Course XIX - Teaching 3: The Spinal Column

A right placement of the spinal column depends entirely upon a higher perfection grade in postures. Many ancient postures have been devised in such way that during their practice are forcing the spine to its right position. You reach this right position when your centers, rooted in the spine, work in harmony. The spine is the Spiritual Path placed in man and goes through all evolutionary existent states from the sacred plexus to the coronary plexus. Continuous subtle currents ascend and descend through their channels with a movement that can be substantially helped by postures. Spiritual exercises intensify this stream, while postures place the spinal column and its channels in a position where it offers lesser resistance to the stream. Different centers placed throughout the spinal column are like goods train stations. The most goods arrival in the last station of the line depends upon the demand in every previous station, upon the power of the train, and upon the straight and free railroad if possible. While spiritual exercises fulfill the first two requirements, postures do with the last one.
That is why postures mainly influence the state of mind; this can be easily verified as follows: In the usual posture, engrave on the consciousness the state of mind in which you are. Later try to straighten a little your spine, with no effort, as if your body were hanging from a thread fixed in the center of your head, and now see how your limited and selfish ideas try to vanish from your mind and are replaced by wider and higher thoughts.
Even to an unaware spectator, postures of ancient statues, for instance Ramses’ posture, which can be taken as the model of perfect posture seated, are superb and impressive. Under analysis, the sculptor has created this impression by means of a perfectly straight and vertical pillar. On the other hand, on Egyptian stone engraving representing slaves, their heads and shoulders are inclined forward; this posture reveals narrowness and limitation.
Even physically, the spinal column is quite important in the human body. Every movement must start from the spinal column to become really harmonious and rhythmic. A flexible spinal column reveals youth, although the age could reveal the opposite.
In fact, the different vertebrae have little possible movement one regarding the other, but a normal spinal column can become extraordinarily flexible and elastic by practicing certain exercises.