A Journey Into Yin Yoga

66 A JOURNEY INTO YIN YOGA

Spine

The spine, according to yogis, is the

most important channel in the body.

It is the foundation of your entire

physical existence. The majority of the

nourishment that your brain receives

comes from the movement of the

spine. You can live without an arm

or a leg, but you can’t live without

your spine.

The spine starts at the skull and

extends down to the pelvis. Ligaments

in both the front and back run the

length of the spinal column. The spine

is made up of 33 bones, including 24

vertebrae and the fused bones of the

sacrum and coccyx (see figure 4.9).

The following are the regions of the

vertebral column:

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Cervical

vertebrae (7)

Lumbar

vertebrae (5)

Lower back

pain region

Thoracic

vertebrae (12)

Sacrum

vertebrae (5; fused)

Coccyx

vertebrae (4; fused)

FIGURE 4.9 The spine.

Cervical

The cervical region of the spine contains seven vertebrae in the neck. The

skull attaches to the top of the cervical spine via the atlas. The atlas comes

from the Greek story about Atlas, who held the world on his shoulders.

Thoracic

The thoracic region is the middle of the spine and contains 12 vertebrae. The

ribs attach in this area.

Lumbar

The lumbar region of the spine contains five vertebrae in the lower back. This

area takes the most stress, especially in modern-day living due to excessive

sitting while working, driving, and eating.

Sacral

The sacral region of the spine contains five vertebrae fused into the sacrum.

This area connects the hip bones and last lumbar vertebra.

Coccygeal

The coccygeal region of the spine contains four vertebrae fused into the coccyx,

or tailbone. This area protects the overall spine from the shock of sitting.