This weekend we held a new workshop, Feldenkrais® Facial. Rather than applying creams and gels to our faces we did several Awareness Through Movement® lessons related to the face, neck, jaw and eyes.
We evoked several feeling states such as happy, sad, angry and pain and discovered that each sentiment brought forth different sensations in our face, head and neck as well as illuminated connections to our back, pelvis and other areas of our body. Everyone left the workshop feeling their face felt more relaxed and supple and everyone looked much younger!
Here is a sample movement from the workshop:
- Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet uncrossed and firmly on the floor. If you prefer you can lie on your back with your legs long or legs bent, your feet on the floor or bed, knees directed toward the ceiling.
- Close your eyes. Bring both hands to your face. Cover your right eye with your right hand and your left eye with your left hand like this: rest your fingertips above your eyebrows with one hand over the other, your palms are on your upper cheeks so your hands form a cup over your eye sockets without applying any pressure to your eyes, they are there just to block the light.
- Breathe gently for a couple of moments in this position and notice the darkest area in your field of vision. Try to enhance that dark area.
- Remove your hands from your eyes but keep your eyes closed.
- Slowly move only your eyes to the right and back to the centre, keeping your head forward. Each time you repeat the movement try to make it easier and smoother, release tension in your face and continue to breathe gently.
- Then double the speed at which you move your eyes to the right and back to centre.
- Then return to your initial speed.
- Stop and pause for a few moments before repeating the exploration with your eyes moving to the left and back to the centre.
- After pausing, place your hands on your eyes in the same manner as before and notice if the darkness in your field of vision has increased. Can you expand it further?
- Take a few moments to rest in sitting on lying on your back before opening your eyes and resuming your day.
Upcoming workshops:
Walking Wisely, March 25 (please note new date)
Getting to Know Your Hip Joints, March 31.
Please click here for information on workshops and to register.
Our Spring class and workshop schedule will be available shortly on our website.
