Overview: The human body is a marvel of creation, and one of its most remarkable features is the spine. As the axis of the musculoskeletal system and the protector of the spinal cord, it is integral to virtually everything we do—from thinking and feeling to moving and breathing. Understanding how the spine moves and learning to access its full range of motion are all but essential to the advancement of your asana practice, and will likely benefit your interaction with life in general.