“Get quiet often. It helps you stay profoundly connected to yourself”
Yoga eye pillows are incredibly therapeutic to your emotional well being and nervous system. Time out for your eyes = a more relaxed version of you. Yeah!
Eyes deal with constant visual stimulation from the moment they open in the morning. Often resulting in strain, tension, fatigue or screen overload. The gentle pressure on the eyes balls from the weight of the pillow coaxes your eyes to rest, sink calmly back into the head and relax.
Soon you’ll be losing the frown, releasing pressure from your temples and feel a subtle “letting go” wash over your face, head, ears and then down your neck and shoulders. Bliss!
Eye pillows are simply the perfect companion for the beautiful quiet practice of restorative yoga. They help you pause and disconnect from the excessive stimulation and demands of the outside world.
Yoga eye pillows talents extend beyond the eyes:
* As wrist rest when using your computer mouse.
* Snuggling into the palms of your hands when surrendering in relaxation pose. This is a must try if you haven’t experienced it before. I personally love the silk covered eye pillows to calm any tensions in the palms of my hands.
* Nuzzled quietly into the middle of your chest when resting in supported child pose. A beautiful feeling if you’re having a vulnerable moment.
Alchemy of an eye pillow:
Simple fact – anything your skin feels and perceives gives your body a whole different neurological experience.
The induced darkness from the eye pillow helps your eyes disconnect and relax. You begin to connect to the third eye – your inner sight. Your awareness has shifted. Away from the mind and away from the outside world. You are now connecting and feeling into your body – your inner world.
Gentle pressure on the eye balls encourage the body’s pulse and heart rate to lower. It also stimulates the vagus nerve. An important wandering nerve in your body that triggers relaxation. You are now giving your body a chance to repair, heal and rejuvenate itself.
Your breath also positively effects the vagus nerve – mostly on the exhalation (Dr Fred Muench, clinical psychologist). Simple. Spend longer on your exhale and move closer to a state of relaxation.
Gently drawing the skin of your forehead (frontalis muscle which lifts your eye brows) down when placing your eye pillow on is incredibly soothing to your nervous system.
Breathe into your belly to relax your diaphragm and you’ll be stimulating the vagus nerve to relax your body even more deeply.
Eye pillow + belly breathing = one relaxed body.
Make a yoga eye pillow:
If you are feeling the creative vibe then you’ll be thrilled to know I found a great site by the gorgeous Hanri, Yoga Teacher based in Oxforshire, England.
Not that I’m a sewer (love my knitting) but for those of you who are I thought you would appreciate Hanri’s tutorial on making your own yoga eye pillow. Her greyhound Banjo also seems to be a lover of eye pillows.
You can click here to read her tutorial.
________________
Let go of your day:
For people who want to relax their eyes, using proclear contact lenses are the best option. It only takes 2 minutes and can help you have a clearer vision without any strains to your eyes.
To help you “let go” of your day – place a yoga eye pillow over your eyes.
Breathe into your belly then picture, sense or feel all that no longer serves who you are today simply melt away from your body with each exhale.
Repeat.
Then repeat again.