HIP OPENERS

Hips. One of the largest and most important joints in our body; home to our creative and reproductive center and our psoas muscle, which keeps our upper and lower body connected. Our hips control the movement of our legs, stabilize our core and spine, and dictate our center of gravity. Hip opening asanas are integral in every yogi's practice to ensure holistic care for the body, mind, and spirit.

In our modern Western culture, excessive sitting and a prevalence towards a sedentary lifestyle has created a normality of stiffness and decreased function in our hips. Tight, achy hips can impact mobility throughout the entire body, and poor mobility can add to our stress levels, and even lead to higher rates of depression and anxiety. Or is it the other way around? Periods of increased stress and emotional turmoil are often accompanied by physical pain and stiff joints.

Neuroscientist Candace Pert has reputably stated that, “your body is your subconscious mind.” Her research has found that emotions are electrochemical signals carried throughout our internal networks, which are then experienced and stored within our body and mind. When a human is thrown into the sympathetic "fight or flight" state, we tense our muscles - most notably, the psoas muscle - a 200 million year old primitive survival response. When experienced chronically, this can lead to rigidity and a lack of fluid within the tissues, effectively trapping our trauma in our hips. Because this contraction is autonomic and instinctual in nature, we must intentionally work to undo these system shocks and regain physical and emotional lubrication.