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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 24 2020 : 07:51:22 AM
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Hi,
from time to time - when much energy is moving around in my body - I feel that there is a blockage in my lower back, especially in rest pose. When I lay down at the end of the practice, I feel much energy trying to move up the spine but it is blocked in the lower part. Is there something I can do to resolve that? |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 24 2020 : 3:37:10 PM
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Hi Cato,
There is no need to do anything in order to resolve blockages, other than your regular practices. They will resolve themselves over time. However, if you are stable with your practices, there is an AYP practice called "spinal bhastrika", which you can do in addition to other practices. It has a powerful effect on removing blockages in the spine. It is done between spinal breathing and deep meditation.
There is also "targeted spinal bhastrika", which can be used to work on specific blockages in parts of the spinal nerve.
Both of these are advanced practices, so I would recommend only taking them on if you have reached that stage in the lessons, and do not have any of the contraindications mentioned in the lessons.
Christi |
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Stille
Germany
76 Posts |
Posted - Nov 24 2020 : 4:41:01 PM
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Hey Cato,
just want to let you know that I also do have a blockage in the lower back which I have been feeling regularly for more than two years now. In my case it seems to be connected to another one in the neck area. I know it can be really frustrating sometimes but this too shall pass! Conciously letting go of the desire to get rid of it helps.
Don't worry too much about it. If you are stable and inclined that way try some bhastrika as Christi suggests.  |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 24 2020 : 5:38:36 PM
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Hi Stille and Cato,
I once had a blockage in my lower back during a meditation retreat about 27 years ago. It was a long retreat and I was only a day or two into it, when I started to notice the blockage. The blockage was painful and on the third day it became so painful that I was finding it difficult to walk or sit. It was so painful that I was not able to focus on my meditation object during sittings and it was just a constant battle between the pain in my back and the meditation object. So, during one session on the third day, I decided to focus my attention completely on the pain in my lower back and not to be concerned with the meditation object at all.
At first it felt as if I had a continuous pain in the middle of my lower back, right on the spine. Initially there was a lot of resistance and I wanted to stop and walk away. Then, as I watched, I noticed that the pain was not continuous, but was throbbing, becoming less painful and then more painful, on and off with each heart beat. Then as I watched more closely, I noticed that it was not only in one place, but was in three places, each one about an inch apart in a vertical line along my spine.
As I watched further, my consciousness moved down my spine into the point within my spine where the pain was. I was sitting in a silent meditation hall, but at this point everything suddenly became very loud. I could see and feel a large blood vessel in front of me. I could hear the blood moving through the blood vessel. It was not moving continuously, but would start and stop with each heart beat. I could see the vessel extending up above me towards the heart and down below towards my pelvis. But the loudest thing was my breath. Each inbreath was like a waterfall flowing in from above me and pouring onto my diaphragm, which acted like a drum, just above me. The outbreaths were not quite as loud, but still noisy. The whole experience was overwhelming because of the sound. By this point the pain in my back was gone.
The whole experience only lasted a few seconds and then my consciousness moved back to my head. I never experienced the blockage in my lower back again.
There is a similar practice to this described in lesson 15 for people who cannot focus on the mantra during meditation, or on the sushumna during spinal breathing, due to painful blockages or any other painful or disturbing experience.
Christi |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 03:44:15 AM
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Hi Christi and Stille,
thanks for your suggestions. Stille, the blockage in my lower back is also around for more than two years now. The intensity with which I recognize it comes and goes, I notice it mainly during times with lots of energy. It is not painful, but a clear blockage that prevents pleasurable energy from rising.
I think I stick with your advice and see if it passes over time. Even though my practice now is much more stable than it used to be, I prefer not jeopardizing that. At least, not yet.
However, this is an impressive experience, Christi. It's amazing to hear those experiences and a good thing it turned out so well. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 09:07:42 AM
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Hi Cato
two years is a long time
why dont you try a chiropractic or an acupuncturist?
also they will tell you whether you need an xray to make sure all is in right place |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 09:14:35 AM
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| Maheswari, I never really considered that option since it does not bother me in daily living. It comes into my focus only during AYP practice when the rise of energy/prana is being stopped. |
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firststep
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 1:52:38 PM
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| Hi Cato, This is for my own understanding. I believe everybody’s ezperience is different. How do you identify the blockage in the lower part of the spine? How does this physically manifest? I am asking because for the last few weeks I have been feeling a “blockage” in throat. What I mean by that is when I sit in non-AYP DM, I start feeling a strong compressive force develop and sustain itself during the entire session. I do not feel it either during SBP or outside the meditation session. Currently I feel ecstatic conductivity thru portions of the spine, sometimes outside of the daily practice. |
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Stille
Germany
76 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 2:00:38 PM
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quote:
The intensity with which I recognize it comes and goes, I notice it mainly during times with lots of energy. It is not painful, but a clear blockage that prevents pleasurable energy from rising.
