Ayurveda

An Ayurvedic Facelift (I got this from a beauty magazine)

A 30 mins daily marma-point face massage to release muscle stiffness and increasing blood circulation.

Sit with your back straight but not arched. Before starting, massage your shoulders, neck and head for a few minutes. Tension in these neighbouring muscles creates tension in your face.

1. Begin by working on the 3rd Eye point, slightly above the bridge of your nose. Feel for a slight indentation, which is often the sign of an important marma point. Apply firm pressure for a count of 7 as you breathe out, then reduce to light pressure for 5, breathing in. Repeat 3 times.

2. Find the point in each eyebrow directly above the crentre of the eye and visualize a line from there up into your hair. Following this line, press your ring finger into the eyebrow point, the index finger into the hairline, and the middle finger between them.

3. Feel for the upper edges of the eye sockets and press firmly with the thumbs. Be careful to press the bone, without letting your thumbs slip into your eyes or eye sockets. Lift your thumbs, move them just above the eye sockets and press again, pushing upwards so that your forehead furrows.

4. Place the tips of your index fingers on your cheek bones, with tyour other fingertips vertically below them under the centre of each eye and apply firm pressure.

5. Fin a point directly below each cheekbone, still in line with the centre of your eyes. Press inwards and upwards into the bottom of the cheekbone.

6. Put the flat of each ring finger on teh outer edge of each eye socket and spread the other edge of each eye socket and spread the other fingers out along a diagonal line to the edge of the ear. Press the fingers firmly.

7. Find a point at the outer edge of each nostril and press diagonally inwards with your third fingers, while your index and middle fingers press inwards and upwards below the cheekbones.

8. Bunch all fingertips close together and press along the space between your top lip and your nose - an area containing numerous marma points. Do the same below your lower lip.

9. Press one thumtip into the centre of your chin.

10. If you like, pur a little oil or cream suitable for your skin type onto your hands. Bring your hands down the centre of your face, barely touching it,. until the heels of your hands are under your chin. Now lightlys troke your fingertips out to the side across the cheekbones, without rubbing the fine skin directly beneath the eyes. Then bring the hands, with a firmer stroke, up the sides of the face. Repeat two or three times. Cup your hands over your closed eyes for several breaths.

11. Place your fingertips flat on your forehead, then stroke lightly towards the right ear. Repeat on the left. Stroke in both directions several times. If there's any feeling of drag, apply more oil to your skin. Continue the movement into your hair.

12. Massage your head. Lightly pull sections of hair, making your scalp move in circles over your skull. Finish by comibing with your fingers in long movements to the ends of the hair.