The Psoas: The Hidden Muscle of The Soul

Have you ever considered how deeply your emotions are tied to your physical body? Many people don’t realize that a single muscle, hidden deep within the pelvis, might hold the key to emotional balance and physical well-being. This muscle is the psoas (pronounced “so-as”), often referred to as the “muscle of the soul.” More than just a connector of bones, the psoas is believed to store stress, trauma, and even fear, directly influencing our mood, movement, and overall health.

With the modern world demanding long hours of sitting and a fast-paced lifestyle, it’s no surprise that many of us have tight or dysfunctional psoas muscles. This can lead to physical discomfort, mental fatigue, and emotional imbalance. But here’s the good news: understanding and nurturing this muscle can unlock vitality, reduce stress, and reconnect you with a sense of inner peace.

The Psoas Muscle: A Vital Link Between Body and Mind

The psoas muscle is not just another component of the body; it’s an integral connector that influences how we move, feel, and process emotions. Spanning from the lower spine to the top of the thigh bone, this long, deep muscle supports posture, stability, and mobility. It’s the only muscle in the body that links the spine to the legs, allowing us to walk, run, and stand upright.

Beyond its physical function, the psoas plays a critical role in our emotional well-being. Stress, anxiety, and trauma are often stored within this muscle, creating a physical manifestation of mental strain. A tense psoas can lead to discomfort in the hips, back, and knees, but it can also affect your mood, leaving you feeling drained or on edge. When the psoas is healthy and relaxed, it allows energy to flow freely through the body, promoting a sense of balance and calm.

In today’s sedentary world, the psoas often becomes tight and strained, a silent victim of long hours spent sitting at desks or behind the wheel. This tension disrupts the body’s natural alignment and impacts the nervous system, creating a loop of physical and emotional stress. Recognizing the importance of the psoas and actively working to release tension in this area is key to both physical health and emotional resilience.

How Fear and Stress Affect the Psoas

The psoas muscle is deeply connected to the body’s fight-or-flight response, making it especially vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress. When the brain perceives danger, the psoas automatically contracts to prepare the body for action. While this response is essential in moments of true threat, it becomes problematic when stress is prolonged or constant, as is often the case in modern life.

This persistent tension in the psoas sends signals to the brain that the body is in a state of danger, even when no real threat exists. Over time, this can exhaust the adrenal glands, weaken the immune system, and leave you feeling perpetually anxious or fatigued. As Liz Koch, author of The Psoas Book, explains, “A chronically tightened psoas continually signals your body that you’re in danger, eventually exhausting the adrenal glands and depleting the immune system.”

Stress isn’t just a mental burden—it becomes physically embedded in the body. When the psoas is tight, it restricts the natural flow of energy and creates tension throughout the entire body. Learning to release this muscle can help break the cycle of fear and restore a sense of inner calm and safety.

The Spiritual Connection of the Psoas

The psoas is often referred to as the “muscle of the soul” because of its connection to our emotional and spiritual well-being. Nestled near the body’s center, it surrounds the lower chakras, which are associated with grounding, stability, and life energy. A flexible and relaxed psoas allows energy to flow freely, supporting not only physical vitality but also emotional and spiritual growth.

When the psoas is tense, however, it can block this flow, leaving you feeling disconnected and stagnant. The muscle’s location near the body’s core makes it a repository for unresolved emotions and trauma, which can manifest as physical pain or emotional unrest. Releasing the psoas can help to unlock these stored feelings, creating space for healing and renewal.

Liz Koch highlights the importance of this connection, noting that the psoas grows from the body’s midline, a place of balance and origin. “The very beginning of our being starts in the center of the body. The center of the body becomes a line, and the cells organize in a midline. The beginning of you is a midline,” she writes. Understanding this central role of the psoas can help us reconnect with ourselves on a deeper level.

Signs of an Unhealthy Psoas

A tense or unhealthy psoas can show up in many ways, often disguised as unrelated physical or emotional symptoms. Lower back pain, hip stiffness, and discomfort in the knees or ankles can all point to issues with the psoas. These physical signs are frequently accompanied by feelings of fatigue, irritability, or difficulty relaxing.

The psoas can also affect posture and balance. When it’s tight, it pulls the pelvis forward, creating an exaggerated curve in the lower back. This misalignment can lead to compensatory patterns in other muscles and joints, increasing the risk of injury or chronic pain. Emotional symptoms, such as a constant feeling of unease or fear, may also be linked to psoas tension.

Recognizing these signs is the first step toward addressing the problem. Many people overlook the role of the psoas in their overall health, but becoming aware of its influence can help guide more targeted approaches to relaxation and healing.

How to Release and Strengthen the Psoas

Releasing and strengthening the psoas requires a combination of physical movement, mindfulness, and patience. Yoga is one of the most effective ways to target this muscle, as it encourages both flexibility and awareness. Poses like Pigeon, Lizard, and various lunging stretches focus on opening the hips and lengthening the psoas, helping to release stored tension.

Other techniques include the Constructive Rest Position, where you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. This position helps the psoas relax passively, providing a gentle reset for the muscle. More active stretches, such as the Supine Stretch, can also improve flexibility and mobility over time.

It’s important to approach psoas work with mindfulness and care. At first, the sensations may feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable, but persistence and focus will pay off. As Liz Koch writes, “Yoga will help develop internal awareness and help release the psoas. At first, it can be quite difficult to access the new sensations of the psoas, but finding awareness is the first step.”