Healing the Psoas, Part 3:

Healing the Psoas

Traditionally the psoas has been classified as a muscle but upon discovering Liz Koch and her work I’ve changed the way I view the psoas.

I stopped poking and prodding and started to listen.  The psoas needs SAFETY to soften and lengthen.

How can we start to find safety within the body?

My favorite saying “In your bones, in your body” arose from treating the psoas in the clinic.  When the body knows where it is in space (proprioception), knows how your bones land on the earth it has the ability to soften and relax.

Healing suggestions:

1. Ground yourself: walk barefoot outside, get in nature, imagine roots growing from your feet down into the earth. Or you can imagine creating a cord from your pelvic area down into the earth.

2. Curl up in the fetal position: try this in your bed visualizing your favorite spot in nature or better yet go lay outside if you can.  Notice how you body and the bones of your body contact the earth, take time to feel your heels, pelvis, spine, ribs and head contact the earth.  Notice how you are being held and supported by mother earth.

3. Tapping on your bones especially on the sternum repeating this mantra “I’m in my bones, I’m in my body”. I love using this technique for moving through big emotions to help me ground back into my body.

4. Take a bath, allow yourself to exhale.

5. PLAY, yes even as an adult!  Playing is a way to nourish the nervous system.

6. A practice that makes you feel safe.  Maybe it’s a movement, maybe it’s a song that always helps you feel a sense of calm (this is any Norah Jones song for me), maybe it’s an act of nourishment through self care.

As you practice the above suggestions and nourish the nervous system your ability to fully embody yourself increases and the psoas softens.

So let’s not focus on stretching, strengthening or dig in to release the psoas.  Let’s focus on supporting the psoas and supporting ourselves.

See my two previous psoas blogs for more information about how to identify dysfunction and how this muscle can store trauma. If you need help unwinding this muscle in the clinic, I’m here for you!