You may have tried a traditional form of yoga that involves moving your entire body in line with your breath to aid in digestion, mobility, and overall health. Still, it’s possible to use those principles and apply them specifically to your facial muscles.
Think about how often you furrow your brow during the day due to stress. All of this tension in your phase can lead to a blocked lymphatic system which can trickle into other issues. Amy Harris is a Facial Therapist and Face Yoga Instructor who helps people enter a healing state of being through her work. Learn more here:
About Amy and her work:
I am a Facial Therapist who also works as a Face Yoga Instructor. I live & work near York in beautiful rural Yorkshire.
During the 2020 pandemic, I wanted to find ways to feel better about my skin, and in doing so, I discovered Face Yoga. As a Facial Therapist, I realized that sharing Face Yoga techniques with my clients would enable them to take the stress out of their skin and feel better about themselves. Face Yoga nourishes the skin to naturally achieve a healthy glow and soften signs of stress and aging.
Seeing how people transform from feeling low about their skin to embracing their natural beauty and feeling back in control [is my favorite aspect of this work].
About Facial Yoga and its benefits:
Face Yoga is a combination of two types of exercises, as well as facial massage, acupressure, and relaxation techniques. The exercises will release tension in the overused muscles of the face, or they will tone, bulk, and firm the under-used muscles of the face. The aim is to lower stress, restore balance, and finish with a natural glow and a sense of inner calm.
Face Yoga enables the body to switch into its natural healing state, which lowers stress & kickstarts the lymphatic system into action to move stagnant fluid and toxins from the skin. Face Yoga can also help to relieve and prevent tension headaches, sinus issues, and jaw issues such as TMJ. It also enables a feeling of appreciation for your natural beauty.
Feeling comfortable in your skin is wonderful, and we all deserve to feel happy with our skin. Having the ability to do this by promoting naturally healthy skin and lowering your stress levels is like a magic wand toward looking and feeling better.
What students can expect:
I always begin a session with grounding breathwork and acknowledging what they would like to achieve. This is because people are results driven and keen to see a visible improvement in their appearance.
[From the patient’s point of view, it’s] Calming as it switches the patient to a ‘rest & digest’ state whilst allowing them to release tension, drain toxins and brighten their skin.
[If someone is skeptical, I say] Give it a try and see how you feel afterward. Visible results can be seen and felt after one session and ‘facial lifting’ results are visible after 6-8 weeks. It’s a nourishing natural & holistic route to healthy skin, and consistency will reward you.
Amy’s health and well-being tips:
A few minutes of deep breathing combined with conscious relaxation of the face, neck, and shoulders can help you to reset and restore balance.
Get outside your head and ground yourself by focusing on nature, even if only noticing what is in bloom outside your window or taking a brief walk outside. Sharing your struggles with a friend can be medicine because it leaves you lighter.
Amy’s recommended resources:
I love James Norbury ‘Big Panda and Tiny Dragon books, as well as the Glennon Doyle podcast ‘We can do hard things’.
Start harnessing the power of yoga focused solely on your facial muscles. This modality has so many benefits, from deep relaxation to releasing tension. Releasing any blockages or tension can improve your overall health throughout your body since everything is connected.
Amy Harris is a practitioner helping people relax from head to toe with Facial Therapy. Learn more about Amy and her work here:
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