Q - I am not sure I understand one of the sentences in your 9/10 Q&A mailing in response to someone with a bulging disc problem and am hoping you can clarify your meaning for me. It is the second sentence in these three lines:: “Thus it is not that a specific pose is recommended but rather what muscle to work and how in each Asana. *Often small misalignments in Asana are needed to generate energy flow to disc spaces. * This is why classes rarely help with back pain.” It sounds as though you are saying misalignment is necessary to help heal the problem, but the next sentence contradicts that. As always, thank-you for sharing your knowledge. Cordially, A
Is the first line clear that one must understand what is being strengthened or stretched? By misalignment I do not mean to posturaly misalign them to correct the problem. Although sometimes alignment causes more stress, we must be certain that it doesn’t. Always the poses are done according to Patanjali II, 46-48 to relax effort and have student feel comfortable. But rather i mean that energy is not created by being in alignment, it is increased by repetitive motion harmonized with breath, or subtly using the existing physical misalignment so that it releases the withheld prana in the joint space. This is especially true in the case of disc injuries, imbalances of hip rotators, and those with postural misalignments that are not easily correctable – tibial torsion, scoliosis, twisted pelvis, leg length that are misaligned. In all these cases one needs to understand the specific individual’s misalignment and work within that frame to guide them to stronger muscles, and restore natural range of motion.