s the big deal about your spinal cord, you ask? The big deal is this: All of the good stuff in yoga happens along the spinal nerve from the genitals to the base of the skull, where the pineal and pituitary gland and the hypothalamus hang out. In fact, the evolutionary life force of the human being travels the length and breath of this central column. Through visualizing and breath awareness, you can develop a stronger sense of what’s happening along this energy Interstate, and begin to interact with it in a way that supports your physical, emotional and spiritual wellness.
As human beings, we exist in both a physical body, as well as an energetic one. The majority of us however, spend most of our waking hours only aware of our physical and mental bodies with little awareness that we are also energetic beings.

If we spend just a short time—say 10 minutes each morning—attuning our awareness to our breath while simultaneously guiding our awareness up and down or spinal cord, we can begin to remove mental and emotional blockages that keep us in a very limited worldview.

By simply following our breath from the base of the spine to the base of the skull as we inhale, and then traveling with our attention back down the spine as we exhale, many dimensions begin to come into our consciousness.

Here are a few examples of the vast benefits and insights you may come to experience through this practice:

• Increased awareness of all the muscle fibers, nerves and chemical reactions that occur along the spine. This increased awareness supports the flow of nerve impulses reaching every organ and organic process in our bodies.
• As the breath lengthens to follow the visualization up and down the spine, a deep sense of peace and relaxation occur.
• The increased length of breath expands the body, creating space where there was once only the heavy sense of gravity.
• The chakras, or energy centers, frequently mentioned in yoga philosophy also happen to align along the spine. As you hold your awareness along the spinal cord, you begin to affect these vortexes, which hold many secret keys to understanding yourself as the unique individual that you are.
• An electrical/chemical circuit breaker originates at the base of the spine, in the area near your G-Spot, and corresponds to a similar one at the base of the skull. As you synchronize the breath with your visualization along the spinal cord, you can stimulate this orgasmic energy to flow upward and enlighten your head, and then return back to its origin deep in your pelvic floor. This energy has a deeply healing effect on every dimension of your being.

Now, go sit or lie down and enjoy a little time alone, just you and your spinal cord. Then add your own experiences to the short list above.

After practicing, remember to allow a few minutes to simply relax or take a short nap before continuing throughout your day. The best part is, you can go back and revisit your spinal cord any time, anywhere— no one will even know what you’re up to. If anyone does ask, you can tell them, I’m doing yoga!

Thank you for indulging me in this short Co-Listen.

 

Now Amba, one thing I heard you say is…