In the Moment with Your Hips!
Issue #006 - March 20, 2011
If you sit at a desk in front of a computer all day, most likely you have tight hip flexor muscles. The iliopsoas is the major hip flexor, and if yours are tight, you will soon find out with this hip meditation to follow. Because the iliopsoas muscle attaches to the lumbar spine, people often think they have lower back pain, when indeed it is the hip flexors that are the cause of the pain.
I suggest that you also read my foam rolling page called Foam Roller Exercises for the Hip Muscles to more fully understand the significance of the hip muscles and the metaphysical causes of problems in this area.
The pelvis is a converging center. Your upper thigh muscles, butt muscles, lower back muscles and
your abdominal muscles all come together at the hip. The interconnectedness of the body is profound in this area, so of course, it holds great emotional significance and emotional energy.
The lower abdominal muscles surround the 'core of your being' or otherwise known in various traditions as the Dan Tien, or the 3rd Chakra. So, the hip is full of energy that either renews you, or blocks you.
Today, with the hip meditation we will try to see what significance the pelvis and hip have for you!
For this hip meditation you will need a foam roller. Start in the position shown below, left. Place the foam roller at the top of your hip and buttocks. If this position is uncomfortable for you, you may wish to adjust it lower on your buttocks. You can also modify this position by raising one leg as shown on the right. The hip mediation will work best if you fully expose your pelvis, so make it your goal over the next several days to
arch both legs together over your foam roller.
Relax and begin to center yourself. Breathe deeply through the belly. Focus on drawing the breath downward, into your belly. Sink into this position and feel the pull at the hip just below the line of the pelvis. Breathe and feel fully the stretch.
When you are fully relaxed and when you are ready, start to explore your lower abdomen and pelvis with your fingers. You can work on both sides of the hip simultaneously or only one side at a time.
Gently begin to push on the inside tissue (external oblique muscles) of your hip at the top of your hip bone sticking out.
Does this area feel full or congested? Does it feel sore? Does it easily give under your fingers without any feeling? Keep the pressure there for awhile. Feel any emotions that may arise. Hold the area as long as you desire and make the pressure light or deep as you heart feels it needs to be. Sink into the feeling and truly feel any issues.
As you sense issues of pain, fullness or congestion as you apply pressure, breathe deeply until the area releases. If the tension softens under your fingers, push a little deeper and breathe. Wait to see if any more is in need of release.
Slowly move down the inside of your pelvic bone, pushing on the tissue to find more areas that need your attention. Stop at any areas that you need. Slowly work your fingers all the way down, until you meet at the center of the top of the pubic bone.
After you do the inside of your pelvis, start at the top again, and this time, go down the outside of the
pelvis, looking for more hot spots. Do the same as before, pushing, deep breathing and releasing any tensions in this area.
I also like to take my first two fingers and press them into the top of my pelvis, while at the same time I take my thumbs and push on the lower back on each side of the spine. So, my hands are cupped around the top of my hip bone with the thumbs in the back as if my hands were resting on my hips. Applying pressure to each area in the front with my first two fingers and in the back with my thumbs helps me release a lot of tension here.
I also grab the top of my hip bones and wiggle them around, in a rocking or pushing/pulling movements. This feels really good to me.
Experiment with your hand positions for whatever works for your needs. The more you open your hip in this manner, and use trigger points and acupressure points along the pelvis, the more you will be able to understand where your personal issues and
tensions lie so that you can release them.
Really attend to any sensations in this area as you explore your tensions and meditate on the meaning of them in your life.
Listen to any feelings, thoughts or additional body sensations like goose bumps or tears. If tears arise or goose bumps or shudders, and so forth occur, the thoughts and feelings that made these sensations arise are very significant for you.
The pelvis is the center of creativity, re-birth and re-creation of your life and yourself. It is especially timely to do this exercise, with Easter and the spring solstice here!
When you perform this body meditation, you may wish to use the following affirmations:
Whisper out loud or silently as your heart desires,
- I release control to God/the Universe and I feel free.
- My life is filled with creativity.
- I am born of creativity.
- I give birth to new ideas and
'I swing my hips!'
- I give birth to new ways of thinking.
- I give birth to health and healing!
- Creative energy fills me.
- Sexual energy fills me.
- I am a sexual being.
- I enjoy the pleasures that all of life brings to me.
- A favorite from Louise Hay: “Hip, Hip Hooray! There is joy in everyday!
- I am a ‘hippie’ and I am free!
Repeat the affirmations as many times as you wish. Create your own if you wish. Thank your pelvis and hip for the messages that they have to tell you about yourself. The message is neither good nor bad, just information about your inner condition, through your Body Window.
Meditate on whether you are too full of energy here, or if you lack sufficient energy.
Say the affirmations after you have cleansed your mind, heart and soul of all pain and judgment.
It is by tuning into your body, into it's
innermost depths that you become open to receive its messages. It is by relinquishing control of your own life, to a Greater Power and Greater Consciousness that you can be truly open to the messages that are there for you. Learn to just be. Trust your hips to lead the way!
Move forward now with your heart and soul. Commit to moving without fear and judgment. Just feel it and heal it! Believe and it will be so.
