Hunch in the Back, Short in the Breath

Dear Tina,

Since I was a teenager I have dealt with a bad upper back. Now in my 50s, I not only have pain, but also notice that my posture is hunched forward making it difficult to straighten out. I am currently working on exercises to stretch this area, but it feels like something is going on more than physically. When I stretch my back, I also feel anxiety rising in my heart. It begins to beat faster and I’m short of breath. This makes me not want to do the exercises, which then puts me on a cycle of not healing the issue. What’s going on here?

—Anxious Hunchback

Dear Anxious Hunchback,

Well, it appears that around the time the issue began, your heart (4th) chakra was hit with some sort of trauma. Now, a trauma doesn’t have to be dramatic and serious. Trauma just refers to an energy that someone or something threw at you. I would guess that there was a romantic relationship issue just before you began feeling the upper back problem develop, possibly a break-up or unrequited love. Whatever the situation, it seems like it caused you to want to protect your heart expression.

The front of our chakras express who we are and how we are currently feeling. By hunching your upper back, you are essentially creating a shell of protection around the front of your chest, thus closing off your expression. This is so very common when we are relationally affected because of fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability, etc.

This arched back (closing off of the front) has also created a large opening of the back of your 4th chakra, allowing too much energy to enter unprotected. The backs of chakras allow new, replenished, evolved energy to come in, but if it is un-boundaried, you could also be bringing in energy that isn’t you. To sum it all up, your 4th chakra is likely bringing in too much energy and is unable to process or express it.

To remedy the situation, you definitely want to heal this from all angles. When you are doing your physical exercises for your upper back, work simultaneously with releasing from the front of your chest. You can see, hear or feel energy releasing out your heart space. Take your time and pay attention to what you notice. What does it feel like as it releases? Is it hard, fluid, cold or sticky? Have fun exploring. Although this issue has caused you hardship, the healing process doesn’t have to. Play and discover what you can do for yourself now and in the future.

—Tina Bensman