Practicing with the Spine

[liminal_luke]

My Zapchen coach recently suggested I start focusing on my spine as a way of connecting deeper with myself.  It got my wondering what spinal work people do

 

Do you do any meditation or physical movements designed to work in particular with the spine?

 

Any wisdom as far as the energetic/esoteric significance of the spine, specific vertebrae, sacrum, etc?

 

All spinal sharing appreciated.

 

Liminal

Edited October 3, 2016 by liminal_luke

[sagebrush]

I have a couple of very kind people trying to point out that I am not spineless.

 

I enjoy spinal twisting in restorative class. not too much effort because I can see massive effects after deep twisting.

 

 

Sit with neurosurgeons for a bit. even though I took kinesiology and I am aware of spinal column and nerves...

 

it takes some steps at times-to go learn more.

 

thank you

[joeblast]

My Zapchen coach recently suggested I start focusing on my spine as a way of connecting deeper with myself.  It got my wondering what spinal work people do

 

Do you do any meditation or physical movements designed to work in particular with the spine?

 

Any wisdom as far as the energetic/esoteric significance of the spine, specific vertebrae, sacrum, etc?

 

All spinal sharing appreciated.

 

Liminal

heh, what physical movement doesnt involve the spine? 

 

 cannot recommend xing shen zhuang highly enough for spine work.

[liminal_luke]

JoeBlast...Checked out xing shen zhuang on YouTube and it looks amazing.  Think I´ll learn it and use it as a warmup for my spine meditation in the mornings Thanks! 

 

Sagebrush...interesting about the connotative meaning of "spineless" in our culture.  I looked it up in the dictionary and, in addition to literally meaning without a spine, it  also means "lacking courage or strength."  Perhaps that´s why my Zapchen coach wants me to do this work: as a tonic for courage and strength.  

Edited October 3, 2016 by liminal_luke

[idquest]

Damo Mitchell says that in Chinese tradition any reference to dragons in the context of physical movements usually has a connotation to spine. He mentions this in his 'Four Dao Yin Dragons' book. In the book, he offers four movements designed to wake up and work with the spine and its subtle energies. Those are his words (or rather my memory interpretation) anyway.

 

As for stillness practices that focus on the spine, I'm personally not at that level yet. This is high level stuff...

[liminal_luke]

I like that about dragons idquest.  It certainly goes along with the idea that "spinelessness" means lacking in courage and strength.  It´s hard to imagine a creature stronger and more ballsy than a dragon.

[Taomeow]

In taiji, one of the first things I heard in the very first lesson, countless moons ago, was "listen to the back." 

 

At the time it was vague enough of course, but already I could tell that this simple instruction flies in the face of our whole cultural conditioning.  We are supposed to  look forward and "look forward to" this and that, "move ahead," "make progress," "put things in perspective" and so on.  "In hind sight" we usually only refer to mistakes and a lack of understanding back then.  So I started thinking about it from the get-go, trying to unlearn a lot of ingrained unconscious habits all having to do with "not listening to the back" -- both figuratively and literally.  Typically, people's awareness goes there only when the back hurts, feels out of whack, stiff or tired or otherwise not right, i.e. they only "hear" it when what it says is "ouch."  In taiji, you learn to listen to what else it has to say when "ouch" is eliminated.

 

So, putting the mind there consciously, moving your awareness to include your back, is the prerequisite for doing whatever comes next.  In taiji, what came next was

the skill of separating the spine, and thereby the whole body, into the upper and lower parts, with opposite vectors of inner motion -- down and up from the mingmen simultaneously, like a rubber band being pulled by heaven and earth;

then turning this rubber band into a bow and arrows for all directions in all applications;

with many, many in -between steps.  

 

In stillness practices, you would perhaps do whatever the school is up to, and IMO the litmus test of whether it's worth it is whether it starts out by being 'up to' going down.    That's another neglected direction in our culture, we are forward and up and at'em kind of culture -- back and down are our weak suit.  Your weak suit is what needs the bulk of your work though.  If it does not start by directing the energies down, I generally avoid any and all practices involving the head and the spine.  

 

Of course later -- much later -- you go wherever you want, you are not stuck in a one-way street.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Taomeow

[dust]

Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but... well.. mobility, strength, and stability are an important first step in any area, but especially when it comes to the spine. I think most of us are way backwards in this area these days. As Taomeow points out, we're all looking forwards -- and, likely, slouching over a desk too.

 

So... this video has some of the things I've been doing recently to try and mobilize (no idea who the guy is, just seemed like a good summary of movements):

 

 

Edited October 3, 2016 by dustybeijing

[liminal_luke]

Taomeow,

 

Yes, I like the idea of going back and down, neglected directions for sure.  So far, the practice doesn´t seem to have any intentional movement of energy vertically either way.  The instructions are simply to be aware of myself as my spine (put my awareness there) and hum "Ahhhh" so that the sound reverberates into the area as a whole.  She says that normally some parts of the spine are easier to feel into than others, so you let yourself become conscious first of those easier areas and then allow the awareness to spread to parts of the spine that are harder to feel.

 

There´s a psychological component as well.  My tendency is to be very diffuse in my energy body.  I can pick up what is going on with other people energetically/emotionally but sometimes at the expense of keeping grounded in my self.  I think the idea of this practice is to start to learn how to "hold onto myself" while being in relation with the outside world.  I have only just started, but it´s interesting so far.

 

DustyBeijing,

 

Thanks for that video.  That guy is amazing, and I agree that those movements cover a lot of useful territory.  I might try some of that.

