AY: Practice Notes

It’s taken me 6 years to find it and I cannot begin to tell you how much this seemingly simple maneuver has helped me improve my practice. When I scoop my tailbone, my samasthiti is a true equalizer. My chaturanga is instantly stronger and any pain in my lower back is alleviated. My heart opens wide to the sky in upward facing dog and my heals sink to the earth in downward facing dog. My aching hamstrings thank me in forward bends. Tilting my pelvis forward and scooping my tailbone in every posture is no easy task, but just attempting to do it allows my spine to uncurl all of the way up to the top of my head. In seated postures, rooting my tailbone into the earth gives me the strength and stability in my upper back that I was severely lacking. I no longer battle to keep my chest from caving in and I don’t shake or exert extra effort just to sit up tall.

This revelation makes me laugh. I mean, where has my tailbone been hiding all this time? It’s not like teachers haven’t talked about the importance of properly positioning the pelvis in class before. I guess it goes to show that not all principles click in overnight. Everyone progresses at their own rate. Maybe I wasn’t ready to accept this tailbone thing 6 years ago or maybe I hadn’t developed the musculature to explore it? Who knows. Being mindful of the position of my pelvis and tailbone in yoga postures makes it much easier to breath, to fill my lungs with oxygen and expand my ribs into my back body, and that is what I am absolutely loving about my practice right now. —Jason