In our global village, world events eventually always play out through our physical bodies. Be it fires, floods, COVID or war, our physical bodies, over time, signal to us that they’ve had enough. And with the continual barrage from the media of only bad news, it’s not unexpected that our bodies will reflect the dramas over which we have no control, usually in the form of back issues.

In yoga, we believe the spine and back are connected to your physical support systems here on earth. And one of the more extreme back issues we see in yoga class is herniated discs. Painful and debilitating, and quite frightening for the student. Under conventional medicine, ruptured discs have a fairly grim prognosis for a full recovery and the sufferers are often convinced they are condemned to a life sentence of pain and aches.

Fortunately, there are many therapies, including yoga, which can help the student recover from herniated discs. In yoga, we also look beyond the physical, and a student’s healing program would include every layer of their being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. 

Discs are little fibrous cushions between each vertebra in your spine. They act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae and keep the bones from rubbing against one another. When the semi-liquid core inside the disc pushes through a tear in the shield of elastic fibres around the disc, it creates compression on the nerve root, and you have a herniated disc. It can happen unexpectedly or gradually over weeks, months or even years and commonly affects the lumbar vertebrae. Symptoms include wicked sciatica, numbness and/or tingling sensation in the legs and feet, muscle spasms, loss of leg function and severe back pain.

It has been said by many health professionals that a herniated disc is a condition that cannot be completely cured since the liquid has poured out of the cushion. However, in yoga, we believe that by improving the flow of nutrition to the disc with yoga exercises, the liquid that was pushed out can be partially absorbed back in. Consequently, the pressure on the nerves and spinal cord will subside. And a good yoga class promotes correct posture, stretching and breathing while building core strength. 

The student would also be encouraged to deal with some emotional issues. Look at your support systems. What is happening at home that has rocked your world and left you feeling unsupported? The spine is the conduit between our passion for life on earth and our blissful nature as spiritual beings. Your support systems include your physical environment, your relationships, your morality and your ability to speak your truth. If you don’t have the support structures in place, it’s very hard to feel safe on earth and live a full life in accordance with your higher values.

Margot Wagner
 Yoga Under the Bodhi Tree

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