Convent Girls & Crossed Legs
I confess to being a convent girl in oh-so-many ways. So I looked at the Dr slightly aghast when he said to me this week, quite sternly, "You have to stop crossing your legs." He leaned forward to add emphasis and said it again. "No more crossed legs."
Let's whiz back 40 years to the Convent of Mercy in Lilydale, Victoria, Australia, where I attended secondary school. Being a model student, I received detention only 3 times in 6 years. Once for smoking (fair call). Once for pulling up the sleeves on my regulation jumper-sweater-pullover (spot the global-girl-word-choice-cultural-crisis) and revealing my highly erotic inner wrists to the boys in our biology prac. And once for being found to have striped underwear on during our weekly mandatory uniform inspection. Regulation beige underwear was checked for by the nuns and required, along with "modest skirt length". Sidenote: I still have an aversion to beige underwear and all things beige.
Yes. I made my debut in a formal white bridal style dress with long elbow length white gloves (to hide those sexy inner wrists, obviously!). We learned to dance the Pride of Erin. And waltz and cha-cha. And all of that involved DEPORTMENT CLASSES. (only for the girls, though.... boys had extra football practice). How to curtsy graciously, how to walk and how to sit. With crossed legs. Always. Because Sweet Mother of God (blasphemy intended) that a man might get a fleeting glimpse of pretty panties or be encouraged to pursue his evil passions by knees that were not GLUED together.
"It might be easier if you asked me to stop breathing!", I joked with my Thai doctor. He laughed but probably had no idea why. And pointed to my legs, which had crossed themselves again. I uncrossed and instantly felt vulnerable and like a fish out of water.
What's the big deal with crossed legs? Nerve damage, restricted blood flow, scoliosis of the spine, abdominal deactivation and sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Yikes. You can read more of the devastating effects of crossed legs here: http://backpainsolutionsonline.com/announcements-and-releases/backpain/lower-back-pain-causes/crossing-your-legs-can-cause-back-hip-pain and here: http://www.spinalstenosisanddisc.com/articles/60-the-facts-and-myths-about-scoliosis.html
And so I am on a mission. To spread my legs often, either in yoga class or whilst relaxing at home. To consciously RELAX the pelvic muscles to open, allow the hip joints to roll outwards and enable the tension to leave my lower spine.
Mostly I am on a mission for ALIGNMENT. For my butt and my weight to be evenly placed and my spine to be straight. For health, healing, superb mobility into my 90s and beyond, and wonderful pelvic-sacral-kundalini energy to feed the fires of my creativity.
But the convent girl lives on and I catch myself at least 20 times a day, crossed. And choosing to uncross. Still feels odd. Still feel like I should start muttering "Bless me Father, for I have sinned..." Still get flashes of various nuns popping into my awareness as I uncross.
But CHOOSING to laugh, put on some pretty panties and pursue alignment.
Better health, fitness and alignment are built from our simple daily choices. Please, if you see me physically crossing my legs in your presence, give me a firm slap and a disapproving stare. Because convent girls are trained to respond to both. :)
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Idont know about the right wrist, but that left wrist is pretty sexy - I sure know what the nuns were on about... lol
Gawd. Our school was public, anything goes, state school Geelong. We wore Quiksilver cord trousers and skivvies under jumpers in winter, and our skirts were long or short depending on the fashion. PJ's under our kilts in the winter. No one cared. What a difference.
yes, the crossed legs thing can 'set' your fascia in a particular way too - best to get all movements in there or you'll be locked that way, a little like the wind that will set your face when you pull a funny one. Here's to spreading your legs, sister :) and that pose is deliciously beneficial for you!!
Haha... you were one of the "slutty" high school girls? (to quote Sister Julian). I'd be really interested to read more about the changes to fascia if you have a link. Convent of Mercy - no short skirts and nothing below the knee which might be considered remotely fashionable and therefore evil. Stockings at all times except for sports. Blazers to and from school, regardless of the heat. Urgh....! My sisters wore hats and gloves too - luckily abolished the year before I started.
Ha yep I would have been a slutty girl. She probably would have been right too, but that wasn't to do with my clothes.
