Blog - The Curious Mover
The Emotional Body Part 2
This is the second in a series about how pain can manifest from the emotional body.
The Backbone
Our spine houses and protects our spinal cord. Structurally, it keeps us upright and bipedal. Our spinal strength and mobility is why we do Pilates and movement. I will be specifically focusing on the mobility of the spine since I am grasping at such a broad and complicated subject. Limitations of that mobility depend on 1, the individual design of our spine (no two spines are alike) and 2, the possibility of stiffening with arthritis or stenosis as we age. What’s interesting to observe is the vertebral shape and size of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar, which dictates its movement capabilities. In between each vertebrae are little pillows called discs, which absorb shock and provide space between. What’s that jargon? If you haven’t met your spine by now, I think it is time. Let's take a tour.
Nose Breathing
Take a big inhale breath, and exhale it all out. I am sure you have heard this in yoga or meditation class. In Pilates, we are big on cuing big breath cycles as well. Who doesn’t love a deep breath or sigh to feel better? Then I read the book “Oxygen Advantage” by Peter McKeown, who shattered my little world of breath.
Vegas or Vagus
We all know Vegas, but what about the vagus nerve? It is the 10th out of 12 cranial nerves. Vagus, vagabond, named for its wandering nature in its function and location in the body. It is the longest of all cranial nerves and has a big parasympathetic function. We have 2 components of the nervous system. Sympathetic is our fight or flight system, necessary to engage for survival. It is also called the accelerator of the body.