--- title: "Emotions stored in the hips: what your hips may be holding" description: "Which emotions are said to be stored in the hips: fear of moving forward, living for others, old hurts. Left vs right hip, the psoas, and hip-opener tears." canonical_url: "https://www.body-hemisync.com/guides/emotions-stored-in-the-hips" --- Spiritually, the hips hold the emotions of moving forward: the fear and hesitation of a turning point, the pull between living for yourself and living for others, and the rigidity that can follow a betrayal or a loss. Feelings of guilt, unspoken anger about needs no one sees, and a tiredness from giving too much are also linked with them. These are symbolic links, offered as questions; medically, no emotion is stored inside a hip muscle, though stress can tense the whole body, hips included. "Emotions stored in the hips" is one of the most searched phrases about the body and feelings, often after a yoga class that ended in tears. This guide looks at what the hips stand for in the emotional and spiritual approach, what the evidence does and does not say, and how to listen to your hips without frightening yourself. For the wider picture across the whole body, see the [emotions body map](/guides/emotions-body-map) and [where is trauma stored in the body?](/guides/where-is-trauma-stored-in-the-body). ## What emotions are stored in the hips? Every step you take begins at the hip. That simple fact is the heart of the symbolism. Spiritually, the [hips](/hips) decide whether you go forward or stay where you are, so they are linked with the feelings that speed you up or hold you back. They are also where you rest your weight. In this approach, they hold your basic beliefs about what relationships with the world are, or ought to be, and the position you have taken between two ways of living: from yourself, following what you feel and want, or in step with others and the way they look at you. Together with the pelvis, they are the launching point of the body, so they also stand for your determination to throw yourself into life.
What you feel in the hips The emotion it is often linked with Read more
Stiff, guarded hips Rigidity after a hurt, new "rules" to stay safe Hip pain
A hip that will not let you step forward Fear and worry about a decision Hip pain
Worn, tired hips Feeling used up from giving Osteoarthritis
Tight groin Desire cut off from action, dissatisfaction kept quiet Groin pain
Clenched buttocks Feeling watched, holding on to control Buttock pain
Deep ache in the pelvis Fear of launching yourself, pleasure you feel you do not deserve Pelvic pain
Pain from the buttock down the leg Insecurity during a life transition Sciatica
## Is emotion really stored in the hip muscles? This is worth answering honestly before going further. ### What the hip and the psoas actually are The hip is a deep ball-and-socket joint held by strong ligaments and some of the largest muscles in the body. The muscle most often named in "emotions in the hips" articles is the psoas major. It is a long muscle that runs from the lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, through the pelvis, to the top of the thigh bone, where it joins the iliacus to form the iliopsoas. It helps bend the hip and lift the leg, and it acts on the lower spine as well. Because it links the spine to the legs, tightness there can be felt in the lower back as much as in the hip. ### What the evidence supports There is no good evidence that a memory or a feeling is kept inside the psoas, the hip joint or the fascia around them. Calling the psoas "the muscle of the soul" or "the fight-or-flight muscle" comes from yoga and bodywork writing, not from medical research. What is well described is that stress affects muscles everywhere. MedlinePlus explains that when you are stressed, your body releases hormones that make your brain more alert, make your muscles tense and raise your pulse. The NHS lists muscle tension or pain among the physical symptoms of stress. A body that braces for long enough can feel stiff and guarded, and many people notice that bracing in the hips, the buttocks and the lower belly. ### Where the spiritual view comes in In the spiritual approach, the muscles are said to take the shape of what you live: your inner state, tense or relaxed, shows in them, and your experiences and the feelings attached to them are said to soak into them. That is a symbolic way of describing the same thing people notice in their own bodies. Read it as a picture for reflection, not as anatomy. The hips do not hold a file of old memories; they are simply a place where you may feel, and therefore notice, what you are carrying. ## Why do hip-opening stretches make people cry? Many people find that a long pigeon pose or a deep hip stretch brings a wave of sadness, relief or tears. The experience is real, and it is common. Nobody has a single, tested explanation for it. A reasonable picture is this. Hip openers are usually held for a long time, with slow breathing, in a quiet room. That is exactly what lets a braced body soften. When the effort of holding yourself together stops, the feelings that were kept at bay by being busy can surface. Harvard Health describes crying as a natural response to many emotions, from deep sadness to great joy, and notes the long-standing view that it helps release stress and emotional pain. Tears on the mat may simply be that. So the tears do not prove that sorrow was hidden in the hip. They show that the moment gave the sorrow room. The guide to [emotional release](/guides/emotional-release) looks at this in detail, with what to do in the moment. If a stretch brings up something frightening, or old memories of harm, come out of the pose, open your eyes, feel your feet on the floor and name a few things you can see. You do not have to push through. Talk to a trained therapist if it keeps happening. ## The feelings most linked with the hips Spiritually, the hips are read through a few recurring emotional themes. Take them as questions you may or may not recognise. ### Fear at a turning point Hip pain often appears when you stand at a crossroads. Old certainties loosen, and