donutszenmom.com

I don’t have chronic lower back pain, but I *am* interested in anything that’s got signficant proppery. So imagine my delight with this.

You know that whole thing of kind of pulling up and out of the lower back, so you’re not sinking into it? Yeah, maybe I got too far out.

My quadratus lumborum‘s a little irritated with me. I’ve been focusing on “up and out,” particularly during twists, and I can feel it. So this morning, I went easy. Primary through marichy D, then intermediate through ardha matsyendrasana.

The whole practice was about listening as I went along — I felt like there was healing to be had in practicing, but I also know I need to temper my zeal. And then I also know that I can deceive myself, especially if it’ll further my tendency to be zealous.

I went nice and easy through the backbends of intermediate, culminating in telling MM that I was feeling tweaky when he came over to help me with kapotasana.

“Don’t break me,” I said.

I went into the pose and he just supported my lower back. Asked how I was doing. All was well. He took my hands to my feet, asked how that was. Fine.

When I came out of the pose he spotted me on the “up” vinyasa, then had me lie on my belly. Then he pulled up on the skin that covers my spine — sort of pulling the skin up off the spinal column. It felt REALLY weird, and really cool. I am curious about stuff like that, because I wonder if there’s really an effect from the movement of the skin, or if it’s just a movement of my mind. Either way, it made my back feel better.