Awakening the Psoas and Resting the Soul

Follow along with the slides of the workshop! Click here to open. 

Michelle Thielen is a Certified Yoga Therapist, keynote speaker, author of Stretching Your Faith, and Exit Wilderness, A Roadmap Out of Depression and Hopelessness. She has been teaching somatic movement through dance and yoga for over 25 years, led over 200 teacher trainings, and is passionate about helping the world live a life of purpose.

The Mighty Psoas- The Muscle Of The Soul

Psoas is short for iliopsoas

The iliopsoas is called many things: The Trap, a Storage Unit and even the Garbage Dump.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Muscle

The antidote to Fight-Flight-Freeze is our Relaxation Response.

A healthy iliopsoas is important for all the movements that you make in daily life. It is the only muscle that connects our upper and lower half therefore, it involves absolutely everything we do.

It's vital to strengthen, stretch, and lengthen these muscles to awaken and release the area as well as prevent future injuries and soul wounds.

ORIGIN

The superficial part overlies the lumbar plexus and takes origin from the sides of the 112 and L1 to L4 vertebrae including the intervening intervertebral discs.

The deep part which lies mainly deep to the branches of the lumbar plexus takes origin from the transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae L1 to LS.

Connection Between Psoas and Fight or Flight

As a major hip muscle the Psoas experiences increased oxygen and blood flow. As with any movement, it begins with the brain telling the body what to do and thus, which muscles to recruit.

FIGHT:
In the case of fighting, the brain might signal muscles like serratus anterior, or the psoas to prepare the body to punch or kick the threat, respectively.

FLIGHT:
To flee, the muscles involved in rising up & running away would need to be activated which, largely involves the psoas.

FREEZE:
The body needs to stabilize to hold still, activating core stabilizers including the psoas.
In all of these events, the psoas would contract, and this constant contraction could later lead to pain, discomfort, fatigue in the muscle and much more such as sadness, grief or depression.

Regions Of Release In Your Practice

The shoulder, neck, jaw, face, and head are all places you may feel tension. 

FREEDOM FROM DEPRESSION

• Throat Heart and Torso

FREEDOM FROM GRIEF

• liopsoas, Hip Region, Groin and Pelvis

FREEDOM FROM ANXIETY

• Shoulder and Neck Rolls with Box Breathing. Face Yoga, Face and Head Seif-Massage.

THE PRACTICE

Freedom Flow: Mountain - Upward Salute - Side Crescent both sides -
Backbend, repeat as many times as needed.

FREEDOM FROM DEPRESSION

15 {loud} Lion's Breath. Open the Jaw wide, stick the tongue out as far as possible, and exhale as loud as possible, do this for 15 rounds.

Freedom Flow: Seated or Standing, practice cactus arms, opening the heart as much as possible. Inhale, lift the arms above the head, exhale bring the arms to cactus. Flow with each breath. Deep inhalations lift the arms, long exhalations pull the arms down and open the heart wide.

FREEDOM FROM GRIEF

From a standing position/ shake all your limbs/ including your head and neck.
Continue to shake/ release. Perhaps press play on your favorite music and turn your shaking into dancing.

Freedom Flow: Seated Pigeon/ bend the back leg to clasp the foot move into forward fold/ back to upright as many times as needed. Practice on the other side.

When you complete the flow/ practice low lunge by placing a foam block under the back kneel stretching the hip flexor as much as possible. Hold for 4-5 minutes on each side.

The giveaway mentioned in the webinar was only available for live participants.

Use code beyogi2022 for the Free Retreat Plants!