Welcome,
I'm Dr Kim and I help people heal chronic pain.
This practice is for anyone holding tension in the jaw and face,
Especially if you notice clenching,
Grinding or a stiffness when you're stressed.
Sometimes we hold our faces in a mask,
In a frozen pleasant expression that comes with the foreign response of the nervous system.
This somatic meditation will help you release those patterns and emotions,
Allowing you to express yourself freely and restore lightness and ease to your face and jaw.
Let's begin.
Sit up tall and close your eyes.
Take a slow,
Soft breath in through your nose.
And sigh it out through your mouth.
Bring your awareness to your jaw.
Notice its position.
Notice any clenching or tightness.
Notice the natural resting shape of your lips.
Notice any clenching or tightness 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.
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.
When you catch yourself clenching,
Make an effort to return back to this posture.
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 a 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.
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 body.
Relax 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.
A final deep inhale through your nose.
And exhale fully through your mouth.
May you carry this softness and freedom with you.
Allowing your face to speak,
Smile,
And express from a place of ease.
Return to this practice daily to reset your jaw and melt away any masks so that you may come home to your true self.
If this track resonated with you,
Please explore my other somatic meditations and courses here on Insight Timer.
Have a wonderful day or night,
And I will see you tomorrow.