I don't have a link though I could go hunting. Basically your connective tissue wraps all your muscles and joints and extends between them. If it's not kept fluid and malleable, it'll dry out and get 'stiff' which stops other things moving. And it's all connected, so a fascia issue in the foot can lead to a problem further up. Many are saying that the fascia is the meridian channels of Chinese medicine, which makes sense when you look at fascia/meridians together.
We also store a LOT of emotions in our hips, which makes sense given the emotional/sexual thing going on in that area! So 'spreading' your legs is going to help you in more than one way.
I'll see if I can find a link for you later. xx
Basically as I've been taught, the body 'maps' ranges of movement. For example, think of an activity you can't do - for me maybe juggling, or trying to duck dive with fins and flippers and equalising at teh same time as holding my breath. Repetition helps your body learn new pathways of movement that weren't there before. So if we are ALWAYS moving our body in oNE SET PATTERN, we're locking in a particular way of being or not being, as the case maybe. So the more variation in your hip abbduction/adduction the better - by crossing your legs you are teaching your body this is the only way to be.
Think too if you grew up in a room only 4 feet high. How might your spine develop? YOur neck? It'd be really hard to have the same range of motion and flexibility and strength in all your joints and muscles than someone who grew up with space all around them.
It's such an interesting topic, I'm probably not explaining it really well.
Explained it perfectly. OK. Let me see if my massaging friends have some good reading about "stiff" fascia. :) It's super-fascinating to me how something as seemingly innocuous as habitually crossing your legs can have some very serious ramifications later on in life.
I know. Trauma sensitive yoga is the new buzz in yoga town, talking about how trauma is stored in the body and how to teach to that. It's so fascinating that science is proving what yoga has known for a long time. I hope 'stiff' fascia is the right word. Even my osteo is only just starting to work more with fascia, and he's young, keen and smart - it's a whole new territory!!!
on the plus side you aren't going the hell.
Haha... too funny. :)
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I had back pain while sitting all twisted at my computer while coding. Stopped it now.
I think the standing desk has a lot goign for it. Plus I sometimes sit on my pilates ball, which is super. Albeit sweaty here in Thailand to sit on rubber. Better self care really means getting up often from the desk! :)
yeah but getting up from my desk means no work shall be done, only goofing around like today hahahah.
LOL :))) At first, i was lazy and put your text in Google translator and couldn't stop laughing! :))) Then i understood what you want to tell us. Well, crossing legs is a very-very bad habit, and I often find myself sitting this way. Well, i'm trying to quit it, but it's very difficult, just like I do not stand up every 30 minutes from my computer when I'm working. But there is a change in my life! Since last November, i do my excersizes every day in the morning. The Five Tibetian Yoga Excersizes are so simple, and i do every steps 16 times now (i began with 6 times). What will be the next step? Daily walking and weekly hiking of 25 km (again, because i have stopped it when i was in Greece).
I am curious about these tibetanian yoga excersizes now, anywhere I can find them easy online?
Because I need some opening up to do here as well I think
You can find it here:
THX!!
That's GREAT that you got back into such a positive routine. When you come to Thailand we can go hiking! :)
It's great! I'll go there, maybe next year :)
Thank you for the resteem LURVE @kalemandra :)
Excellent piece that says a lot. I do believe that religion has a lot to answer for in its conformity. Personally I made the decision to give up religion when I was 12 and I've never looked back; I still have a lot of the Catholic nun's comformity of spirit hanging around me though even after all these decades gone.
But deep within every convent girl is the heart of a rebel. I, too, am allergic to religion. :)
Wooooooowww, you have been rasied in a totally different way I see with those nuns, miss sexy striped nickers hahahhaa.
Oke this post seems a bit like a reminder to do more strechting at home and opening up the body more
uncrosses legs as well and goed to kleermakerszit
More stretching, more open, everything easier and softer. That sounds like a plan! :)
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Excellent. Years ago my Nintendo Wii warned me against leg crossing. It's pretty hard to break. If you are seeking better alignment you should find a Rolfer in your area. They can straighten you out. It's painful and takes about 10 2 hour sessions.
Finding rolfing in Northern Thailand? Yikes - probably find 3 unicorns before you find that! :)
not a lot of hippies around there?
What an interesting thought! I also catch myself crossing my legs a lot and seem to return to this position without thinking.
More conscious alignment for all of us please...
Thanks for sharing ;)
Thanks for stopping by, Sam. Yes, more conscious everything, really. :)
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