




Dear Willow,


I've often heard that tough pain/emotion/stress/hard experiences are held in the hips. Can you further elaborate on the hip situation? How is it known that the hips hold difficult energy? How does this happen? Why is it the hips? Further, how long does it take to release that energy - years of hip openers?



Hippie Curious


Dear Hippie Curious,


Consider the hips to be the seat of our emotions. Emotional and physical energy can well up and stagnate in the pelvis from gravity and lack of expression. The pelvis is shaped like a bowl and the spine extends like a pipe that carries blood and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) between the three layers (maters) of the brain and spinal cord. CSF is the conductor fluid that transmits the impulse from our thoughts to actions or feelings.


hips, hip injury, hip pain, tight hips, opening hips, yoga, forrest yogaMost people now spend the majority of their time on their butt and underutilize the strength of their legs. Our legs provide strength to physically move blood that was pumped to our feet back up to the torso. They also provide grounding support to move our emotions out of our body. When we feel physically steady, we have freedom and security to flow emotionally. If our butt and legs are weak, we lack the stability needed to be fully expressive with our feelings and thoughts.


If the legs are weak and emotions are strong, a bottleneck of energy forms at our hips. It’s as though there is a fortress gate holding back a tidal wave of energy. This blockage can result in acidity in the lower intestines, constipation, sexual hardening, inflammation in the hip sockets, and adhesions of the skeletal muscles.


It can take either moments or years to unlock the blockage. It all depends on you and what you know about yourself and why this blockage is here in the first place.


How to release blocked up energy in the hips:


  1. Sit cross-legged on the floor or in Knee Pile Pose.
  2. Touch yourself. Move your hands around the pelvic bones and periodically pause, take a breath and ask this area what it needs. Wait for an answer before moving to the next area.
  3. Reflect on what issue is stuck in your hips or pelvis. Are you shut down sexually? Sensually? Lacking in fortitude? Or in confidence? What area of your personality are you feeling weak in? How must you remedy this?
  4. Take action in one weakened area of your life that relates to weak awareness around the legs, pelvis, or hips.
  5. What need is not getting met and how can you ask loved ones to help you with this? In asking, be clear. For example if you feel isolated from someone special in your life, ask for time with them and be specific in how they can help you get this need met.


It takes courage to ask for what we need from others. Especially when we can take care of so many of our own needs. We cannot do everything ourselves, and it’s vital to know when our happiness can depend on love or connection from another person. By asking or stating clearly what we need and want, we draw from a courageous place deep inside our soul and align with truth.


This single action alone can help unlock the hips. The more you speak your heart, the more the pelvis will be free from dammed up thoughts and emotions.


Breathe Deep,


Email YOUR questions to willow@breakingmuscle.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
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