JOIN USIt’s time to allow life to happen without imposing your set opinion on it. When the mind bends, the body bends too, writes Bharat & Shalan Savur, as they help you deal with that adamant pain in your back.
Most backaches are caused by trying to move the immovable. You push, twist, heave...Your back gives way, but not the inert heavy object in front of you. And here you are with a sprained or pulled back-muscle!
A deep lesson in patience follows. Rest the back, says the doctor.
“But, I…” you begin to protest. Rest the mind too. It’s only for two days. You can utilise those 48 hours beautifully. Let your mind not war with the pain, rather let it rest in a deep trust that the body’s immense self-healing powers will take care of it.
Breathing is a healing, protective river running through us continually; harness it to your concentration and feel it relieve you of your suffering.
Follow the physical remedial route as well:
On the first two days, place an ice-pack on the back. Then, massage gently for seven minutes. The swelling subsides, the strain eases. n On the third day, employ heat treatment. Soak a soft towel in hot water. Wring and flatten it. Lie on it and allow its warm moistness ease muscle spasms and usher in the aah! of relaxed tissue.
Eat rice, curd and fruits. It’s a fast of healing. The energy the body would use for digestion is generously released for mending the muscle.
As you feel better, stretch the back very gently. Bring your knees up from the bed to your chest. Then, put a bit of pressure on the knees. Stretch-release five times. Stretching soothes the injured muscle.
Once you’re fine, carry a small cushion and place it just above the belt line on your seat at home, in the car and at office.
If beset with recurring backpain that never seems to go away:
Close your eyes. Visualise an orange on a white plate. See yourself pick the orange. Feel its weight and texture on your palm. Unpeel it slowly. Inhale the fresh aroma it releases. See yourself chewing it, tasting it. This exercise is especially useful when you’re woken up by the pain at night.
[Tip: Rub balm before turning in.]
Check with your doctor if you need the gravity inversion therapy. Here, you’re strapped to a device that tilts back until you hang upside down for five minutes. This takes away lower back pain, but should not be done if you have a slip disk or eye problems.
[Tip: Tai chi comes highly recommended, provided it’s done under an experienced sensei.]
Your determination to move the immovable is admirable, yet the subtle lesson here is: Something has to move inside you.
Sometimes, determination can also be rigidity disguised. Ah, so inflexible, so unwilling to see anything in a new or fresh way! It’s time to allow life to happen without imposing your set opinion on it. Become playful. Discover your ability to think out of the box.
At a huge gathering, where many spiritual luminaries were giving discourses on serious matters, quoting from the scriptures and the like, one monk stood out. He began his talk by praying on different scales - from the lowest to the highest, much to the amusement of the audience!
Everybody laughed, sat up, keenly interested in what the monk with the twinkling eyes had to say.
Have fun with life. When the mind bends, the body bends too. When you use the three bones - the wishbone, backbone and funny bone - you don’t just become healthy, you luxuriate in wellness.