"A" Vowel Sound in Facial Yoga

Video Transcript

"Welcome to Facial Yoga and we're going to look at using the vowel sounds, how they can very subtly release tension in the body, especially in the face, the jaw, the eyes and so forth. We'll start off with a flat "eh"..."eh"...So obviously, the face--many times we're thinking of that which doesn't have any hair that's facing forward--however, the face "ah".."eh"..."ah"..."eh"...is connected to the throat and the sound that comes out. So, I'm going to I'm going to flatten the sound and then round the sound, "eh"..."ah"..."eh"..."ah".."aaahhhh"...I'm not looking for any beautiful tone, I'm just looking for any tone that wants to come out and just simply allowing it to happen, looking at opening up the soft palate, "aaahhhh"....relaxing the lips..."ah"..."eeehhhh"..."ah"...feeling that creaking "frog" sound in the back of the throat..."aaahhhh"..."eeehhhh"...letting it go all the way out then bringing it back in..."aaahhhh"...can really vibrate all the way down..."aaahhhh"...it's the lower belly..."aaahhhh"..."eeehhhh"...So you're playing with this channel, this center channel of breath and sound connecting to the face, the jaw, the tongue, and the mouth. So as you practice this, it might seem like that's a long time just to stay with one minute with one vowel sound. Just give it a test. Try it on, you might find and discover something, "ah"...more unique. I know that my mouth, "ah"...likes to do more of this "eeehhhh"...So I want to learn, "aaahhhh"...Can I do more of this...and the other sides of my "aaahhhh"...can be more relaxed...You might notice that. If you see a picture of yourself, you might go, "Oh, that's one of those faces that I make and I'm not really that inclined to enjoy it. So find out how if there's one part of your body, I feel like there's something in my mouth, that keeps moving that way. I'm interested in equalizing it--I'm an equal opportunity explorer. I'm looking for a more natural, relaxed--the gentle face that I had as a child--one that didn't have all the anxieties of the adult life, not that I can't be responsible, but I don't have to absorb everything and holding it here. So that's the first vowel sound, it's the sound of "eh" and "aaahhhh"."