Buttock pain: spiritual meaning and emotional causes

What buttock pain is

The buttocks are made of the three gluteal muscles, layers of fat, and the bones and joints of the back of the pelvis. They let you stand up, climb, run and sit. Pain here is common and usually comes from these muscles and the structures around them.

Frequent causes include strained or tight muscles after exercise or long hours sitting, sciatica or a trapped nerve in the lower back, irritation of the sacroiliac joints, piriformis syndrome (a deep muscle pressing on the sciatic nerve), bursitis over the sitting bones, and problems in the hip. Pain near the crease can come from haemorrhoids, a small tear in the anus, an abscess or a pilonidal sinus. Most muscular buttock pain settles with gentle movement, stretching, regular breaks from sitting, simple painkillers and, if needed, physiotherapy.

Buttock twitching

A twitch is a small, involuntary contraction of a few muscle fibres under the skin. Twitches in the buttocks, legs or eyelids are very common and usually harmless. Caffeine, tiredness, stress, anxiety and hard exercise make them more likely. They usually fade on their own. A twitch that lasts for weeks or comes with weakness needs a doctor.

The emotional meaning of the buttocks

The buttocks are what you sit on. Spiritually, they stand for the place you take in life, your place. They carry your power and your foundations, your sense of being safe, your inner authority and your pride.

Clenching when you feel threatened

When you clench your buttocks, or walk with them held tight, you are holding back. You may feel threatened, or afraid of losing control. Tension here often appears when you feel watched by someone who has authority over you, such as a boss or, for many, a parent, and when you fear not being correct or not being up to it.

The anger you cannot express

In French, fesser means to spank, to punish. You may wish you could stand up to the person who watches over you, and feel quite unable to. The anger stays in the muscles. Another French expression describes having someone collé aux fesses, "stuck to your buttocks": someone always behind you, watching or following you, whom you would like to get away from.

Not wanting to be noticed

Tension here can also come from a wish to stay unseen. Being noticed might force you to change, or to accept events from the past, behind you, that you do not feel ready to face. The question then is whether you can "seat your authority", as the French say, or whether you are still reacting against authority because of the way it was used on you.

Old memories of being physically punished, or touched without your consent, can leave the body guarded. They are not symbols to decode. If they come up, speak to a trained therapist or a support service.

The other way round: taking all the room

Relaxed buttocks and a very pronounced sway of the hips point to the opposite movement. You take your place, and other people's too. You may like power because leading keeps you in control. Rather than change, you try to make others change.

Holding on, and sitting between two chairs

Both pictures can hide the same thing: you are holding on to your past, your ideas and your old wounds, and perhaps to resentment or anger. You may wonder how far you want to escape your responsibilities, and why you doubt your own strength. You feel unsteady, the way others look at you bothers you deeply, and decisions feel soft and scattered. In French you are assis entre deux chaises, sitting between two chairs.

When the buttocks twitch

Buttock twitching has no separate meaning of its own in this approach. If you want to explore it, the meaning of the buttocks suggests a question: is a small part of you trying to clench, to hold back, or to stay on guard? A twitch can be a moment to notice who you feel watched by. For other places in the body, see the guide to body twitching.

A gentler way to hold it

The aim is not to blame yourself for a sore or tense buttock. Muscles, nerves, joints and long hours of sitting play a real part, and the warning signs above need a doctor. The emotional perspective invites you to look at how you take your seat in life.

• Let go of what is behind you. Name one old idea or old wound you are still sitting on.
• Move forward. Choose one new experience you have been putting off and take a first step.
• Notice the clench. When the muscles tighten, ask who you feel watched by, and let them soften for a few breaths.
• Seat your own authority. You can stand your ground without having to punish anyone, or yourself.
• Leave room for others. If you tend to take the whole space, try leading with people rather than over them.
• Pick a chair. If you are stuck between two choices, choose one small decision today and sit in it.