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Blissful Hips
Hip opening poses are important to practice, especially if you sit at a desk all day. Long hours of sitting in this "flexed" position, cause the hip flexors to shorten and shrink-- limiting our ability extend and possibly affecting the pelvic position and the lower back. This month at Flow, we will practice various poses that encourage the extension of the hips -- gently inviting our hips to open! As your hips become more flexible, you may experience a sense of emotional release, as we carry much of our anxiety and tension in our hips.
"Throughout history in various cultures, the head and the upper body have been seen as the repository of our higher nature and the pelvis as the receptacle of our lower nature. Consequently, we have valued the upper body more than the lower. It isn't surprising that we become enamored with bright flowers dancing in the sun and forget about the bulb and roots lying in the dark stillness of the earth. However, like the bulb and roots of a flower, the pelvis and hips contain the fundamental creative power for our mind and body.
From within a flower bulb, a creative force shoots roots downward and a stem upward. Similarly, the pelvis contains a creative impulse that helps us both ground and express ourselves in the world. Keeping the pelvis and hips open and stable allows for the free flow of this creative energy.
Some of the most popular yoga poses, especially for beginners, are the "hip-openers." These poses not only open the hip joints, the place where the legs meet the pelvis, but also help align the pelvis and the sacrum. I think most yoga students initially enjoy hip-opener poses not so much for the emotional and subtle energetic effects, but because they can immediately experience some very tangible physical benefits like greater freedom in their lower back and hips. When the hips are loosened up and the sacrum and pelvis are better aligned, you can walk, sit, and generally move around with more ease and comfort. In addition, opening the hips takes excessive pressure off the unforgiving knee joints. In the beginning of your yoga practice, these physical benefits of hip-openers keep your interest high until the deeper energetic benefits occur." John Friend
Add hip flexor stretches to your daily practice, especially after a long day of sitting. These poses will let you enjoy a new sense of space in your pelvis—and help protect you from compression and pain in your lower back! |
