The woman above is doing the "Lion" pose, a yoga facial exercise designed to eliminate tension from the face and neck. I have been doing this pose for years. Does it mean I still look twenty-five.....ah no. I can't claim that it has created the fountain of youth for my face and it does look kind of hokey. It can also scare people! One morning, years ago, my then husband came upon me doing this pose and jumped back totally startled! Nevertheless, I believe this facial pose does tone the face and neck, and it also helps to relieve sore throats.
During the past few years I have learned about a new group of yoga teachers who offer classes in yoga "facial toning." In her book, Yoga Facial Toning, yoga instructor, Rose Hong Tran, states that her program helps return "weakened facial and neck muscles to a healthy, energized, well-toned condition" and that the various yoga facial poses she teaches helps to increase blood circulation in the face, neck, scalp and hair.
In recent years I have received compliments about my complexion - something that did not happen in my earlier days. This might be a result of the Lion - I can't say for sure. I do agree that it increases the circulation in your face and neck - you can feel the blood flowing after doing this exercise. Rose Tran offers many other yoga facial exercises designed to "stimulate the 57 muscles in the face and neck." I just haven't figured out how to incorporate them into my daily schedule. I combine doing the Lion with other exercises like the backward hand clasp. For now, doing the Lion daily seems sufficient. In the next post, I will give you instructions on exactly how to do the Lion from my upcoming book.
Quotation for the Day: ~"Yoga facial toning promotes the production of healthier, more resilient cells and facial muscles in the gentle way Mother Nature intended, from the inside out." Rose Hong Tran, Yoga Facial Toning, p. 9.
Comments