Releasing the Psoas: Trauma-Focused Yoga Sequence

Practice Trauma-Focused Yoga with me and release your Psoas!
In this sequence, we will be helping to release tension from the hips; particularly the psoas. The psoas is also known as the fight or flight muscle. When we are nervous, hypervigilant, overstimulated or hyperaroused, it is our body's instinctive response to contract inward toward its core for protection. The psoas, a deep hip flexor, is one of the core muscles that enables that inward protective contraction. Every time we are stressed or startled the psoas contracts, thus it accumulates a lot of tension and trauma that needs to be discharged, should the body be able to relax.
Not only this, the psoas is overused on a daily basis, as it helps us sit up, bend over, walk, run, ride a bike...any action that causes a flexion in the hip. My point? We could all benefit from doing some psoas release work on a regular basis.
The psoas and hips also relate to second charka, our emotional center. Not only does the psoas relate to our emotions but also functioning related to reproduction, sexual function or dysfunction, and intimacy.
The primary issue that results in an imbalance in the second chakra is Guilt, a feeling of having done something bad and being undeserving. The mantra I will invite you to use in this practice is "I deserve."
I hope you enjoy this sequence. In case there is a part of you that wants to know what's coming, here are the yoga poses we will approach:
1. Reclined Knee to Chest Pose with Bolster
2. Supported Final Relaxation Pose- Savasana
3. Reclined Pigeon Pose- Raja Kapotasana
4. Reclined Ankle to Knee Twist
5. Reclined Cow Face Pose- Gomukasana
6. Wisdom Pose/Child's Pose- Balasana
7. Downward Facing Dog- Adho Mukha Svanasana
8. Wide-Legged Standing Forward Fold- Uttanasana Variation
9. Mountain Pose- Tadasana
10. High Yogi Squat- Malasana Variation
11. Lizard Pose- Utthan Pristhasana
We will also be practicing Ujjayi Pranayama in this video- a foundational deep breathing practice that helps to calm body and mind. To learn Ujjayi Pranayama, watch these videos:
1. Ujjayi Tutorial 1: • Yoga Breathing - Ujjay...
2. Ujjayi Tutorial 2: • Yoga Breathing - Ujjay...
Please remember to subscribe to this channel to get more breath tutorials, trauma-focused yoga practices, and yoga/trauma education.
Experience your capacity to integrate mind, body, heart, and spirit!
Thanks for joining me!
Namaste
Nityda Gessel, LCSW, E-RYT
Somatic Psychotherapist - Yoga Teacher - Yoga Teacher Trainer
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