The face is like the tip of an iceberg. Only 10% is visible, but it's that 10% that everyone sees. This is why so many people focus on quick and easy ways to achieve a more attractive face - decorative makeup and various cosmetic injections. At the same time, we know well that makeup and injections are merely surface-level solutions. They highlight strengths and hide flaws, but they don't change the face itself.
Somatics offers a completely different approach. The word soma means the unity of body, mind, and soul, and our face confirms this every second.
Facial expressions are created by the nervous system anew each moment. The face occupies a third of the sensorimotor cortex in the brain, yet most movements are unconscious. To save energy, the nervous system tends to reproduce familiar movements rather than generate new ones. This results in a habitual, fixed facial expression.
The primary function of facial muscles is to reflect various emotions - anger, sadness, joy, fear, and others - to help us express ourselves and understand each other better. Depending on personality, upbringing, and environment, the facial muscles may react actively or remain frozen, hiding the inner world behind a mask. Unless someone is a professional actor or purposefully develops facial expressiveness, these processes remain largely unconscious.
Somatic practices for the face aim to bring unconscious movements of facial and jaw muscles into awareness. This helps individuals notice when they clench their teeth during emotional tension, furrow their brows while solving a creative problem, or press their lips together instead of expressing what they truly think.
Noticing is the beginning of the journey. The next step is practice. This involves consciously tensing specific muscle groups and then slowly and mindfully relaxing them, providing the nervous system with the information it needs. Through somatic lessons, you can carefully work through all the muscles of the face. The face becomes alive, mobile, and expressive, accurately reflecting your current emotions.
At first, this might seem daunting. Many people don't want others to see what they truly feel. We often prefer to appear polite rather than genuine. This resistance may surface when starting to work with the face.
"What if they see the real me? Will they still love me?"
If you dare to go through this fear of being seen - first by yourself and then by others - a meeting occurs. The face comes alive. It becomes younger and more expressive. The eyes begin to glow again. The lips and forehead relax. Life and love for life return. Interest, inspiration and creativity awaken.
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