This particular practice is designed to help release tension across the lower jaw,
Neck,
Shoulders,
And upper chest.
Across this region of the body,
There is a superficial muscle known as the platysma.
It originates in the upper chest,
Extends upwards through front of neck,
And attaches to the skin and connective tissue in the lower face and cheeks.
Using palms,
Breath,
And a gentle invitation for relaxation will focus our attention on inviting release not only to this area of the body,
But to a potentially fraught,
Overwhelmed,
Or stressed-out nervous system as well.
Two things to note before we dive into this practice.
The first is that this practice is best done seated.
While you're welcome to find a seated position that works best for your body,
Whether that's in a chair,
Or on your meditation cushion,
Or just simply down on the earth.
I do recommend taking a position that allows your spine to be upright and alert.
Additionally,
We'll be placing palms across heart center,
The sternum and upper chest,
And it's best for the maneuvers that we'll utilize to release tension through this part of the body that your palm is connected skin-to-skin to your chest.
If you're able to reach your arms under your shirt,
Or gently unbutton a few buttons from the collar,
It can be helpful to find a deeper release.
If not,
Know that this is not entirely necessary,
But simply recommended.
This practice can serve you no matter where you are.
So take a moment to find a comfortable seated position,
And when you're ready,
Let's dive in.
Gently start to invite your attention and awareness into this moment.
Allow yourself to arrive in this practice.
Allow yourself to welcome any thought,
Sensation,
Condition that you may be bringing to this moment with you.
As you arrive in the present moment and in your body,
Invite your breath to meet you here.
You might take a moment to just notice its natural flow.
Or perhaps you start to deepen the breath,
Drawing a slower and longer inhale,
And allowing a slower and longer exhale.
Notice the connection of your seat to the support beneath you.
Rooting down through the sits bones,
Encourage an elongation of the spine skyward.
Place your right palm onto your sternum,
Center chest bone,
Just slightly below your collarbone.
If possible,
Connect palm to heart center,
Skin to skin.
Your right thumb might drip over your right collarbone slightly,
While your four fingers are over left collarbone.
Take your left palm and place it on top of the right.
And then spread all ten fingers wide across front of body.
Take an inhale,
Drawing breath in slowly through the nose,
Back of throat,
Beyond the upper chest and down into the belly.
As you exhale,
Start to apply a gentle pressure toward heart center.
One more time,
Drawing breath in through the nose,
Past back of throat,
Upper chest and belly.
And when you exhale,
This time applying gentle pressure as well as a downward pressure.
Breathing in,
Slightly easing that pressure away from the chest.
Breathing out,
A gentle downward pressure through the palms.
Maintain this downward pressure,
Taking a big breath in once again.
With your exhale,
Encouraging the shoulders to drip away from the ears.
Let the elbows rest heavy down towards hips or earth.
Working with the downward pull of gravity,
Let the arms be heavy here.
As you rest palms with gentle pressure at the sternum,
Center chest bone or heart center.
One more time,
Breathing in,
Let the pressure release slightly from the palms.
And again,
Breathing out,
This time as you gently apply downward pressure,
Let the arms be heavy,
The shoulders relaxed.
Start to lift your chin skyward towards the ceiling.
Gaze lifting,
Eyes open or closed,
You choose,
Feeling a gentle stretch across the front of your throat and chest.
Inhaling to return the gaze to the horizon,
Chin parallel to the floor as you gently release pressure from heart center.
If you'd like,
You might switch palms here or stay as you are as we continue breathing in.
As you breathe out,
Shoulders relaxed downward,
Arms heavy,
Chin lifts,
Eyes up.
Inhaling,
Slowly lowering gaze to the horizon,
Chin parallel to earth.
One more time here,
Breathing in.
As you breathe out,
Gentle stretch and lift and soften.
Gently inhaling,
Returning the head and releasing hands from heart.
Allow the palms to rest in your lap,
Either facing skyward or grounding with palms on thighs.
Take an inhale as you scrunch your shoulders to your ears.
As you exhale,
Gently roll the shoulders back and down.
You might do this a few times or just let the shoulders settle here for a few breaths.
Rooting through the sits bones while simultaneously rolling tall through the stock of your spine.
Breathing in,
Filling the spaciousness from the back of the throat and across the upper chest and down into the belly.
As you breathe out,
Even though palms are no longer at heart center,
Can you feel this downward pull?
A gentle tugging towards release.
Stretching into a more regulated sense of self,
A softer sense of self.
Breathing into the spaciousness,
Inhale.
Breathing out,
Welcoming a sense of softness to the jaw.
Rooting the shoulders and the upper chest.
Two more times with your breath flow.
You're welcome to just stay softened here for a few more breaths.
Or maybe inviting some conscious,
Intentional movement.
Bringing the shoulders up,
Back and down.
Taking right ear to right shoulder.
And then left ear to left shoulder a few times back and forth.
Thank you for slowing down in this moment.
Until next time.
