Our body can't function without our spine. And yet, when exercising, we usually focus on all the other parts of our body. Neck, back, arms, hips, legs...
But, did you know that the spine is the main joint of our body, holding everything together?
It is the channel for our spinal cord, the thing we use every single moment of our life to support our head, brain, and our organs without even noticing it! An unhealthy spine can influence our posture, our body, and our mood.
Yoga is an extremely efficient form of exercise to keep your spine healthy.
It explores the different motions of the spine, forward and backward bends, side bends, twists to name them. Yoga improves the agility and flexibility of the spine and can reduce the chances of spinal injuries. Additionally, yoga helps strengthen the muscles that support the spine and allow them to be in alignment with the deep core muscles and the abdomen.
A good posture starts by standing well. The best yoga posture to do so is the so-called Mountain pose or Tadasana.
To practice this posture, apply the following:
- Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart.
- Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Be aware of your weight evenly distributed over your feet.
- Open your chest by lifting the sternum.
- Let your arms hang by your sides.
- Tuck the chin slightly in. Visualize a golden thread attached at the crown of your head and imagine that thread pulling you up.
- With each in-breath, feel as if you were lengthening your spine and the whole of your body.
- Feel your legs strong and be aware of the contact of your feet with the floor, with the earth
- With each out-breath, relax your body, keeping it stable and tall.
And if you want, you can affirm to yourself: I stand in my power.
If standing is not possible, don't hesitate to do the same sitting on a chair.
The Moutain pose, Tadasana