The spine is often referred to in yoga as “the tree of life”, so naturally it is important to keep it supple and happy. It provides the main structural support for our entire body, houses a main component of our nervous system (the spinal cord), and energetically, contains the major centers of non-sensory input from our environments (the chakras). A healthy back is a main point of departure to a healthy body, and crucial to overall quality of life.
In our society, we have an overemphasis on forward movements in the spine – we sit hunched over in chairs, our heads jut forward towards computers and televisions, and our shoulders are constantly curled over keyboards and desks. There is very little in our normal range of motion that encourages the spine to flex backwards – and this is where yoga can be a livesaver.
Check out this article from a Vancouver-based fitness writer. She gives some great tips to safely practice back bends and suggests a few yoga poses. Not only an integral part of a regular yoga practice, backbends are a wonderful tool to integrate into your daily life, and can provide some balance to all that forward motion we already do.