While tidying up one day I found an old school book of mine: “Biology 4th class – 1986”
The content of Mrs. S´s lessons (God have mercy on her soul) was that we had to copy from the board what she drew on it – copying it herself exactly from her material of the 60´s. Grads were based on the exercise books that were checked for “correct copying”. Any questions we had were rejected. But I will tell you more about this – at another time.
I remember vividly how I just couldn´t let my eyes off the vertebra. I kept thinking: “What about the spinal cord? Where is the spinal cord? If the whole body weight weighs on the spinal column the spinal cord will be squeezed!”
It took a long time until I understood: The vertebrae together with the discs are stable, weight-bearing elements. The canal for the spinal cord is “further back” and a bony structure.
The result was amazing! Unconsciously I had tried all my life not to burden my spine with too much weight, for in my belief it would be dangorous for the spinal cord. My self-perception shifted from unconscious cautiousness to conscious trust in my back. And the quality of all my movements shifted accordingly.
And I started asking myself where this rock-solid conviction originated: that my spinal cord runs right through the discs. Today I know. You too. What a (body-) blessing!
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