let's chat a bit about the infamous switch, shall we?
...hold on, now. for those of you about to run out of the post screaming, we're not gettin' into grandma goin out to the backyard or any s&m type stuff.*
we're talking about movement.
how many of you grew up being admonished for switchin', sashayin', puttin' your hands on your imagination, et cetera?
for those who took that advice to heart, how many of you have experienced lower back, knee, or hip pain as adults?
what some of our mamas and grandmamas didn't know is that the muscles that rotate your hips also influence the alignment of the muscles in the rest of your leg. furthermore, tight hamstrings can pull on your pelvic muscles, causing lower back issues. any good massage therapist knows that if a client comes in complaining about lower back issues, it's a good idea to check out their legs and hips first.
still wanna stop switchin'?
traditionally, african women have wide hips and large backsides. when we walk, we sway. our indigenous dances incorporate all kinds of hip, glute, and core muscle isolations.
put another way: we naturally shake our asses.
when we don't allow fluidity in our movement, we lock up our energy, we lock up our unique beauty, and we lock up our spirits. consider the persistence of cervical and breast cancers, heart disease, fibroids, and chronic pain in our communities, and what parts of the body these dis-eases are targeting.
so, as you consider your own healing journey, don't forget to put that wiggle back in your step. your knees, back, and spirit will thank you.**
*not that there's anything wrong with s&m. we're kink-friendly. but you'll have to work out the grandma issues on your own. unfortunately, she and her strong whuppin hand are beyond the scope of this blog...
**and if your mama bought you a hula hoop instead of fussing, more power.
