Straightening Up: Yoga with Sallly, private class: Carson City, NV: June 5, 2017

Some 13 years ago when I was a newby in yoga, a teacher told me I had a slight scoliosis in my spine. Its a thought that has stayed with me all these years, and not a useful one at that.

Over the years its never been a part of a comment by any other teacher or bodyworker.  And in todays class when Sally, the best bone stacker I've ever known, told me my spine was straight, I let a sigh of relief because I was able to drop the more of the burden of "am I doing this right" down a few notches.

Its possible that teacher 13 years ago didn't assess the situation properly, and its possible he did. Its possible the practice of yoga has straightened my spine, but more importantly the practice of yoga has helped straighten out my mind. Scoliosis or not, straight or crooked, "right" and "wrong", don't entangle my mood as much as they once did.

Of course I still have my moments. We all do I suppose.

I'm increasingly interested in the aging process. One of the lesson plans is to be very aware of the curving of the spine like my grandmother, and I see my mother now starting to deepen. I'm wondering if part of that slump is a lifetime of burdening beliefs that close the front of the heart.

Maybe. Or maybe a lack of spine strength, or maybe its hereditary or genetic as some say.

I don't know for sure but I'm playing with the idea its partly both and follow the practices that will hold my own spine tall and straight,  healthy and happy.

Namaste