Yesterday morning I did a yoga class that was supposed to awaken the root chakra. It was wonderful! We did kriyas, which were fun and a bit wild, and in one meditation I became the big oak tree that stands just outside our barn. Morning chores were delightful. I was stretched and happy.
Late in the afternoon, I realized that I not only awakened the root chakra, I may have sent it into a state of overdrive!
It's interesting that the root chakra is our base of support and groundedness, and the only thing that brought relief to the incredible tightness in my lower back last evening was laying on/leaning against a rolled blanket. A bolster of support.
I suspect the lower back issue is a BIG reminder that when I don't ride, my connection to the earth slips. Yesterday morning was the perfect one to tack up and enjoy the cool air, the ethereal fog, and Keil Bay's big movement. In a sort of magical counterintuitiveness, his lightness grounds me, in the very best way.
This morning it is sunny and already getting humid and hot. I need to find a yoga class that will soothe and gently stretch my back. Meanwhile I am typing with a rolled blanket behind me, and hopefully the barn and the Big Bay will take care of the rest.
interesting p/s the first:
I just did 20 minutes of a yoga class focusing on establishing a foundation, and now, sitting here eating my breakfast, I can literally feel the tightness releasing. It literally feels like it's draining out the bottom of my back.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Glad to hear you're finding some relief from your aching back.
ReplyDeleteI've got to try this sometime, my lower back and legs are killing me because I spent the last two days planting flowers. Unfortunately, I recognize the symptoms of over working my muscles but I don't stop until the job is done. I've got to learn to stop when my body says 'hey you that's enough'.
I wonder if doing some yoga before and then after would help.
ReplyDeleteMy back tightened up a little this afternoon, but we had to go to the feed store and the grocery store so I think by the time we got home I had stretched it out again.
I also took an l-carnitine capsule - what's good for the pssm horse might be good for me... :)
Interesting. When my back and/or feet are bothering, I find if I remind myself to feel connected to the earth through my feet, I will get some relief. I really need to start doing yoga, sounds like what my aging body needs.
ReplyDeleteAnn, I think what you're doing can be effective too - I have a meditation I often do that involves visualizing white light pouring down through my crown chakra, through my body, and into the core of the earth. It works really well for grounding and easing back stress as well as emotional stress.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I did another soothing yoga class that focused on the lower back. My entire day was good.
This morning I'm feeling the tightness again, but haven't done yoga yet. Sometimes mid-cycle I get this back tightness, so I'm thinking that might be contributing at this point.