I was listening to a fascinating podcast on movement, as you do as a yoga teacher – movement, the mind and the spirit are all endlessly fascinating subjects.
The podcast was on primal movement and what struck me was how all the movements described are standard yoga poses.
Primal movement focuses on natural, foundational human movement patterns like crawling, squatting, and lunging.
The seven types of primal movement identified are the same seven movements in any good yoga class.
We squat (Malasana), lunge (Warrior – Virabhadrasana), hinge (Uttanasana), pull (Nauka Sanchalanasana), push (Bhujangasana, twist (Matsyendrasana) and practice walking meditation (Caṅkramaṇa).
So, yoga is primal movement in an ancient form.
Primal movement also incorporates spiral dynamics.
If you walk, reach or twist you are combining all three planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, transverse) simultaneously, like a spiral staircase.
These spiral movements load and recoil the body’s connective tissues and spiral movements are wonderful to restore joint alignment and re-establish the innate spiral line of the body.
Most Western bodies move through space in rigid, straight lines, but primal movement uses whole body integration: connecting opposite shoulders and hips through the spine to create fluid, rotational, and cross-body strength.
The benefits of this organic type of movement does not stop with the body.
Multi-plane movements with cross-body patterns enhance neuroplasticity, calms the nervous system, releases endorphins and encourages mindfulness.
So come and join us in class to find your primal self!
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