Yoga for spine stabilization

by Acarya Vimaleshananda Avadhuta

Ananda Marga everybody practice asanas regularly twice a day . Dr. Steve Landau (Pashupati) is a family acarya of Ananda Marga who wears different hats and one of them is director of the Shiva Dancing Academy of Yoga. He runs certification programs all over the world with the international Yoga Alliance and he is on the way to China for such a course.

As an acarya of Ananda Marga I have been teaching and practicing asanas for more many years when my body apparently started to react and refuse to do asanas anymore. Every time I was doing asanas my back started to pain and I gradually gave up the daily practice and the teaching.

Today several styles of yoga are available and Ananda Marga with its 42 basic asanas plus mudras and bandhas is one of them. In Ananda Marga acaryas assign specific asanas to be practiced regularly in order to rectify physical or mental problems. 

The possibility to explore different styles of asanas under the guidance of Acarya Pashupati has brought a new dimension to the necessity to expand my horizons and I gave again I try. In one day I was no more able to do asanas and after the course, I went straight to the chiropractor. In one go he solved the problem and then I just took rest for some time forgetting about asanas until yesterday I received the visit of a family who wanted to receive guidance on asanas. I forgot about myself and I gave whatever was best suited for the occasion. 

This morning I felt great! After meditation and a lot of Baba Nam Kevalam Kiirtan a thought dawned in my mind: is it possible that some of the asanas I did yesterday were actually beneficial for my specific case? I mentally reviewed the asanas I demonstrated and I thought about the Warrior series. YES. So I tried again and the magic happened again. My back was settled as I had been to the chiropractor once again.

At this point, I started to work on the discovery and I went through all the asanas that I have been practicing which had been beneficial for my back affected by spondylolisthesis.  The plank, the stick pose, the tree and again the warrior pose. Among them, only the stick pose is among the 42 basic asanas of Ananda Marga. It was time to do some further research and I googled “Yoga for spine stabilization”. Here is the link to an article I found

Now my desire is to go back to my chiropractor verify with his assistance the actual change in position of the back for with each of these asanas. Are those asanas able to stabilize the spine? For how long? Will my chiropractor accept to work with me free of charge linking his discipline with yoga? It is worth a try.

 Dr. Landau is planning another 10-day course in the USA to begin on January 5th in Greensboro, which will include Ananda  Marga asanas as well as the other standard asanas from other yoga styles similar to the ones I have received beneficial effects for my spine. Those interested can contact directly for any information at yogidocta at gmail dot com or text 919-868-4729. It will be a 200-hour certification course with a final examination at the end of the course.