Face and Neck Self Massage

This can be one of the most popular ends to any class .. finishing with a gentle but effective massage to the face and neck.

The immediate reaction I see is .. relaxation, the client sighs and the body just sinks deeper into the mat.

Make certain that your participants are sitting comfortably, their hands are clean and if possible, an addition of a little oil goes a long way, however bear in mind that some may have sensitive skin.

Before you have a look at the video .. just have a quick look at the info below it, to get familiar with the points on and around the face, it makes far more sense to you when you teach the sequence.

You can select your personal favourites and create a 5min – 40min sequence.

Yintang

Massaging your forehead can reduce stress by touching pressure points that will stimulate the production of the “feel good” hormones. The point you want to massage is located between the eyebrows. It’s connected to the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland responsible for the production of melatonin. Begin by placing gentle pressure right between the eyebrows, then move toward the middle of the brow. You can move back and forth or pull your fingers along your eyebrow, my favourite is gently pushing the groove under my eyebrow upwards ..

Melatonin is a hormone primarily released by the pineal gland at night, and is associated with control of the sleep/wake cycle.
Some people who have trouble sleeping have low levels of melatonin.

LI20

We have 4 effective points that can really help with sinus issues. The L120 is the one I mostly work with.
The maxillary sinuses are located on either side of the nose, below the cheeks, but above the teeth. They are the largest of the four sinuses. Massaging the sinuses is thought to help sinus pain and congestion by relieving pressure and helping the sinus drain out mucus.

Taiyang

We are all familiar with this point. If we have a headache or we just need to clear our head we automatically start to rub our temples. This process of massage causes your brain to release a chemical, known as Serotonin, which helps to relieve migraine pain.

Shen Men

It is believed that the ear is a tiny map for the whole body.  Hundreds of acupuncture points in the ear correspond to just about every organ, hormone and system in the body.
I really relate to Shen Menth as when I think too much, my ears burn in this very spot. Pressure on this point calms an overactive mind. This point is also powerful in treating pain and tension all over the body. This point can also combat low energy or sluggish thinking
As the ear lobes contain many nerve endings, why not give them a good rub ..stimulating those earlobes could go a long way.

The Temporomandibular Joint

Now that’s a mouthful .. temporomandibular (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) joint
This acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull, and we can really create tension in this area without realising it … like gritting our teeth, clenching our jaw or chewing.
The masseter muscle, the temporalis muscle and a few other smaller muscles can generate at least about 68 kilograms of force between the teeth..that’s pretty strong but think of the tension!
A gentle massage and gentle pressure can go a long way to help with tightness in this area.

The Gates of Consciousness

What a name! … The gates of consciousness pressure points are located at the base of the skull in the parallel hollow areas between the two vertical neck muscles.
These points help relieve pain by releasing the body’s natural pain relievers (endorphins) By opening them up you can help relieve headaches and stiffness. These points are known to help you make wise decisions!

A Clear head is a clear the mind .. that’s the time when the right decisions are made!

Jian Jing

Jian Jing is in the muscles of your shoulder, about halfway between your neck and where your arms begin. This point, when worked on can reduce muscle tension and get rid of headaches. Jian Jing may also successfully treat the pain of a sore or stiff neck.
I use my whole hand for this and as I’m there I work along the line towards my neck doing one side at a time with the opposite hand.

It’s a lovely way to finish!

I really hope you found this fun and helpful, it goes without saying but if there is any pain felt rather than a ‘tension ache’ you need to either ease up on the pressure or stop.

Drinks lots of water after and try and chill for a while.

It’s a bit like when you have a pudding at the end of a meal .. you just sit, have a coffee and let it all digest.
In this case, a sip of water, lights down, pop on a beautiful relaxing sound track and chill.