” You’re only as old as your spine is flexible.” ~ Joseph Pilates.

This holds true in its entirety, as our age is not defined by the number of years we have spent on the material plane, but it is based on the wear and tear of the various organs of the body, the ability of our cell to regenerate and keep us supple and flexible.
With the help of yoga and meditation, the age process can be reversed. Like the five Tibetan rites result in youthfulness and longevity, spinal meditation can lead to a healthy and a balanced life with an unrestricted flow of Prana in our system.

Step 1: Sit comfortably on a chair or on the floor in an easy pose, with your back erect and preferably away from the wall. Bring your hands in Meru Mudra, fold all your fingers towards your palm, while keeping just your thumb straight, pointing towards the sky in a thumb’s up position. Now, rest the hands on your thigh and stay here for a while.

Step 2: Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Feel the breath touching the tips of your nostrils, passing through the nasal passages to the lungs, diaphragm, abdomen and all the way out.

Step 3: Gradually move your awareness to the spine and visualize it. The long structure with curves and vertebrae, the spine will be easily visible in its perfect form. Look at your spine as an observer and gently move your awareness up and down, analyzing the curves of the spinal column.

Step 4: As you move your awareness in the spine, acknowledge a thread or the silver cord in the center of the spine, running from the base of the spine to its tip. This cord is the sutratma or the thread of life, which connects us to our higher self, reaching us in our physical body. Also, it connects all our bodies together, starting from the physical body to the ethereal body to the astral body, so on and so forth.

​Step 5: Keep visualizing this silver thread and feel it lighting, which further fills your entire body with a new upsurge of energy. The silver cord removes any blockages in your spine from the light emitting from it as it heals all obstructions in the free flow of the prana or the life force, leaving you energized and recharged.
Keep at the meditation for as long as you want and recharge yourself completely. With regular practice, visualizing the spine, the silver cord and the light would become easier and quicker.
The spine is the axis on which the human body revolves. Keeping your axis supple, healthy, flexible and hydrated will reap long-term benefits both materially and metaphysically. But its important to keep a good posture and practice this meditation as and when you can.

By Sonali Bansal