The "true core" muscles lie in the back of the body. Click to enlarge.
Your free Guide to Unraveling Lower Back Pain contains my go-to practice for anyone with lower back pain. A first impression may leave you thinking that this practice is pretty boring and why would you bother? When you understand the anatomy behind this deceptively simple position you gain incredible insight into why a simple position such as this done precisely, can make a huge difference.
Many of my clients have said this one position has made more difference to them than all the other yoga postures they’ve learned.
Psoas in Quadrupeds
Psoas in Bipeds
Today as I teach around the world, there is an epidemic of Yoga practitioners suffering from reoccurring injuries and discomfort caused through over-stretching and repetitive end-range movements. We now know that stability and strength is as important as mobility.
We now know there us no scientific backing for the common phrase: "No pain, no gain."
Sequence F (Balancing Scoliosis)- partial. Click to enlarge.
“This Book Should Be Required Reading For Yoga Therapists, Physical Therapists, Pilates, Somatics and Other Movement Teachers”
A unique contribution to a deeper understanding of core stability, back pain, and easeful movement. With a focus upon the role of the psoas, this book provides clear, step-by-step guidelines for a somatic self-inquiry that will lead to structural and functional balance and deep healing. This book should form an important part of the required reading for Yoga therapists, physical therapists, Pilates, Somatics and other movement teachers, and sports trainers.
“An Exquisite and Important Book”
Pathways to a Centered Body is an exquisite and important book. The writing, photographs and illustrations are lucid, accessible and gorgeous. Donna’s ability to weave together objective, scientific data with living, breathing, first person experience is unusual and extremely satisfying. I felt addressed at every level – physical, energetic, mental/emotional, intellectual and spiritual – and I felt respected and cared for as the reader. Donna offers us a detailed map and guides us gently and with consummate skill through the vast terrain of our own experience, taking us home to our true center. As a Yoga practitioner and teacher I refer to this book often, rereading particular passages, practicing appropriate sequences and being inspired by the embodied wisdom that is reflected in these pages. I’ve never had the privilege of studying with Donna in person so I am especially grateful to have this book as a vehicle to learn from a compassionate, wise master.
“I Turn To This Book Weekly”
Personally, I have L4, L5 disc issues and many, many clients with back pain.
I turn to this book weekly as I really like how the sequence pages are clear and easy to follow. My students keep coming back saying it’s the only class where they can learn simple poses that they can do at home that really work!
“I return again and again to this book”
If you want to go deeper into your understanding of how your body works, to find blind spots and start working with the core buy this book! I now approach my personal Asana practice and teaching with much more confidence. Several long-standing issues in my body have been addressed and improved.
Fifteen years of strong Asana practice left me in a lot of pain (sacroiliac joints, lumbar, dorsal, meniscus and cervical spine). My science background led me to look outside my lineage for answers. I return again and again to this book, re-read and re-experiment. Now the core is central to my work. My favourite new insight is that “Mobility of the periphery depends on the stability of the core”. It is NOT strong abdominals that give stability, but the sense of the central cylinder.
I now understand my own imbalances (scoliosis, QL, psoas) and have found new ways to balance them. Daily, I can help my students find new ways to move with ease, some of these students have been with me for a decade.