I’m not writing this today as a therapist.
I’m writing this as a man in pain — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
My left hip has been hurting for weeks. It’s not the first time, and it’s not something I ignored.
I’ve already done quite a bit: I’ve moved my body, stretched, rested. I’ve received support. I’ve sat with it. I’ve gone to someone for help — not just once. And recently, I returned to acupuncture.
It helped. Not just symptomatically — but energetically.
Because I’ve learned that when pain persists, it’s rarely just physical.
The body doesn’t betray you. It reveals you.
The Hip, the Gallbladder, and a Decision I Haven’t Made Yet
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the gallbladder meridian flows along the side of the body — right through the outer hip. The gallbladder governs decision-making, courage, and the ability to act with precision.
My pain is in the left hip — the yin side, the feminine, the inward.
And the question arose:
What decision am I avoiding?
What truth am I sitting on?
What movement am I postponing — even though part of me already knows it must happen?
As I explored further, I revisited an old book that had helped me in the past:
“The Encyclopedia of Ailments and Diseases How to Heal the Conflicted Feelings, Emotions, and Thoughts at the Root of Illness” by Jacques Martel
It’s a book that connects emotional patterns and physical symptoms.
There it was — hips. And the words practically mirrored what I already felt:
“Pain in the hips is often linked to hesitation about moving forward in life, questioning one’s right to live for oneself, or resisting a decision that would bring greater autonomy.”
It clicked. Again.
Because I’m in the middle of a shift — once again.
And my body… is already voting. It’s asking:
Will you move forward this time — or stay stuck in the safety of the familiar?
Maybe It’s Not “Just Your Hip”
If you’re in pain — whether it’s your hip, your back, your gut — ask yourself:
Are you treating it only as a mechanical issue?
Are you just trying to make it stop?
Or are you willing to ask:
What is this pain protecting me from facing?
The Body Doesn’t Attack — It Communicates
This isn’t about blaming yourself for your symptoms.
It’s about seeing the body as a messenger, not an enemy.
My hip is not “against me.”
It’s simply showing me what’s misaligned.
And what I’ve been afraid to choose.
The more I ignore it, the louder it speaks.
But when I pause — and I truly listen — the tension softens.
Sometimes even before the pain disappears, the fear does.
What If You Asked for Support — Before It’s Critical?
People come to me when they’re already in crisis. When nothing works.
When their body is screaming and no longer responds to pills, routines, or explanations.
But what if we could listen sooner?
What if therapy, energy work, shamanic perspective, or simply having a space where you’re asked the right questions — could shift something before your body had to collapse to get your attention?
Your Pain Might Be Your Portal
This is not about abandoning medicine.
This is about expanding the lens.
If you’re stuck — physically, emotionally, directionally — maybe it’s time to ask:
What if this symptom is trying to show me something I haven’t yet been willing to face?
That’s what I’m asking myself today.
And if you’re ready, I’ll hold that space for you, too.
Not to fix you.
But to help you hear what your body’s already trying to say.
— Pawel
