Bring your awareness to your jaw,
Notice its position,
Notice any clenching or tightness.
Notice the natural resting shape of your lips.
They may be slightly parted or softly closed.
And bring attention to your tongue,
Where does it sit in your mouth?
Is it wide and relaxed or long and narrow?
Observe.
Now let's make some small adjustments to bring your system back into balance.
Keeping your lips relaxed,
Slightly part your teeth so there's a small space between your upper and lower teeth.
Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth.
Relax the rest of your tongue downwards,
Keeping the space at the back of your throat open.
This is the natural resting position of your jaw.
Take a few gentle breaths to integrate this new awareness into your system.
Now bend your fingers and place your second knuckles just in front of your ears where your jaw hinges.
This is your temporomandibular joint or TMJ for short.
Press your knuckles gently into this area and begin to make small circular motions.
Explore this area of your face noticing any tenderness or differences between the left and right.
Inhale and exhale smoothly.
Relax your jaw and allow any stress to release with your breath.
Feel your TMJ softening and loosening with every circle.
Now relax your hands down into your lap.
Open your mouth wide,
Fully,
Be gentle.
Stretch your lips and jaw as wide as you can.
Engage every muscle in your face.
Imagine yourself screaming but silently,
Letting your energy release.
Allow yourself to just look ugly.
Slowly,
Let the mask drop and feel the tension flow out of you through this silent scream.
Slowly close your mouth and relax your face.
Again,
Open your mouth wide,
Exaggerate,
Stretch,
Contract.
See your frustrations pouring out through this movement.
Relax your mouth,
Feel any tingling running through your face.
And last time,
Open your mouth wide,
Express your frustration and stress through your breath.
And relax.
Relax your forehead,
Relax your jaw,
And notice the change in the muscles of your face.
Move your second knuckles to your scalp,
Just above your temples.
Let your knuckles sink into your hair.
Firmly massage this area with small,
Slow,
Circular movements.
Linger on the tender areas.
Enjoy this sensation of both pleasure and pain.
Here,
We're releasing the fascia that runs through your face and scalp.
And rest your hands back in your lap and feel the ripple of release,
How softening your scalp relaxes your face,
Jaw,
And entire body.
Shift your jaw from side to side.
Now move it in small,
Slow circles.
Explore the range of motion of your TMJ.
And move in the other direction.
And let your jaw return to its natural resting position.
Notice the feeling in your face,
A lightness in your forehead.
And notice the ripple effect in your body,
How your shoulders have dropped,
How your neck has softened,
How your breath flows more freely.
Feel the openness in your face,
The looseness in your jaw,
And the relief spreading through your head,
Neck,
And shoulders.
Notice.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Expanding your belly while keeping your chest still.
Exhale slowly through your mouth,
Allowing your belly to fall.
Again,
Deep inhale through your nose,
Expanding your belly.
And exhale through your mouth,
Letting your belly fall.
Continue deep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth,
Letting your body settle into deep relaxation.
Now as you inhale,
Gently lift your chin up to the ceiling,
Feeling a stretch in the front of your neck.
Exhale,
And as you do,
Slowly bring your chin back to a neutral position.
Inhale again,
Bringing your chin up to the ceiling.
Exhale,
And relax your neck,
Bringing your head back to your normal position.
Continue this movement with ease,
Always following your breath,
Inhaling as you point your chin up to the ceiling,
And exhaling as you bring it back down.
With each inhale,
Feel that gentle vagus nerve stretch through the front of your neck.
Now last inhale,
And point your chin up to the ceiling.
Keep your head angled upwards.
As you exhale,
Slowly turn your head to the right,
Feeling the stretch run through the front left side of your neck.
And turn your head to the left,
Feeling the stretch through the front right.
Exhale and turn your head to the right.
Exhale and turn your head to the left.
Continue deep breathing,
Turning your head from side to side,
Using your breath as the guide.
And relax,
Let your head come back to a neutral position,
And feel it go heavy.
Feel the weight of your skull on your mattress.
Start to roll your head gently from side to side.
And rest.
Feel any emotions that come up,
And simply release them.
It is common for somatic practices to induce an emotional release,
So tears are completely normal.
Allow your body to fully relax.
Notice the sensations in your body,
The softness in your breath,
And the sense of ease within.
Feel your eyes get heavier and heavier.
Allow your eyes to roll up to the back of your skull.
Feel the deep relaxation running through your head,
Neck,
And entire body.
Allow your body to be completely heavy,
Melting into your bed.
There is nothing more to do.
Get your body into position for sleep,
Whether that be on your back or on your side.
Notice how you feel so safe underneath the comfort of your blanket.
No thoughts in your head.
And allow your body to drift off into a deep,
Restorative sleep.
