Healing with My Own Hands: How Facial Massage & Acupressure Helped Me Reconnect with My Body
- Solarys
- Oct 14
- 4 min read
Sometimes the smallest acts of self-care can open the deepest doors to healing.
For me, that door was my own face — the one I never thought to nurture beyond skincare. I had already been practicing Qi Gong and Yin Yoga daily, finding calm through movement and breath. But when I stumbled across a simple face acupressure video on YouTube one night, I decided to give it a try, thinking it would just be a way to keep my skin glowing and youthful.
I had no idea it would change how I felt in my body — and in my heart.
My Story
As a mom of two, my evenings are sacred. When the kids finally fall asleep, I get a small window of stillness — time to care for myself. That’s when I started exploring face yoga, acupressure, and facial massage videos on YouTube, usually ranging from 8 to 30 minutes.
At first, it was purely about natural self-care — keeping my skin radiant, toned, and healthy from the inside out. I’ve always preferred gentle, holistic ways to support my well-being, so caring for my face felt like completing the cycle of nurturing my whole body, from head to toe.
But after about a week, something unexpected happened. One evening, while massaging around my jaw and temples, I felt a wave of emotion rise. My throat tightened, and before I knew it, tears began streaming down my face. I wasn’t sad — I was releasing. It was as if years of unspoken words and tension were melting away through my fingertips.
When I finished, I felt deeply calm and safe in my own skin — something I hadn’t felt in a long time. That moment sparked a realization: what I was doing wasn’t just skincare. It was soul care.
The more I practiced, the more I realized that facial massage and acupressure had become part of my moving meditation and embodiment practice. I was getting to know my body intimately — every muscle, every tender spot, every emotion stored beneath the surface. Some nights, I’d even catch myself laughing at the funny faces I made in the mirror. That joy, that playfulness, became part of the healing too.
It reminded me that healing doesn’t have to be heavy or serious. Sometimes laughter, curiosity, and loving presence are the medicine our nervous system needs most. These small moments of connection — the tears, the giggles, the warmth of my own touch — were rewiring my body to feel safe again.
Why the Face Matters in Healing
We often talk about releasing trauma from the body, but we forget that the face is part of the body — and it holds its own emotional story.
Think about how you “put on a brave face” when you’re holding it all together. We clench ourjawswhen angry or stressed,furrow our browswhen worried, and tighten ournecks and lipswhen we swallow emotions we can’t express. Over time, those expressions become tension patterns — and that tension becomes energy that gets trapped.
Scientifically, our facial muscles are deeply connected to the nervous system. When we relax our face through massage, acupressure, or even simple smiling exercises, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system — the part that signals safety, calm, and healing. It helps lower cortisol, release stored emotion, and re-regulate the body after stress.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this idea goes even deeper. Each area of the face connects to specific meridians and emotions:
The jaw reflects the stomach and spleen — where worry and overthinking live.
The brow and temples link to the liver meridian — the seat of frustration or anger.
The cheeks relate to the heart and small intestine meridians — where sadness and joy
reside.
By working with these areas, you’re not only toning muscles or improving circulation — you’re inviting emotional flow and energetic release. You’re bringing yourself back into harmony.
How It Helped Me Feel Safe Again
Now, my nightly practice has become a ritual — one that blends beauty, mindfulness, and embodiment.
After the kids are asleep, I light a candle, put on soft music, and begin massaging my face. Some nights I do a quick8-minute session; other nights, I linger for30 minutesif my body needs more time. I follow my intuition — massaging my temples, cheeks, and neck, breathing deeply as I move.
Each stroke feels like a conversation with my body — a way of saying, “I’m here. You’re safe.”
Some evenings, I feel a rush of emotion; others, I find myself laughing out loud at the silly “lion face” stretches or exaggerated pouts that come with face yoga. It’s all part of it — presence, playfulness, and self-discovery.
This is why I now see facial massage and acupressure as moving meditation. It’s a form of embodiment — of being fully in your body, not as a task or performance, but as a loving reunion. Each time I do it, I come home to myself a little more.
Try It Yourself
If you’d like to try, start simply. You don’t need fancy tools — just your hands, breath, and a few
minutes of intention.
Jaw Release: Gently massage from your chin up toward your ears. Breathe deeply; imagine softening years of holding back words or emotions.
Third Eye Soother: Press the spot between your eyebrows for a few slow breaths to quiet the mind.
Temple Circles: Massage your temples in gentle circles — perfect for stress and tension.
Neck Sweep: Glide your fingertips from under your ears down to your collarbones to encourage lymph flow and relaxation.
My Favorite YouTube Routines
These are the videos I rotate between — short ones for busy nights, longer ones for deep release. They’re all simple, guided, and soothing.
Tip: Don’t take it too seriously! Smile at yourself, make silly faces, have fun with it. Joy and laughter are forms of emotional release too. Healing is meant to feel good.
So much love,
Solarys
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