14/05/2026
Not the perfect handstand…
My spine has shaped the way I understand the body, movement, and more importantly, the mind.
Living in a body with a significant structural spinal imbalance taught me that bodies are not symmetrical, predictable, or one-size-fits-all.
Yoga and Ayurveda have deepened that understanding. They have taught me that our emotions are deeply connected to our bodies. They have taught me how to work with my body, rather than against it. Not chasing the posture, but simply learning to breathe.
In the Yoga Shastras it is said that with enough heat (Tapas), even iron will melt. Interpret that as you will.
So despite the fact that my spine has given me plenty of bother over the years, I am grateful to it, for it became my biggest teacher. Indeed, my spine and the pain made me a bitter person first, but then it made me, and continues to make me, a better person.
OM SHANTI X
Akanksha Kalra - Ayurveda Consultant, Yoga Teacher, Whitley Bay & Newcastle Upon Tyne