The neck separates the head from the heart; that’s no easy feat. So many of us wear masks for most of the day; forcing smiles even when we feel blue, suppressing feeling, holding back authentic self-expression. We hold so much tension in our jaw, face and neck that a lot of us continue this during the night, grinding our teeth. Here’s how you can stretch out your head and neck and feel better!
- Take a moment and open your mouth and release your jaw; move it from side to side, let the mouth hang open, relax the face.
- Let your eyes soften, and let the head roll slowly, effortlessly.
- Think of your neck like a turtle’s. The head needs to just rest on the neck, easily, with no jutting forward or back. As you make circles with the head let the jaw be completely slack. Notice how great it feels to move in this way. If it doesn’t feel great, tweak the stretch, shift it, make it yours, but always be gentle and kind as you move your head.
- Now exaggerate the jaw; loosen it, make silly faces, yawn, stick your tongue out.
- Find a partner and out-silly one another. Your face, neck, and jaw will thank you for it.
Wanting to spark your creativity? Celebrate the joy of motion and explore the artist within with Rachel Fleischman at the Art of Living Retreat Center for Creativity, Mindfulness, & Motion: Embodiment to Change Your Life, October 4–6, 2019.
This post was first published on dancingyourbliss.com, and is reposted with permission from the author.
