Chronic Muscle Tension: Emotional and Spiritual Causes and Solutions
"Learn to read symptoms not only as problems to be overcome but as messages to be heeded." -Dr. Gabor Maté
Many of us are all too familiar with the aching or burning feeling of tightness in our necks, backs, or shoulders—chronic muscle tension that seems to linger no matter how many stretches we do, nor massages we get.
This is something I’ve experienced on and off for years. In my case, it's looked like various degrees of pain in the left side of my neck, as well as my left shoulder. Like many, I initially believed this was purely physical, a result of carrying a heavy purse on my left side for too long. Over time though, I've come to see that while that may have been a small percentage of the cause, the majority of the roots behind my chronic tension are emotional (and, I believe, spiritual) in nature.
I know I'm far from alone in this experience, hence my studying Somatic Trauma Therapy last year, and, hence why now I'm writing this.
From what I've learned, millions of people experience chronic muscle tension, often turning to physical therapies, only to find that relief is oft only temporary. While structural issues or injuries can cause some tension, leaders in the mind-body connection like Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. John Sarno, and Dr. Joe Dispenza have explained that unresolved emotions, trauma, and stress play a large role in chronic pain and illness.
Why Do We Hold Tension in Our Bodies?
When we’re unable or unwilling to process painful emotions—whether it’s grief, anger, or trauma—our bodies protect us by holding that pain in our muscles. Sarno wrote that chronic pain often serves as a distraction from deeper emotional issues, like repressed anger or stress, which the body believes is harder to cope with, hence leaning on these "distractions" as a protective mechanism.
This is not to say that pain is "all in your head," but rather that our minds and bodies are deeply interconnected. This connection doesn’t place blame or shame on anyone dealing with pain—it simply provides a new lens to view its causes and solutions. Chronic tension, from this perspective, becomes an invitation to look inward and reflect on what might be emotionally unresolved.
My Personal Experience with Emotional Pain and Tension
Even after having studied this for a while, it wasn't until I had a session with my therapist, in which we spoke directly to my tense muscles—and I felt them release, that I began to fully believe in these teachings.
Since then, I've come to see my tense muscles as a cue to come back into connection with myself, specifically by asking these tender parts of my body what it is they need from me.
That's to say, this is not a one-and-done kinda deal. It's very much like a meditation. We who are prone to muscle tension can consider it the Universe's gift to us, in the sense that it is how It reminds us that we've strayed a bit too far from honouring our True Selve's needs.
Viewing Pain Through a Psychological Lens
I really want to stress this because it's often misunderstood: Psychosomatic approaches, like those advocated by Sarno and others, aren’t about self-blame. Rather, they're about self-inquiry. When we stop focusing solely on physical solutions and consider the emotional and spiritual dimensions of our pain, we open up new pathways to healing.
Here are some key solutions that have helped me and others approach chronic tension through this psychological and spiritual lens:
Journaling: Writing about your feelings and stressors, particularly when you feel pain, helps to uncover emotions that may be contributing to muscle tension.
Reiki: A gentle energy healing practice that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Reiki promotes relaxation, reduces muscle tension, and encourages emotional release, allowing the body to return to balance and heal naturally.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Becoming present with your body and breath helps increase awareness of the connection between your emotional state and physical body.
Emotional Awareness: When pain flares up, ask yourself, "What emotions am I avoiding?" By bringing these feelings into awareness, you can release some/all of the tension they cause.
Somatic Practices: Movement practices like yoga, Tai Chi, or somatic experiencing help reconnect the mind with the body and release trauma or stress held in the muscles.
1:1 Coaching: A personalized approach to uncovering the emotional patterns that contribute to chronic tension. Coaching helps identify subconscious stressors, and provides practical strategies to shift those patterns, allowing for physical relief, as well as a deeper connection to self, which will go on to positively impact every other pocket of your life.
TLDR: Chronic, physical pain often has an emotional root cause, which I believe to be spiritual in nature—holding lessons for us that we are meant to learn in this lifetime. By understanding the emotional and spiritual roots of our physical pain, we can not only heal the pain in our bodies, but transform our relationship to ourselves—which is the beginning of creating positive change in all aspects of our lives. More than that, it's oft an important step in becoming who it is we've always been meant to be.