Psoas; the muscle of the soul

It's quite a statement that the Psoas is the muscle of the soul. It is our strongest hip flexor and 'bears the weight' above it. Here we wanted to explore the connection that there is between this muscle and our sense of self and wellbeing. If we make the link between emotion and the psoas there is an incredible amount that we can unlock for our clients. We have also shared some techniques below to put this into practice.

Another aspect we want to link in is the relationship between the psoas and the diaphragm. One of the most basic human survival mechanisms is the fight or flight reaction. When you pair the diaphragm (major muscle of respiration) and the psoas (strongest hip flexor), the muscles responsible for quickening the breath and propelling us forward, then that gives a great impression of the emotional content these muscles can hold for us.

The psoas is an extremely powerful muscle and holds so much emotional content for us. Releasing tension in the hips through movement or bodywork can help to release these stored emotions and promote emotional healing.

The psoas muscle can also take on stress from our emotions. In the same way our shoulders can tense or become tight and raised as a response to stress, so too can the psoas draw in the pelvis and create curvature of the lower back. Almost like withdrawing into the fetal position if you will.

Feeling stressed will cause the psoas to hold tension, and the more stressed we become, the tighter it will get. When this muscle (or any muscle) remains tight for too long, it will become shortened. This causes chronic pain conditions such as lower back pain, sciatica, digestive problems. 

The diaphragm is the major muscle of respiration. During inspiration, it contracts and flattens, increasing the vertical diameter of the thoracic cavity. It is a large dome-shaped structure of muscle and fibrous tissue that separates the thoracic (chest) and abdomen.

The diaphragm and the psoas are connected through fascia, or connective tissue, and so tightness or relaxation of the diaphragm will either create tightness or relaxation in the psoas. 

If the psoas, our most powerful hip flexor, is chronically tight from stress, sitting, driving or cycling for long periods of time, for example, it will affect our diaphragm and our breathing patterns. This in turn can send triggers to the brain that mean we become stressed and anxious due to fluctuating breathing patterns as a result of a tight psoas. 

Let's also explore the positioning in relation to the Solar Plexus or Manipura chakra. At this pivotal point of the body (literally and metaphorically) we also have this energy centre intrinsically linked with the identity and building a strong sense of self or if unbalanced or blocked can lead to low self-esteem and even physical symptoms of digestive issues. We also talk of 'core strength' related to this area. All of these aspects contribute to the idea of the emotional content held in this area and the muscles that we need to release, lengthen and strengthen to aid wellbeing.