Here in the West, if we follow a ‘spiritual path’, we often talk about the aura, the chakras and the meridians but do we really understand this energy system and how important a balanced one is to our health?

Every living thing radiates an energy, and it is known by many different names around the globe – in India it is known as Prana, in China – Qi, Japan – Ki and the Native American Indians call it Orenda.  For the purposes of this blog, I will call it Qi (pronounced Ch-eee).

Qi is a subtle, electrical type of energy that resonates both inside and outside of our bodies. This energy has a huge impact on our state of health physically, mentally, and emotionally.  If for some reason this energy body becomes blocked or stagnant, we begin to experience a lack of energy, loss of focus and ultimately ill health.

What makes up this energy body?

In Indian philosophy we talk about the aura and chakras and in Chinese medicine, the meridians and acupressure/acupuncture points but what are these things?

The Aura

Auras are a field of energy that surrounds every living thing.  The aura is a vibrating field of energy, which some people can see as light that always emanates around and through the body.  It is an essential part to every living things existence.  In a healthy person it surrounds you like an egg shape and can extend out from your body to about 8-10 feet.

The Chakras

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning “wheel”.  They exist in an energetic sense rather than a physical one.  There are many pairs of chakras in our energy fields, but there are seven main ones. The chakras are where daily events and lifetime experiences are processed outside of our physical and conscious awareness.

The Meridians

The meridians are channels of Qi that run through the body and each one is related to a specific area of the body and its related organs.  When you work with the meridians you can remove blockages and increase vitality.  It can also restore balance, regulate metabolism, and encourage cellular change.

Acupressure points

These points are situated along the meridian lines, and they can be touched, massaged, and pressed to clear blockages and stagnant energy.

The importance of energy work in Face Yoga

Energy work can be incorporated into a face yoga session in several ways:

Through the hands

By rubbing the hands together to generate heat and then placing them on the face, neck, or head you can help release stress and tension.  The warmth increases circulation and relaxes the muscles reducing tightness that can cause lines and wrinkles.

Stimulation of acupressure points

Working with the acupressure points can benefit our skin in several ways

• When we press these points, we increase oxygen and blood flow that can bring brightness and a more relaxed appearance to the face.
• Stimulation of the lymphatic system can reduce dark circles and puffiness around the eyes and improves skin tone.
• Releases tension in the face softening expression lines
• Stimulates collagen and elastin production that aids in the plumping and firming of the skin.
• Releases energy blockages in the meridians improving our overall health and wellbeing.

 Visualisation

When we visualise the chakras and aura in meditation we can stimulate and strengthen the energy body, releasing blocks aiding in revitalising and strengthening our whole system.  This helps to balance our mental and emotional state as well as releasing tension from our physical body.

Give it a go…

I often get asked about how to treat dark circles and puffiness around the eyes.  My favourite energy routine for this area involves 3 acupressure points that help with a multitude of eye issues.  Hold each point, as shown below, for 30 seconds then in a circular motion massage in a clockwise direction 10 times and then reverse and massage anti-clockwise for 10.

Yin Tang/ Third eye

Located between the eyebrows just at the top of the nose, holding the Yin Tang point has a strong calming effect.  It relaxes the procerus muscle that, when tense, causes frown lines. It also increases circulation around the eyes, reduces headaches, and helps with insomnia and anxiety.

Bright Eyes

At the inner corner of each eye socket this point helps with sore eyes and eye strain.  It stimulates both the circulation and lymphatic system so helps to reduce puffiness, dark circles, lines and wrinkles, redness and swelling around the eyes.

Bamboo Hollow

On the outer corner of each eyebrow, holding this point brings brightness to the eyes and can help in reducing headaches, stress, and soreness.

I’d love to know what results you achieved with this short practice in the comments below.