Yoga instructors and students alike, and all other modalities of somatic therapy need to know about connective tissue. It is one of the most extensive and remarkable substances in our bodies. Its importance for our structural cohesion, our movement and our energetic properties cannot be overstated.

• What is it?  Collagen molecules which make up connective tissue are the most common protein in our bodies. They form tendons, ligaments, fascia, sheaths containing all organs, muscles, bones, nerves, circulation vessels—and in fact every single cell.
• It is a web of structure:  As our primary structural tissue, it surrounds everything, suspends and keeps everything in its place, connects everything to everything else. It unites our bodies into a seamless whole.
• It is a web of ch’i:  Connective tissue is a semiconductor of electricity, and it generates our personal magnetic field that surrounds us and penetrates every living cell. This field connects us to the magnetic field of the planet, and indeed to all energy fields that surround us. It is the medium through which the energetic meridians of acupuncture flow, connecting the needle puncture to the activities of organs and cells. Fluctuating conditions of this field are the changes in auras that can be read diagnostically to reflect the health or dis-ease of our organ systems
• Its role in injury and healing:   Most injuries in daily life—and in yoga practices—involve the rupture to one degree or another of the connective tissue fabric: strains, sprains, rips, and associated inflammations. The pain associated with these injuries comes from the pain nerves imbedded in the tissue that has been damaged. Understanding the nature of these injuries and the processes of their healing will greatly facilitate the mindfulness of recovery.