Welcome.
We're going to begin our practice with some very specific facial massage to open up the muscles of the face but also the sinuses and then we'll move into then some very specific pranayama.
For the massage,
I'd like you to use any lotion or oil that you are comfortable putting on your face.
I have an apricot kernel oil that I put on my face and I'm also going to use one drop of essential oil.
Please do not,
Though,
Put essential oil on its own on your face.
We will be touching the eyes or we'll be coming close to the eyes.
So just a very small amount of oil or lotion.
We don't need much and then just one drop if you are choosing to use an essential oil.
Okay and then rub the hands together.
So we want to have a little bit more on the fingers and then we'll come back to the palms to get a little bit more.
So we're going to start with the middle and the ring finger at the third eye space so your elbows are out to the side and then just with very gentle pressure we're going to open that third eye and move the fingers down towards your temples,
Rub the temples and then if you like you can move the fingers through your hair if you have a day old hair that you want to get oily and then we'll do that again.
Fingers at the third eye space and then move your fingers out toward your temples,
Rub the temples for a moment and then if you'd like you can drag your fingers through the scalp,
Through the hair and we'll do that one more time.
Fingers at the third eye down toward the temple and then through the hair if you'd like.
And then we're going to take the fingers so now in a sense it looks as if you'll be cupping your eyes with your hands but it's the fingers now right above your eyebrows and we're going to move the fingers up to the direction of your hairline on the forehead and then again if you'd like through the hair,
Through the crown or to the crown of the head.
Then again fingers right above your eyebrows moving up the forehead and into the hair if you choose we're going to do that once more.
And then what I'd like to try to do is to bring the hands in prayer depending on how you're sitting.
I'd like your thumbs to rest right at the place below where your eyebrows begin so at the bridge of the nose but more toward the inner,
The inside.
If you have a place to rest your elbows maybe you can rest them on your knees if you're at a desk you can lean forward so we don't have to press with the thumbs.
Just the position of being here adds this nice pressure one more breath here.
Okay and then let's release get a little more oil on your fingers from your palms so now we're going to take the middle finger at that same place where your thumbs just were we're going to drag the fingers down the nose and down the out down underneath the cheekbone and then rub in front of the ears down to the jaw.
Okay we'll do that a few times so finger middle finger is what I'm using you can use whichever feels right right where the eyebrows begin and then the finger runs down the length of the nose down around the cheekbone and then you can join with your index finger and rub all the way in front of the ear along along the outer jaw.
Okay we'll do that again middle fingers where the eyebrows begin down the length of the nose underneath the cheekbone and in front of the ear.
Okay so now we're going to take that middle and ring finger right under the nose above the lip and we're going to spread that space out and kind of follow down the lip along the jaw and then split your your fingers so that your index fingers behind your ear and your middle fingers in front and then rub up and down.
Do that again two fingers underneath the nose above the lip and then spread the fingers out to each side following the lip going along your jaw and then one finger behind your ear one finger in front.
Okay we'll do that one more time fingers above the lip and then open that space massage your massage along the jaw and then in front and in back of your ears.
Okay stay with the ears let's rub the earlobes if it feels good you can rub the top of the ears as well along the sides.
The last of the oil in the palms get that on your fingertips.
We're going to pinch the chin and pinch it's just the look of it we're not actually going to pinch too too hard so the thumbs are in the bottom of the chin the four fingers are on top and we're just going to slide the fingers along the length of the chin and then the jaw and then again you can kind of rub right in front of it behind the earlobe.
We'll come back to the chin really gentle pressure doesn't take much these muscles aren't used to being massaged.
One more okay okay now let's bring the right ear to the right shoulder and I'd like you to use one hand or both whatever whatever works for your arms and your shoulders I just want you to massage the left side of the neck moving a little toward the back coming toward the front.
Okay and then bring head back up to neutral and let's bring left ear to left shoulder and rubbing along the right side of the neck.
Okay and then the last thing we will do I want you to take your hands behind your head and I want you to roll the hands from the bottom so where you feel you the bottom neck vertebra sticking out so from there move one hand up so your hand is cupped on your neck move it up to the base of the of the skull and you can use as much pressure with your fingers and the heel of your hand as you would like.
As you go feel as if you are pulling the head and the neck up so giving yourself some extra space and traction.
And then just take the fingers if you don't want to touch your hair come to the hairline to the outside all the way around from forehead to ears if you are in your hair go ahead and give the scalp a little massage.
Okay cover up your oils and then we will begin our pranayama practice.
So palms face up please on your thighs this is in a mudra and a gesture of reception it also prevents oil from getting onto your clothing.
To begin please just take a few breaths feeling relaxed steady open add any words that you're feeling to yourself.
And then please inhale to the count of four we'll be counting the inhales only today.
And inhale count of four.
Now let's move that inhale to the count of five.
Inhale is natural at any point if it feels like you are unable to draw in a bigger inhale please stay at the count that is comfortable for you.
My intention here is an opening and an enlivening to accompany the opening that we created through the muscles of the face.
Any additional forcing of the breath will create some levels of anxiety.
So no forcing on this breath.
One more inhale count of five.
Now count to six.
One more cycle inhale six.
Now let's inhale six hold just one at the top of your inhale please.
We'll do that twice more inhale six hold for one exhale smooth and natural.
And now we'll do three cycles of inhale five hold for two at the top of the inhale.
And we'll move now inhale four hold three.
And we'll stay here for a few more cycles.
Now release the effort of counting the breath and holding.
Feel greater expansion in the body but also in the breath.
Feel yourself while at ease slightly more energy enthusiasm.
Stay to go about your day with a little more juice.
Please bring your hands into your heart center and bow your head slightly.
Bowing to your higher self to your abilities the qualities of stability and enthusiasm that are always a part of you.
But also bowing to your human self who is trying to catch up.
Thank you for your practice.
Namaste.