This is the case for me as well. No pain, no strong discomfort or anything. It is just there and I notice it frequently when my energy level is high. I can feel it and many automatic asanas are targeted for this area of the body. I can feel this part of my back muscles getting tense when I breath through it in SBP. But I don't think this is stopping energy from rising farther upwards. I have found that there is loads of purification happening in the upper regions despite the (strongly) felt blockage in the lower spine area. In my experience, purification is not happening in a linear fashion but rather all over at the same time to varying degrees.
Thanks for sharing your experience Christi! I'll experiment a little with attention on the spot and see what it does. |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2020 : 4:02:26 PM
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quote:
Thanks for sharing your experience Christi! I'll experiment a little with attention on the spot and see what it does.
Hi Stille,
In AYP the advice given for resting your attention with a blockage or other object, such as a strong mental disturbance, is only for people who are experiencing discomfort to the degree that they are no longer able to favour the mantra during meditation, or to follow the spinal nerve during spinal breathing. It is not general advice to anyone who becomes aware of a blockage in their body. Attention is very powerful, so if it is possible to use the global methods of purification such as deep meditation and spinal breathing, then this is the preferred method of dealing with blockages in the subtle nervous system.
The lesson 15 method, is only for exceptional cases, like the one I described above.
Christi
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Stille
Germany
76 Posts |
Posted - Nov 26 2020 : 06:05:38 AM
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quote:
The lesson 15 method, is only for exceptional cases, like the one I described above.
Yes, I am aware of it. I should have clarified that I meant to test it a little outside or after practices! |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 26 2020 : 08:45:03 AM
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quote:
Yes, I am aware of it. I should have clarified that I meant to test it a little outside or after practices!
Hi Stille,
In the AYP system, it would actually not be advisable outside of sitting practice times either. This is because all the practices are carefully timed, and then the rest of the day is for integration and grounding of the energies that are released during practices.
Resting the awareness with perceived blockages in the subtle body is actually quite a powerful spiritual practice, and could lead to excessive purification, and imbalances in the nervous system, if done in an unregulated manner. That is why it is only advised to do during practices in AYP and even then, only in extreme situations, as outlined in lesson 15. Not as standard practice.
Christi |
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Cato
Germany
239 Posts |
Posted - Nov 26 2020 : 09:36:34 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by firststep
How do you identify the blockage in the lower part of the spine? How does this physically manifest?
Hi firststep,
I feel energy/prana that is clearly directed upwards the spine but cannot pass through that point I described. I call it blockage because it blocks the energy from rising. What you describe as force could also be seen as a sign of purification. I have to clear my throat occasionaly during DM and take it as a sign of purification.
quote:
Originally posted by Stille
This is the case for me as well. No pain, no strong discomfort or anything. It is just there and I notice it frequently when my energy level is high. I can feel it and many automatic asanas are targeted for this area of the body. I can feel this part of my back muscles getting tense when I breath through it in SBP. But I don't think this is stopping energy from rising farther upwards. I have found that there is loads of purification happening in the upper regions despite the (strongly) felt blockage in the lower spine area. In my experience, purification is not happening in a linear fashion but rather all over at the same time to varying degrees.
Same here. Several automatic asanas are about deep backbending and pointed towards that area. However, this blockage does not mean that no purification takes place in the upper spine. At least, I take throat clearing during DM or a feeling of pressure at the third eye as such. |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Nov 28 2020 : 08:19:21 AM
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| Experiences may differ, mine gives me the impression that the entire yoga journey is underpinned by cleaning the sushumna. Obstructions are felt as energy blockages along the main energy channel, at various points. So it may be an ongoing cleaning job. |
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Blanche
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - Nov 29 2020 : 8:28:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BlueRaincoat
Experiences may differ, mine gives me the impression that the entire yoga journey is underpinned by cleaning the sushumna. Obstructions are felt as energy blockages along the main energy channel, at various points. So it may be an ongoing cleaning job.
It seems that kundalini/Divine energy has to rise straight up through sushumna to support the experience of higher states of consciousness. Clearing the central channel is a fundament piece of the puzzle of enlightenment each of us has to solve.
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Nov 30 2020 : 12:23:20 AM
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The momentum of flow of prana can sometimes take me all the way up, up, way past the crown; the downward flow can take me down way past the root.
Stranger (and often now) as soon as I draw the first breath and try to start guiding flow up the shushumna, the root just falls away and the momentum of prana drops ever downwards. It is with effort that I can get it back up. It is what I have been reporting as dropping into lower regions.
It does not add to the topic of blockages, nor am I looking for answers, but just putting the information out there, that other scenarios arise.
Sey
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dietarydongguan
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - Nov 30 2020 : 06:28:17 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Stille
quote:
The lesson 15 method, is only for exceptional cases, like the one I described above.
Yes, I am aware of it. I should have clarified that I meant to test it a little outside or after practices!
Be careful with testing it and good luck. |
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Blockage in lower back