you are unsure which way to turn. You may [worry](/emotions/worry) about the future, feel [anxious](/emotions/anxiety) each time a big decision comes up, and wonder whether anything will come of your efforts. The hips, in this view, hold the step you have not yet taken. ### Living for yourself or for others At the centre there is often a great duality: do I have the right to live for myself, or must I keep sacrificing myself for others, as I always have? When you keep walking a road you dislike, or give way to someone stronger against your will, that strain is linked with the hips. [Guilt](/emotions/guilt) often travels with it: moving forward can feel like betraying others, and standing still like betraying yourself. ### Rigidity after a hurt Stiffness in the hips is read as inflexibility towards a person or a situation. It may follow a moment when you felt betrayed or [abandoned](/emotions/abandonment), a hurt deep enough to make you question all your relationships. You set "new rules" so that it never happens again, and the hips set with them. ### Anger about needs no one sees When you cannot put forward your ideas and your needs, you may turn to submission instead. Then [anger](/emotions/anger) builds because others do not see what you need, while you never quite say it. Spiritually, that quiet anger is one of the feelings linked with aching hips. ### Pleasure, closeness and intimacy Because the hips and the pelvis are close to sexuality, they are also linked with pleasure and intimacy. You may hold back pleasure out of fear or guilt, or keep a little distance from the person you love because closeness frightens you. The [pelvic pain](/hips/pelvic-pain) page explores the feeling of not deserving pleasure, and the [reproductive system](/reproductive-system) page the wider theme of intimacy. If touch or closeness frightens you because someone hurt you, safety and support come before any interpretation. ### Worn out from giving When a hip wears down, it is linked with a shaken sense of security and with feeling emptied, as if you had given a great deal and are now used up. Many people recognise themselves as "everyone's mother" here. ## Hips, pelvis, groin and buttocks: one region, several questions People often say "my hips" for the whole region. In this approach, each part adds a nuance. - **The hip joint** asks whether you are going forward, and for whom. - **The groin**, where the belly meets the thigh, asks whether what you desire and what you actually do are in tune. See [groin pain](/hips/groin-pain). - **The buttocks** stand for your place in life and your inner authority. Clenching there is linked with feeling watched or threatened. See [buttock pain](/hips/buttock-pain). - **The pelvis** is the bowl that holds power, pleasure and safety. See [pelvic pain](/hips/pelvic-pain). - **The lower back** shares the psoas with the hips, and speaks of security and support. See [lower back pain](/back/lower-back-pain) and the guide to [emotions stored in the back](/guides/emotions-stored-in-the-back). ## Left hip vs right hip In this approach, the right side of the body carries the active, "masculine" principle and the left side the receptive, "feminine" one, in men and women alike. Laid over the hip's own question, it shows where the hesitation sits. For the full map, see [the left and right sides of the body](/guides/left-vs-right-side-of-the-body). ### Left hip The left hip is linked with feeling, intuition, tenderness and receiving, and with the women in your life. Spiritually, tension here often shows the "living for others" question as giving: you look after everyone and no longer receive. It may also ask whether closeness frightens you, or whether a hurt in a close relationship made you set rules to protect yourself. See [left hip pain](/hips/left-hip-pain). ### Right hip The right hip is linked with action, decisions, direction, work and authority, and with the men in your life. Here the hesitation tends to concern the outer road: a career move, a decision you keep postponing, a step that would assert you in front of someone stronger. See [right hip pain](/hips/right-hip-pain). ## The hips and the chakras In energy traditions, the base of the spine and the pelvis are linked with the [root chakra](/guides/root-chakra), the centre of safety and belonging, and the lower belly and hips with the [sacral chakra](/guides/sacral-chakra), the centre of pleasure, creativity and feeling. That fits the themes above: feeling safe enough to move, and allowing yourself to enjoy the movement. Chakras are a spiritual map, not anatomy, and they sit alongside medical care. ## A gentler way to use this - **Breathe into the belly.** Sit or lie comfortably, rest a hand low on your belly and let the breath move it without forcing. A longer out-breath helps the body soften. Five slow minutes is enough. - **Notice before you interpret.** When your hips feel tight, simply note it: "my hips are holding". Then ask, without hurrying, what step you are hesitating to take. - **Write one page.** Journal on two questions: "What would I choose if no one were watching?" and "Whose needs am I carrying that I never named?" - **Move gently and often.** Walking, swimming and slow stretching are good for hips. If a stretch brings up emotion, let it come and go, and come out of the pose when you want to. - **Name one next step.** A small decision taken is often lighter than a big one postponed. - **Let yourself receive.** Accept one offer of help this week, without paying it back at once. If one theme speaks to you, read that page, sit with one of its questions, and leave the rest for another day. This guide is for reflection and general information. It does not diagnose or treat anything. See a GP if hip pain stops you doing normal activities, keeps coming back or has not improved after two weeks of home care. Call emergency services (999 in the UK) or go to A&E if you have severe hip pain after a fall, cannot put weight on your leg, or have tingling or loss of feeling after an injury. A hot, swollen hip with a high temperature also needs urgent care. ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.