De-traumatizing Your Hips: Learning to Be Held
So often we think of hip stretches as just about flexibility. But our hips are also one of the deepest storage places for stress, fear, and trauma. Recently, while waiting for my Capoeira class to begin, I lay down on the studio floor, crossed my legs, and let my hips start to release. I didn’t realize until that moment how much my body was still holding — not just for me, but for everyone else I’ve carried.
The Hidden Trauma in the Hips
Our fascia and muscles adapt every time we feel unsafe. We grip, clench, and brace as a way to stabilize ourselves in the world. Over time, these patterns create tightness and even pain in the hips. What I discovered is that it’s not just physical. My body was gripping to protect me emotionally — holding fear, bracing against uncertainty, trying to feel safe when proof wasn’t there.
From Holding to Being Held
True safety doesn’t come from tightening. It comes from remembering that you don’t have to hold everything alone. You can soften. You can trust the ground beneath you. You can be held. This shift is not about eliminating all fear from life — it’s about building the capacity to feel safe even when challenges arise.
Faith is what allows us to rest into the body and the earth, even when external circumstances don’t yet reflect the safety we long for.
A Practice for Hip Release
One simple way to begin:
Lie down on the floor.
Cross your legs in a comfortable position.
Breathe deeply into your hips, noticing where you grip.
With every exhale, allow one more layer of tension to melt.
This practice isn’t about force. It’s about listening and allowing your body to show you what it’s ready to release. Click HERE for more info.
Closing Reflection
My hips are slowly de-traumatizing. Every time I soften, I reclaim more of myself. Every time I release, I learn that I don’t have to hold it all — I can be held. This journey is a reminder that healing isn’t just about stretching fascia, but about deep trust: trust in the body, trust in the ground, and trust in the unseen support that carries us.
✨If you’d like to experience hip release and fascia freedom in community, join me for weekly in-person Fascial Maneuvers in Vancouver.
📍 Capoeira Ache Brasil Academy — 341 E Broadway, Vancouver
🗓 Thu 7:30 pm–9:30 pm | Sun 10 am–Noon
💠 Free (by donation) | Register in advance
🔗 ikuedancerfasciaoracle.com/human-garage-vancouver-weekly-group-fascial-maneuvers-classes
Much love,
Ikue | Dance & Fascia Oracle™💃💞
