Facial Reflexology Self-help techniques
Source – September Reflexions 2022 – Author – Michelle Andreou MAR DET
Reflexions is the AoR members’ quarterly magazine, which provides the latest reflexology insights. Written by Reflexologists, for Reflexologists.
Our September 2022 Reflexions focused on Mental Health and included many suggestions for improving emotional wellbeing. Here, we share with you one article from this popular magazine. So, if you have ever wondered about where to start with facial reflexology, this provides some great tips.
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Have you ever been fascinated by facial reflexology?
Do you have an inkling to work the face but would not know where to start?
Let us get back to basics and start with our grid – you know those transverse lines and longitudinal zone lines? Once you have that you can map all your reflexes onto whatever surface you want, with whatever footmap you use. This is the grid I use and the lines are shown on the video.
Longitudinal zones:-
- Vertebrae – down centre of face (also known as the governing vessel in TCM = homeostasis)
- Working towards temple along shoulder line space out 4 toes with the fifth being the temple area and the 1st being next to the vertebrae
And Voila! We now have a grid!
Longitudinal zones:-
- Vertebrae – down centre of face (also known as the governing vessel in TCM = homeostasis)
- Working towards temple along shoulder line space out 4 toes with the fifth being the temple area and the 1st being next to the vertebrae
And Voila! We now have a grid!
So, what is different about working the face to working the feet?
- The skin on the plantar and palmar aspects is relatively thick and keratinised (hardened)
- Facial skin is thought to be more sensitive to light touch, it is not as dense, and is thought to contain mechanoreceptors that react specifically to lightest touch +
- It is very close to the ‘control centre’ ie: brain
- It has lots of contours unlike the mostly flat sole or palm
- When working the face we are looking at it upside down
- It is easy to work the face dual handed for self-care
- A quick routine can be embedded into your usual facial routine
For relaxation we want to engage the parasympathetic nervous state –
rest/digest, heal/seal -whereby the circulatory system slows and most other
internal processes increase (digestion, urination, etc). Thinking of reflexes that support this state, I would suggest they include:-
- Brain – to calm a ‘monkey mind’
- Lungs – to encourage deeper breathing
- Solar plexus – to bring balance
- Adrenals – to calm
- Diaphragm – to help expansion of lungs
- Balance point – to instill equilibrium
Along with box nasal breathing techniques
(see below). Normal thumb/finger walking techniques can be unwieldy for some areas of the face where a gliding, smoothing technique is more fitting.
Start with clean hands and a cleansed face. Face oil is essential as it allows slide and glide and not pull and drag.
Box breathing (in for 4, retain for 4, out for 4, hold for 4) all through nose – quietens the mind and focuses the intention. (1, 2)
TECHNIQUE 1 – soothing the CNS
- Breathe in
- Breathe out – glide index finger down vertebrae (centre of face)
- Breathe in – glide index finger back up vertebrae – pull fingers laterally across tops of toes (brain) and out to shoulder reflex (temple)
- Breathe out – gently circle shoulder reflex
- Repeat on other side – repeat as required.
TECHNIQUE 2 – clearing the mind
- Place hands on face, thumb is resting on
- shoulder reflex, palms facing face,
- fingers pointing to hairline.
- Breathe in – gently press all 4 fingers on shoulder line (eyebrow) from outside to inside meeting at vertebrae (moving zone 5 to zone 1)
- Breathe out – continue making a circle with your fingers slightly above shoulder line (tops of toes = brain) gliding from zone 1 to zone 5 and circle on shoulder reflex
- Repeat as required.
TECHNIQUE 3 – opening the heart
- Breathe in – press index finger along diaphragm line (zygomatic bone)
- Breathe out – circle fingers on heart reflex (bridge of nose) Breathe in – draw index finger
- (whole length of finger) out along diaphragm line
- Breathe out – gently circle on shoulder reflex (temple)
TECHNIQUE 4 – unwinding
- Breathe in – place one index
- finger on brain (zone 1) and
- rotate anti-clockwise
- Breathe out – place both index fingers on solar plexus (located on diaphragm line, in line with iris) and rotate anti-clockwise Breathe in – place both index fingers on the adrenal glands
- (zone 1 just above nostrils) and rotate anti-clockwise
- Breathe out – sweep both hands up centre of face (vertebrae) to hairline and out to side.
REFERENCES:
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing
- https://healthline.com/health/nose-breathing#balance
Touch perceptions across skin sites: differences between sensitivity, direction discrimination and pleasantness – Ackerley et al 2014
