Guest Author - Nancy Welker
This stretch is a great way to warm up your spine before you begin a Yoga routine or class. This relieves tension in your lower back, which is very helpful to those of you who stand or sit for many hours of your day.
This can be performed as a transition from seated to standing poses, and is also useful for coming out of standing forward bends. If you have lower back problems, coming out of a standing forward bend with the Spinal Roll is especially beneficial.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Begin in Squat Pose*.
2. Place your hands on the floor slightly in front of you, with your palms facing down.
3. Press your hands into the floor.
4. Exhale as you straighten your legs, lifting your hips toward the ceiling.
5. Allow your hands to lift off the floor and your upper body to hand loosely toward the floor. Relax your head, neck and shoulders.
6. Press your feet into the floor and bend your knees slightly.
7. Tuck your tailbone under and inhale as you slowly roll your spine up one vertebra at a time.
Note: Your shoulders, neck and head should come up last.
NOTES TO STUDENTS:
The Spinal Roll places less stress on your lower back and eases any tension that you may feel at the base of your spine upon early morning rising or at the end of the day.
As you allow your upper body to hang down in Spinal Roll, visualize space being created between each vertebra of your spine as your spine lengthens toward the floor. As you roll up, focus on rolling your spine up one vertebra at a time, keeping the image in mind of each one stacking on top of the other as you move up.
The Spinal Roll is one that you should practice daily. You will feel a positive difference after your first attempt, and with time the "nagging backache" should become less of a problem - or even vanish altogether!
VISUALIZATION EXERCISE:
The Spinal Roll is an excellent stretch to perform while using your mind to make your body stronger and healthier. The simplicity of this move allows you to concentrate and expand your ability to connect your mind/spirit/body together.
In your mind, keep the idea that your backbone is to your body what the trunk is to a mighty oak tree. Your arms and legs are branches that flow out from the trunk and receive their strength and nourishment from the trunk itself.
Like the oak tree, a human being's overall well-being is closely connected with the health of the trunk, and you should create a mental image of your spine as a source of bright white light that permeates throughout your body and energizes you from deep within.
The practice of visualization is one of the qualities about Yoga that can reduce (or eliminate) the stress of the day and give you a sense of total refreshment.
*A link to Squat Pose instructions is at the end of this article.
