resting bitch face

I know during this quarantine time, many people are doing projects. Baking, organizing, creating, gardening, etc…. but the one big project for me is something I can not show, but I can definitely feel.

My quarantine project is “releasing tension in my body.” It actually has been a project of mine for the last few years but I’ve been concentrating on it more lately. If I may be more specific, I am trying to release this thread or train of tension that goes from the left side of my scalp down the left side of my jaw, into my throat and sternum and down into the left side of my lower ribs.

One of the methods for releasing this tension is of course physically massaging the tension in the tissue of my body, which seems more YANG (active) than the other part of my method for releasing the tension.

The more YIN (yielding) way of releasing tension that feels effective for me is to practice REALLY relaxing my face. I often call this the “drooling face” because it feels like I am relaxing my face to the point where I could actually start drooling.

What’s fascinating about this slow process of releasing this thread of tension in my body is that it is slowly changing the way I breathe, the way I move. My stomach is growling a lot because maybe there are some new movements going on. Lastly, I have noticed how much I have a resting bitch face.

When I am concentrating because I am listening to somebody talk, or I’m typing on my computer, or practicing my guitar and take a moment to notice what my face is doing, I notice my tongue has a habit of tensing and pushing to the right top corner of my mouth and making my jaw crooked. I’ve been trying to practice my drooling face without drooling while I concentrate on whatever it is I’m concentrating on, but it’s not easy.

So the next time you’re practicing some Yin Yoga and have a few minutes to spend observing your body…. why not check, do you have a resting bitch face? And try practicing some drooling face.