The sacred bone
I have been inspired by the sacrum bone lately. I was taking a yoga class last week when I started to remember my Dissection workshop with Gil Hedley. I had a flashback on our last day, when we had dissected our cadaver literally to the bones. I had been dissecting the pelvic area and remember holding it and being in awe of that structure. I was particularly taken with the sacrum- how deep it is, how cavernous, how hollow. I had no idea! How could I? Books are two-dimensional and drawings give the impression of the sacrum as a flat, triangular bone. Anyway, as I was moving through the practice I started to re-create that hollowness of this most sacred bone and voila, it was the deepest, most aligned Pelvic Loop I've ever done. Suddenly I got Pelvic Loop.
Pelvic Loop is one of the seven Loops in Anusara yoga, which are subtle refinements that help us align our bodies. There are seven pairs of Loops that cover every segment of the body (ankle, shin, thigh, pelvis, kidney, shoulder, and skull). The Loops are circular flows of subtle energy that move in the sagittal plane of the body. Pelvic Loop starts at the core of the abdomen, a little bit below the navel, right at the middle of the lumbar. It moves down the sacrum, down the middle of the buttocks. It moves forward through the floor of the pelvis to the top of the pubis, up the lower abdomen and back to where it started, right below the navel.
We Anusara yogis know that in every pose we keep our thighs back and then we "scoop the tailbone." However, what I have noticed is that many people think of the sacrum as a flat bone, and of the scooping of the tailbone as a downward action. I've been playing lately with re-creating the hollow, kyphotic shape of the sacrum. In doing that, I get to release the Iliopsoas and use my lower abdominal muscles in a deeper way. It's been amazing.
The students this week, at Still and at Black Dog are so sweet and so into all the craziness that I bring to class. I am so blessed to have such devoted, kind and intelligent students. I am so blessed to have such amazing teachers like Gil Hedley, John Friend, Sally Kempton, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen... May I keep learning. Growing. Sharing.
On another note, my Mom left today. I miss her terribly! She is such a force of nature. The space she left is deep and hollow, like the shape of my sacrum. I love you Mom and miss you. So glad you could come and share in my space and in my life.
Lastly, a gratitude gift for my Father on his upcoming birthday.
Papito: Thank you for being so spiritual. I know you were sad when I left the Church many years ago. And I know that you know that I found my own way to connect to Spirit. I want you to know that you inspire me with how devoted you are. Every night before you go to sleep you pray to God, and I am so deeply inspired by that. You pray for all of your family and friends, and for those you have lost. Often when I meditate I think of you praying and how deeply you are connected to your heart. Thank you for being so sensitive and spiritual. Even though I am not religious, I hope you know how alike we are. Tonight when I go to sleep, I will pray for you and Mama.
Gracias. Bendición.
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