Hips, Legs, Pelvis, Psoas

If you read the spiritual role of hips, it is to "propel us forward". Located on the posterior of our pelvis are our big gluteal muscles whose contraction helps move the pelvis, thereby creating the momentum needed to swing our legs forward and take a step. We also swing our arms to create acceleration adds to our ability to move forward. And obviously, it is our leg muscles that execute the actual walking- our "psoas muscle attaches to the vertebrae on your lumbar spine, and then crosses the outer edge of each pubis (near your pelvis). It next joins with the iliacus muscle at your inguinal ligament (in your groin region), and finally attaches at your femur" (from spine-health.com) It is the coordinated contraction and relaxation of the muscles that pulls the legs forward and allows it  also to extend behind us with each step. When our muscles are working synergistically, our walking is efficient, feels easy, effortless even. However, if any of the energetic systems we use to create easy momentum in life break down, then synergy ceases and efforting begins. 

For example, I went dancing with a man whose company I very much love, but it wasn't my kind of bar or dance music. I like latin music clubs. We were in an Irish pub with a local band playing a cover version of Billy Joel's "Piano Man", and very drunk people were dancing! and singing! and it was very bright inside the establishment!  My hips were frozen and I felt rooted to the sticky floor. In order to get me onto the 'dance floor' my partner very nearly picked me up like a stiff brunette Barbie doll and teetered me out to dance. I usually loosen up but this time I was curiously observing how my hips were carrying out my resistance to dancing with the drunk Irish crowd to music that lacked the beat I prefer to move to. We went through the entire song and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I never felt like dancing or felt like me during it.  I played the perfect embarrassed sober date, and simply relished the sensation of being maneuvered in the dance since I couldn't muster the courage myself. If we are afraid to go forward in life, our hips sympathetically freeze up. My hips felt locked in place the whole song. Pretty much the only working system was my arms to drape on my supportive date, because about this I felt very secure- that he would rescue me from my own reticence. 

What I'm saying is, if we walk forward, or march forward, as the case may be, and our hips aren't sure but our legs aren't hearing it and continue onward at a brisk pace, arms swinging wildly to create momentum where the pelvis is letting us down, then we will experience a sheering sensation in our hips.  This means, we our unsure of our direction or pace in life, but our legs have an agenda, so the 2 muscle groups begin to work antithetically.  Our legs want us to move forward, move faster, or the opposite, they are lazy despite the hips having a clear idea of our direction.  It's almost as if your lower body is at war, on 2 opposing sides. 

I used to walk with a limp courtesy of a long ago close encounter with a large object. When I learned we heal ourselves and create our reality, I was determined to march my way forward in life and out of my limp. Except, I wasn't acknowledging the fear and reluctance my pelvis was expressing. My limp improved because I was using sheer strength and determination, but the side effects of opposing the flow of my body was the sheering feeling in my hips. I told myself not to be afraid, that it was just stretching out muscles that have for years been held tight in fear. And I believe this is certainly one step, but the next step is to go with the flow. I began observing my walking.  Why should walking hurt my hip if I wasn't actually damaging it? And even more curious, why was only one of my arms swinging? And only one side of my pelvis undulating? Why was my right foot so rigid and curling into a "C"?  To re-learn how to move our bodies takes a dedication to ourselves.  We can actually re-learn how to more efficiently simply by observing our balanced side.  My left foot, hip, arm, pelvis, leg has demonstrated to my right side how to proceed. "Don't be afraid.  This is the correct way. Follow me!" And thus I've learned to move again. It might happen immediately for you, that the flow of energy through your body- legs, pelvis, arms, feet- once again occurs unhindered by hang ups. I am a work in progress. I think I've probably manifested this so I have something interesting to work on while I walk.

Underneath our breakdown in mobility is a lack of acceptance and acknowledgment of our own emotions. That's so easy to fix!  We don't have to cure world hunger or win a gold medal, simply acknowledge where we are, what thoughts and feelings we're having, and proceed onward with more awareness of your body and thoughts than you previous practiced. Whenever I feel that familiar sheering in my hips as I'm walking, I tune in: what am I thinking?  Am I still moving my pelvis, swinging my arms, trusting my legs to securely catch me when I push forward? Am I afraid of something I'm thinking about or afraid of something I'm about to come upon? All of this things inform how we move our body. We want the whole team, our entire muscular, skeletal, spiritual, emotional system to work in concert. This is how to heal your hips, legs, feet, arms, back, body...

Written with love <3

-Joanna