Edited October 4, 2016 by liminal_luke

[ralis]

The Feldenkrais Method; 'Awareness Through Movement', has any number of lessons for the spine. However, spinal movement originates from the pelvis which is where one begins. Watch babies and observe their movements and consequently how development evolves.

[liminal_luke]

The Feldenkrais Method; 'Awareness Through Movement', has any number of lessons for the spine. However, spinal movement originates from the pelvis which is where one begins. Watch babies and observe their movements and consequently how development evolves.

 

Thanks Ralis!  I went to a Feldenkrais "Awareness Through Movement" mini-workshop once with my mom and loved it.  Afterwards, my voice was lower and I was weirdly talkative.  

[Daeluin]

listen to the back

 

Interesting how the ears - which are kinda shaped like kidneys - are somewhat close to the top of the spine, while the kidneys are on lower down. They say the ears are related to the moon and to k'an (water), which is the element of the kidneys.

 

The water phase represents our source of original vital essence, and we continually draw upon it until it becomes depleted, in our forward moving acceleration. We are so fueled by the adrenaline that pulls upon this source that we seem to forget we can also return.

 

Interesting how water is related to the emotions of confidence and fear. How fear often triggers adrenaline and keeps us running, keeps us alive, keeps the spine flexed, tense. On the other hand, true confidence comes from the ability to be deeply relaxed in any situation, able to remain in connection with the deepest layers of ourselves, the valley spirit that never dies, without drawing it away from itself.

[doc benway]

My Zapchen coach recently suggested I start focusing on my spine as a way of connecting deeper with myself.  It got my wondering what spinal work people do

 

Do you do any meditation or physical movements designed to work in particular with the spine?

 

Any wisdom as far as the energetic/esoteric significance of the spine, specific vertebrae, sacrum, etc?

 

All spinal sharing appreciated.

 

Liminal

 

Swimming Dragon Qigong - a relatively simple qigong set that focuses on the spine. 

 

This video is a montage of photos from the above book -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC3KvMVs45U

[liminal_luke]

Thanks Steve!  I like that one too.  Have the book and do it periodically.  I started up again on October 1 with one round and have been adding a round a day.  Hopefully I´ll keep it up until I get to 21 rounds and then keep it up from there.  

 

Four or five rounds doesn´t seem to do much for me, but I remember a very grounded feeling when I got up to 21 in the past.  I originally learned it from Michael Winn´s sexual practice dvd.  He recommends it as a tonic for kidney energy.

Edited October 5, 2016 by liminal_luke

[dwai]

In taiji, one of the first things I heard in the very first lesson, countless moons ago, was "listen to the back." 

 

At the time it was vague enough of course, but already I could tell that this simple instruction flies in the face of our whole cultural conditioning.  We are supposed to  look forward and "look forward to" this and that, "move ahead," "make progress," "put things in perspective" and so on.  "In hind sight" we usually only refer to mistakes and a lack of understanding back then.  So I started thinking about it from the get-go, trying to unlearn a lot of ingrained unconscious habits all having to do with "not listening to the back" -- both figuratively and literally.  Typically, people's awareness goes there only when the back hurts, feels out of whack, stiff or tired or otherwise not right, i.e. they only "hear" it when what it says is "ouch."  In taiji, you learn to listen to what else it has to say when "ouch" is eliminated.

 

So, putting the mind there consciously, moving your awareness to include your back, is the prerequisite for doing whatever comes next.  In taiji, what came next was

the skill of separating the spine, and thereby the whole body, into the upper and lower parts, with opposite vectors of inner motion -- down and up from the mingmen simultaneously, like a rubber band being pulled by heaven and earth;

then turning this rubber band into a bow and arrows for all directions in all applications;

with many, many in -between steps.  

 

In stillness practices, you would perhaps do whatever the school is up to, and IMO the litmus test of whether it's worth it is whether it starts out by being 'up to' going down.    That's another neglected direction in our culture, we are forward and up and at'em kind of culture -- back and down are our weak suit.  Your weak suit is what needs the bulk of your work though.  If it does not start by directing the energies down, I generally avoid any and all practices involving the head and the spine.  

 

Of course later -- much later -- you go wherever you want, you are not stuck in a one-way street.

 

I've heard the term "gway" (not sure if that's the correct way to spell the chinese word) being used for modern folks in context of taiji, because they don't have a "back"...or in other words...they are so focussed on forward, that they are oblivious to the back. 

 

We should work on supporting all 8 directions simultaneously of course

 

 

In terms of Spine work, the Tamil Siddhar Yoga practice I did for a while, started with 6 months of only supine spinal adjustments (even before simple asana practice was added). This is called Meru Danda Shuddhi (or Spinal Column Purification) and involves just lying on either the back or the chest, and twisting the arms and legs in alternate directions. I can't find any references to it online however. It was powerful...initially generated a lot of pressure in the head. Slowly the channels opened up and the pressure went away...

[doc benway]

The other thing I'd recommend for the spine is baguazhang.

That is a major endeavor, however, and requires expert instruction. 

[silent thunder]

Our skeletal system is a fluid system and its origins are in the ocean.

All of that liquid history is present in us now.

 

The work in fluid movement of Susan Harper and Elaine are potent.

check them out here...

 

edit:  that was odd... link seemed to work at first, then not... think I got it fixed now though

Edited October 9, 2016 by silent thunder

[liminal_luke]

Our skeletal system is a fluid system and its origins are in the ocean.

All of that liquid history is present in us now.

 

The work in fluid movement of Susan Harper and Elaine are potent.

check them out here...

 

 

Very cool .  Looks like something I´d like to learn.