Alleviating Back Pain With Breath

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Low back pain can be a very chronic issue and it can also be acute. Either way, it is painful. It can take its toll on you and impact how you show up in your life. I know this not only because I hear it all the time but, also, because I have experienced it myself. So, I think if you suffer from low back pain, you will love the tips I share with you on today's post.

As someone who has battled with her own back pain, I've tried many different things. I haven't found one magic answer, but I've discovered some things that worked together very well. Understanding there is a relationship between mind, body and spirit has helped me to take different approaches when other things have offered limited relief. I'd like to explore 3 ways to alleviate and eliminate pain. Today we're focusing on back pain, but what you learn will help with any pain.

The 3 different approaches that I have explored, and that have worked for me are physical, emotional and energetic. In this post, the focus is on the physical. You can have chiropractic care, practice yoga, work with a physical therapist or have private yoga therapy. All of these options work well together, and have different benefits they offer. Establishing a safe yoga practice has benefited me in many ways. By learning to tune into my own body and listening, I've learned when I need to back off certain poses, and adjust. This has helped me tremendously. It not only has helped me on the mat, it has served me well in life and business too.

This morning, I set a private intention for myself in yoga class that I wanted to release the pain and stiffness in my low back. And don’t you know, the teacher offered up lots of hip action today. By the end of the class, my low back felt better. There's a direct connection from the sacrum, through your joints, down into your hips. And so, working on the hips and bringing some movement to my hips, actually did help take some of the pressure off my low back.

Our body system is a large community, and everyone contributes to the outcome. So while I was doing the poses, I also was very aware of my breath. And in particular, in sending love through my breath to my low back, and to my hips. So today I'd like to offer you a breathing exercise you can use for low back pain, hip stiffness, or any kind of pain you have in your body. It works really well.

Close your eyes and take some slow, deep breaths to ground yourself and get here. Be aware of your breath. Feel the breath move into your belly, filling up your belly, rising up your ribcage, even into your lungs; see if you can feel it in your mid back, your upper back, really bring this breath up into your throat, filling your upper body if you can, on your inhale.
Then, exhale slowly. As you exhale feel the breath in your body, and as you let go of your breath feel your body relaxing.
Breathe in fully. Then, relax and let go, surrendering into stillness and peace and relaxation.
Put your attention on your low back, and as you breathe in, breathe in love. Fill your entire sacrum and low back area with the energy of divine pure love and hold it there.
As you exhale, allow this love to reach and go into your hips. Breathe in love to your lower back. Exhale love and allow the breath and love to fill your hips. Breathe in love, and exhale love. Breathe in, hold it and then exhale, releasing it.
I actually started to do this meditation by breathing love into my heart, and breathing love out into the world. It is really powerful in calming your mind and your body, and it’s working on many levels. Today, because I was focusing on the pain that I was feeling in my low back, I thought I'd try to bring love into the area that needed it, and it was very effective.

I encourage you and invite you to sit with this for a 1 - 5 minutes, or as long as you need. Notice what's happening. Notice the energy starting to move in your low back. Notice a release in relaxation taking place as you're breathing into this space, and breathing in love, sending love through your body. Please, leave me a comment and let m