Yogabond,
If I may add a coupe of things.
The first is that the nervous system utilizes the spine as a hub so when the spine is impacted it can agitate the student. It may not be so for you and that’s fine. Just something to bear in mind while bearing in mind.
The second thing is the issue of pain. Just as both attachment (raga) and aversion (dvesha) are obstacles one can also say too much pleasure or too much pain are obstacles too. It is merely misunderstanding to believe a yoga practice (be it asana or a more comprehensive practice) should be only pleasant. Pleasant is nice but it is only one of a myriad of experiences.
One can absolutely maintain a calm state of mind through pain just as one could maintain an aggravated state of mind through pleasure.
So my position is a bit different on the pain topic. There are several different sorts of pain which vary from person to person (the taking of it). When contracting a muscle while lengthening it it is perfectly acceptable to feel the discomfort of that action. Remember that Yoga is rooting and recoiling, contradictory but complementary actions, duality…it is no more appropriate to push and be in constant pain (or danger of injury) than it is to move so little there is no effect in the body at all. Both positions are at the extreme ends of the continuum.
Instead I advocate speaking up when you are quiet and finding some silence when you are loud. Put another way, if you are a sloth, move a bit please. If you are a cheetah, take a walk or two.