| For many of us, the word "alignment" may garner up | | | | your body may be in need of, such as fighting pain, |
| images of our car. Thinking of a Chevrolet or Honda | | | | destruction and disease. It gives your body the energy |
| each time we hear the word muttered, we may | | | | it needs to heal and stay healthy. |
| ponder the need for an oil change. But, just as it's | | | | Alignment also gives your muscular system and all |
| essential to automobiles, a person's physical alignment | | | | your internal organs space, allowing them to function |
| plays an important part in overall health; sometimes we | | | | more sufficiently. This drastically helps the body. For |
| need our own alignment adjusted. Alignment is also a | | | | instance, better functioning lungs oxygenate the body, |
| vital part of the human body, one that can be greatly | | | | making it harder for disease to survive and allowing |
| improved through yoga. And, along these lines, one's | | | | you to breathe easier in more ways than one. This is |
| yoga practice can be greatly improved through proper | | | | because lungs that aren't restricted, lungs with |
| alignment of the various poses. | | | | adequate space, are able to work the way they're |
| Alignment, by definition, can mean many different | | | | intended. Along these lines, a heart that has enough |
| things. Medically, it is defined as the "longitudinal position | | | | space to work correctly will make blood circulate |
| of a bone or limb." In non-scientific terms, it means "a | | | | easier, allowing essential nutrients and vitamins to get |
| state of harmony." From the biological standpoint of | | | | where they need to go. This helps to keep your entire |
| yoga, the first definition applies. From a spiritual | | | | body healthy. While the lungs and the heart may want |
| standpoint, the latter proves true. | | | | to take the credit for this health, alignment plays a vital |
| Many people, when it comes to alignment, assume that | | | | role. |
| it is merely technique. While alignment isn't just about | | | | The more optimal your alignment in gravity, the better |
| technique - the waters run much deeper - technique is | | | | you will become balanced on the inside and out and |
| part of alignment. Because yoga positions can be | | | | maintain a youthful resiliency rather than gain rigidity. |
| intense, it is vital that the techniques of these poses | | | | This balance, ultimately, aids your psychological and |
| are correctly performed. Just like placing a bowl of | | | | physical health, allying you with gravity and allowing |
| spaghetti on an uneven table will cause a mess, | | | | healing, wellness, and spirituality to manifest. Proper |
| practicing yoga with an incorrect technique could result | | | | alignment summons every internal healing source you |
| in injury. Practicing yoga with correct technique, | | | | have, and brings them to the surface; in a nutshell, it |
| however, can promote proper alignment, allowing joints, | | | | aligns your body's troops. |
| bones, muscles, and organs to elongate and mix | | | | Correct alignment also keeps your body from having |
| harmoniously. | | | | to fight against incorrect alignment, a fight that can |
| Correct alignment is not subjective, like an art form | | | | leave your body plagued with aches and pains. While |
| connoisseurs can comment on, nodding in reflection. | | | | this relieves physical symptoms, it can also relieve |
| Instead, correct alignment is cerebral and fundamental | | | | emotional ones: a positive misdemeanor is much easier |
| to the groundwork of yoga poses. To achieve this | | | | to maintain when pain isn't part of your every day life. |
| alignment, you must focus on the base of your body in | | | | The words "alignment" and "technique" may seem |
| relation to the ground within the gravitational field in | | | | synonymous, like they belong under the same heading |
| which you function. This creates a foundation for your | | | | of a dictionary. But the words "function," "organ," |
| spine to distribute weight evenly throughout the whole | | | | "health," "balance" and "life" are also part of the |
| of your being. Optimal alignment supports structure and | | | | definition. Alignment is not merely technique. Technique |
| function, allowing gravity to flow through you and | | | | may be part of it, but alignment grabs onto more than |
| nourish you rather than break you down. | | | | just methods. It takes the abilities to prevent and heal |
| Because alignment is so conducive to a body's | | | | to a new level, making "alignment" more synonymous |
| balance, it can aid overall health in numerous ways. | | | | with "self-awareness and mindfulness." |
| When it comes to imbalance, injuries are your body's | | | | TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for |
| red flags. And, when it comes to injuries, alignment is | | | | Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted |
| their nemesis. Even when injuries are caused by | | | | integrates osteopathic medicine, hatha yoga and |
| outside forces - a fall, a trip, an accident - alignment | | | | mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance |
| balances out your body so that the source of your | | | | between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims |
| pain (and it might not be what you think it is) is given | | | | to educate and help people to live a healthy life from |
| attention. | | | | the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a |
| The above happens because, as your body becomes | | | | comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being, |
| aligned, energy that was once busy dealing with | | | | empowering each person one breath at a time to |
| imbalance becomes available, like a life force looking | | | | stimulate the body's natural healing potential. |
| for a job. This energy is then used for other things | | | | |