yoga and setback

Body: 

I have continued with yoga after gaining insight from Christine and have felt great but I have been careful about not tucking my tailbone under because I immediately feel more pressure down there. However on Monday night we did back bends and he gets us to tuck our tailbone under to protect our lower back. There were a few moves that set off alarms in my mind because they didn't quite feel right. Unfortunately I kept doing them. The next day it was like all my hard work went out the window. In the afternoon I had major pressure down there again (from my rectocele). I am confused as to which poses to avoid. Should I avoid any poses where I have to tuck my tailbone under?

Oh ya the one that really didn't feel "right" was the camel posture. I've also not felt good in the standing toe holding posture and one of the warrior postures. There are a few others but I would like some help knowing which positions to stay out of. Thanks.

Hi Mommynow,

For years I’ve been hoping for a new “women’s yoga” that would be protective of the natural design of the female body. Why that dream has not materialized possibly stems from the fact that very little of hatha yoga as we know it would be maintained. People are under the impression that these poses have some kind of magical, spiritual value and if it’s not these poses, it’s not yoga. I think it could be argued that these are a form of ascetic calisthenics developed by devout men simply to condition and strengthen the body for deeper meditative practice.

From my perspective, here is a list of poses that present a problem for women due to extreme increases in pressures exerted against the pelvic diaphragm: all variations of the sitting boat pose; the camel; the fish; the locust; lumbar lifts and lumbar presses; the warrior; lateral angle lunges with or without twists; the bridge; the wheel and all passive supine backbending. As you know, even tadasana challenges us to conform to the male spine.

Hope this helps,

Christine

thank you Christine, that does help. yes I know the tadasana is not suited to the female spine so when he says "tuck your tailbone under etc.", I just do my own posture haha....I have kept it up and just done my own thing because it has helped me deal with stress and is strengthening (as long as I do the correct postures to benefit!)