Poor posture

   I have been experiencing a pinched nerve for the past couple of months, and although it symptoms of numbness and tingling rather than pain, it also causes me to worry; that it will become worse and eventually damage the nerve irreparably. It doesn't take me to cause me to worry in any case.
   After being diagnosed with this condition by my primary doctor, I saw a physical therapist, who assessed me and gave me a number of exercises to do to help relieve the condition. I continued to see this therapist seven or eight times, and one of the things that we often speak about is my posture. She often reiterated that maintaining the optimum body alignment is key to my recovery, and to keeping the condition from worsening or recurring in the future.
   I quickly realized how much my posture has been tied to my emotional state, and more specifically how I feel about myself, which in turn influences how I position my body. I believe that a person who feels strong and upright in their place in the world probably hold themselves in that way, and one who doesn't, well, you get the picture.
   I remember that when I was in my early twenties a friend of my father noted how hunched over my shoulders appeared, and although I recall that it was rude and out of place that he had said this, I realized also that he was probably right, and it made me feel bad. I didn't really connect it in the same way that I 'm able to now, but I sensed it enough that it hurt, and then I never really thought about it again consciously.
   Now that I've been in some form of analysis/psychotherapy for quite a few years, I tend to put things together quite a bit better, and hopefully retain some of what I discover as well. I also believe that my age and genuine desire to be happier in life has contributed too, but some things take longer than others to really connect in a deeply emotional way.
   So as the way I feel about myself has affected my body, which has in turn caused symptoms which impact my emotional state, it is clear that things have come full circle. There's an old Christian hymn called "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"; I hope that it can.