I had what I hope is a slight breakthrough at the chiropractor this week. My back, like so many others, started hurting towards the beginning of the pandemic. It was no surprise at all: I went from teaching 13 yoga classes/week in the studio - where I barely demo at all - to 13 classes/week online, suddenly demoing 100%. I also started working out more; and the rest of the time I would sit on the couch. So yeah, my back went out. It forced me to slow down and rethink the way I was doing everything.
At the time I had decided that this “crunching” in my low back was due to my anterior pelvic tilt, aka sticking my butt out. I’ve always stood this way because I hyperextend in my knees. So my knees lock out and I lean into my joints, which causes my tailbone to pop back and my low belly to spill forwards. 36 years, like that. I decided it was time to reverse it.
I hired my good friend as my personal trainer and started doing everything with a slight tuck to my tailbone. It took a while, but it got better. By last fall I don’t remember having any sensitivity in my low back at all.
Fast forward to this past winter and it came back. This is also around the time I started working out again (sans personal trainer), and put perhaps an even bigger emphasis on tucking my tailbone. My back has hurt so much at times that I’m nearly immobile. Very frustrating for me - a healthy, fit, 36 year old - to be walking around like a grandma, unable to bend over, wincing when I stand up, just waiting for it to completely go out again…
So I go to the Chiro, to acupuncture, and get massages. I roll it out with massage balls and CBD lotion. I take turmeric pills for inflammation and bought myself a new ergonomic desk chair. I stretch, do yoga, and continue to workout with my core super engaged and my tailbone slightly tucked. What gives??
On Monday when I went to the Chiro and explained all of this he told me - I’m overcorrecting. I should be finding neutral in my pelvis, not tipping it so far the other way that my tailbone is tucked. This could be causing the problem. Lightbulb! Could it be that I was so desperate to “fix” the tilt, I went too far in the opposite direction?
As I walked through Manhattan after this appointment I let my tailbone go. I walked the way I have my entire life only to realize just how much I had been restraining myself in every little motion before. It felt freeing; it felt like me. I couldn’t help but think about how much I had been denying what comes most naturally to me in my body, and wonder how I might be doing this in other areas of my life as well.
This is why I love things like Human Design so much. When we learn about ourselves and what’s most natural, we gain permission to be our most authentic selves and can stop trying to be what we’re not. While I still want to be conscious of my anterior pelvic tilt, I’m excited to let go of the constant straining to “fix” it.
Just like Human Design has allowed me to let go of my need to stick to things that don’t light me up, or keep myself from multi-tasking because - as it turns out - I’m meant to do a million things at once! If you’ve known me for any amount of time you’ve probably noticed I always have my hand in a million different jars. I’ve beat myself up for this in the past, “just pick one thing and commit to it,” I’d think. But that’s not me, and things flow much better for me when I allow myself to be a little all over the place. In fact, it’s part of my design to explore - to try all the things - so I can report back to you on what works best. Pretty handy for all of us, eh?
So in what ways are you overcorrecting? Where are you denying what comes most naturally to you - be it in it your body or elsewhere - so hard that you’re pushing yourself too far the other way, maybe even to a point of pain? If you want to learn more about Human Design, let’s do a session! Book a free 30-min call for a quick overview of your chart! And let yourself BE YOU, even if it means your butt sticks out :)
xo.
PS Shoutout to Dr Gabe at Rogue Chiropractic for this lesson!
