freeing the central axis
Written by Desmond Olubunmi · Founder of Sunya
A focused sequence for loosening the spine — the central axis along which the life force rises. Moving the spine through its three natural directions — folding, twisting, and bending to the side — releases the compression of daily life and opens the central channel.
The spine houses the central channel; when the vertebrae are stiff and compressed from a life of sitting and facing forward, that channel is squeezed and the energy stagnates. Moving the spine in each of its directions decompresses it, and with each release sends a fresh surge of life force through the central axis — dissolving the knots and freeing the upward flow. Because everything depends on a clear central channel, this is among the most important sequences for raising the life force.
The pump — folding. Sit cross-legged and hold your shins.
Inhale: pull the chest forward, lift the gaze, and arch the lower back.
Exhale: round the spine backward, tucking the chin. Move rhythmically, like stoking a fire with a bellows, for 1–3 minutes. This pumps the life force up the spine and draws the dormant energy up out of the pelvis. The twist — rotation. Sit cross-legged.
Place your left hand on your right knee, and plant your right hand on the floor behind your tailbone to keep the spine tall. Inhale and lengthen the crown of the head upward. Exhale and twist the torso to the right, turning the head to gaze over the right shoulder. Breathe into the restriction. Release fluidly, then switch sides.
Twisting wrings the spine like a sponge; on the release, life force rushes back through, clearing the knots.
Gentler, restorative version: lie on your back, draw the knees to the chest, drop them to one side and turn the head the other way, and rest into gravity for a minute or two before switching. The side bend — lateral. Sit cross-legged. Plant your right hand on the floor beside you.
Inhale and reach the left arm up and over, bending the whole spine to the right like a crescent moon. Breathe deeply into the opened left side of the ribcage. Then switch sides. This opens the side body, expands the ribs and the breath, and frees the spine sideways.
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