yoga for back pain

This week’s  Yoga sequence has been put together to help us to release tension in the pelvic area, remove mental expectations and as a result, promote overall acceptance and surrender.

Let’s begin with the physical benefits of this practice.

How to release tension in the lower back?

Now we’ve all experienced lower backache and pelvic pain to some degree right? Prolonged sitting and activities like running can lead to tight hip flexors (the muscles that connect the upper body to the lower body) causing muscle imbalances that contribute to low back pain. Tight hip flexors create an anterior pull on the pelvis known as an anterior pelvic tilt (the pelvis tilts down at the front, I call it duck bum!). This alters posture and also inhibits, or even turns off, the opposing muscle group, the gluteus maximus (butt cheek muscles), leading to muscle imbalances. I like to call it lazy arse syndrome ha!

Microspasms or trigger points are then likely to develop in the overused/tight muscles like the hip flexors and hamstrings. Releasing the trigger points through particular asana (yoga postures) can lead to greater improvements in range of motion. This Yoga sequence has a selection of asana that has been carefully placed together to create release at these points while encouraging pandiculation (active stretch) in the tight areas and activation in the sleepy areas, such as the glutes. 

This sequence is also a wonderful Yoga practice to ease period pains and other pelvic inflammatory pains such as IBS. 

Super simple and can be carried out in under an hour, this yoga practice for lower backache is actually much much more than that.  You will feel instant results, I’m sure of it!

Yoga to help ease lower back pain

Moving onto the spiritual part of the practice. I like to invite the students in my yoga class in St. Helens, to enjoy a little tuning in practice before the sequence begins. It gives them the opportunity to observe what they have brought to the mat with them that day, without judgment. This process allows them to move into their practice with acceptance and compassion for themselves. Why not give it a try before you work your way through the sequence below.

This week’s Sankalpa (intention)…

EXPECTATIONS ~ Both on and off the mat. We place them on ourselves, on others…It’s no wonder, the world, the Maya, is full of them. Society itself is based on idealism and expectations.

When idealism is conceived, the very concept of an object or experience has been placed, which is the moment an expectation is also formed. So when we place expectations, we predict a certain pattern, behavior to arise, through projecting past (whether personal or non-personal) experiences into the future and onto almost anything. We place an expectation on the mere concept!

When idealism is conceived, the very concept of an object or experience has been placed, which is the moment an expectation is also formed

This can and will lead to disappointment, feelings of frustration, resentment, failure, the NOT ENOUGH.

So maybe ask yourself, when you notice, when you witness these e-motions arising (as a result of expectations not being met)

• Why are you frustrated?
• Why did you place an expectation?
• Why did you not invite or allow the experience to form and unfold and conceive organically?
• Why is NOW not enough?
• WHO set the expectation?
• WHO is witnessing the result?
• WHO is even witnessing the emotions arise?
• Does witnessing them allow you to watch the energy flow through you rather than become you?
• Expectations are fixed. How will they ever meet a happy ending in our ever-changing dance we call life?

A whole potion of tools and techniques can help dissolve expectations, which doesn’t mean being passive or a pushover.

You are the alchemist.

By coming from a place of compassion, love for yourself, and others, the desire to become attached to expectations begins to dissolve. In turn, creating a natural progression into non-attachment, surrender, and acceptance.
It is there you will find peace, stillness, and presence.

Sat Chit Ananda