The Yoga Tutor

Brahma Danda: The Yogic Spine
[ Excerpt from The Science of Yoga, page 280 ]

In yoga, the spinal column is referred to as Brahma danda, which literally means "the walking stick of God." This should give us an indication of the importance that the ancients attributed to this region of the body.

Spinal health is of paramount importance in yoga. The spine is seen as a vehicle through which the power of the Universe may manifest in the human form. As well, it is through sushumna nadi, the central channel within the spinal column that the mysterious and powerful kundalini force raises from its dormant state at the base of the spine to the Brahmarandhra, or psychic aperture at the crown of the head.

It is the vertical nature of the human spine which aligns the mechanism of our central nervous system with the vertical energy flows of the Universe and gives superior intelligence to the human beings. Thus, in meditation it is of the utmost importance that one's spine be vertical and straight.

As we have touched upon in an earlier lesson, it was precisely to enable the yogi to sit comfortably with a tall and straight spine that the asanas were primarily concerned with.

Even so today, the recurring theme throughout much of our hatha yoga practice revolves around the health, strength and flexibility of the spine. One cannot have good health without a healthy spine.

[Continued...]


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NOTE: This yoga article is an excerpt from The Science of Yoga, an online yoga training program with streaming yoga videos and 600 pages of step-by-step yoga instruction.


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Learn More About
The Science of Yoga Course

Foreword
About Yoga Home Study
Section 1 - Getting Started
Section 2 - Foundations of Yoga (1)
Section 3 - Foundations of Yoga (2)
Section 4 - Classical Ashtanga Yoga
Section 5 - Modern Yoga
Section 6 - The History of Yoga
Section 7 - Yama Niyama Introduction
Section 8 - Awareness
Section 9 - The Yoga Diet
Section 10 - Yoga Philosophy
Section 11 - The Yoga of Perception
Section 12 - The Yoga Path
Section 13 - The Virtue of Restraint
Section 14 - The Classical Yoga Texts
Section 15 - Yoga Cleansing
Section 16 - The Law of Cause and Effect
Section 17 - The Yoga of Digestion
Section 18 - Yoga Psychology
Section 19 - Yoga Psychology (Part 2)
Section 20 - Yoga Psychology (Part 3)
Section 21 - Yoga Psychology (Part 4)
Section 22 - Controlling The Senses
Section 23 - The Higher Stages of Yoga
Section 24 - Higher Stages of Yoga (Part 2)