19/02/2025
I have scoliosis! Okay, it’s not super obvious, but I remember in my early days of yoga, the teacher said, ‘you have scoliosis!’ and a more advanced yogi was like, ‘yes 🧐🥸.’ And I was just like, “Okay, I can’t see my spine, and I feel okay, so all will be fine, right?” They were like, ‘Yes, but if you don’t do yoga, you’ll feel it when you’re older.’ At the time, I thought, ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it 😂.’ What do you know… 🌈
Last year, I suffered terribly with lower back pain, especially after having my second son via C-section. It was such a struggle to even pick him up from the cot. I’d always had lower back pain, but it was manageable. That bending-down motion was excruciating, and it really got me down emotionally. I felt like my body had failed me.
I didn’t understand because, after teaching yoga for so long, surely I should be in tip-top condition, right? 🙈😝🤸🏽♀️ Oh, the ego.
I went to physiotherapists and even a spinal surgeon. But you know what helped? Doing Pilates. Not just flowing through movements, but really focusing on each muscle in my body, especially the ones that support my lower back. I discovered how Pilates and yoga could work hand-in-hand to address both strength and flexibility, creating a balanced approach that eased the pain.
It’s been a year, and it’s been a humbling experience. I now attend two Pilates sessions a week, and even though the spiritual side wasn’t there, I worked intentionally to strengthen my back. I can’t believe the difference it made.
I now bring that strength and focus into my yoga classes, especially the flow sessions. I’m more attuned to injury, and I can empathize in ways I couldn’t before. I want to teach yoga more intentionally and mindfully, always paying attention to the needs of each body, especially my own. So even though I felt like I’d lost myself, I ended up discovering a stronger, more resilient version of myself. ✨🌈💕🙏🏽🧘🏻♀️🤸🏽♀️🪴