Freeing your head and neck

I thought today we would explore your body knowledge and use the eyes to improve flexibility!  Enjoy.  

First let's see if thoughts can help with movements.

Have you ever thought about where your neck starts?  Many people just point to the area below their jaw.  Well it actually starts much higher up.  It starts at the level of your ears!

Slide your index fingers from the edge of your jaw upwards until you fingers hit bone and your are more or less underneath your ear lobes.  This is where your neck actually starts.  It's much longer than you think! 

How does this make your neck feel?  Do you feel there is more space between your shoulders and your ears?

Know something else?  Your head balances on your neck.  Your ears mark the middle of your head.  Your neck starts at your ears, so your head balances on your neck! 

With this knowledge how does your head and neck feel?  Looser and lighter?

Let's explore moving your head. 

Nod your head gently up and down as if you are saying "yes".  Feeling restricted? 

Try this.

Nod your head downwards.  Keeping the head down, move only your eyes to look up towards the ceiling (don't move your head- yes, I know this feels odd.)  Hold this for a few seconds.  Relase and return to the  starting position.  Now nod your head backwards.  Keeping your head back, move your eyes to look down towards the floor.  Hold this for a few seconds.  Release and return to the starting position.  Now just nod your head up and down.  Is it feeling easier? 

What about rotating your head from side to side as if you are saying "no".  Feeling restricted?

Try this.

Turn your head to the left.  Now keeping the head still, with your eyes, look to the right.  (Feels odd?)  Hold for a few seconds.  Release and return to the starting position.  Now rotate your head to the right.  Now keeping your head still, with your eyes, look to the left.  Hold for a few seconds.  Release and retrun to the starting postion.  Now rotate your head from side to side.  Does this feel easier?  (Repeat the hold and look a few times to improve movement.)

How does your head and neck feel?  Drop me a line, I'd like to know!
 

photo credit: Nasos3 via photo pin cc