When something goes wrong, we put our hands on our head and say, “Oh God!”. In the same way, massage helps relax the mind, and when the mind is at ease, life becomes easier.
Are there days when you feel like pulling your hair out, clenching your teeth, and tightening your fists? Good — clench that fist even tighter. In fact, tense your whole body. Inhale, tighten your stomach, frown, and purse your lips. Now exhale with a “Haa” sound. What did you enjoy more? Holding the tension or letting go?
The above is one of many techniques from Sukshma Yoga (simple, subtle yoga techniques). What makes these practices special is that they are short, easy, and gentle. You can use them on days when you feel like tearing your hair out. “It’s one of the quickest ways to relax,” says Pallavi Joshi, a regular practitioner of Sukshma Yoga. “You can do it anytime and anywhere — sitting at home, at your desk, or while traveling in a car, bus, or plane,” adds another enthusiast.
Sukshma Yoga requires no preparation or time commitment. These small exercises open subtle energy channels, and within just 7 minutes, you can feel a noticeable shift.
Here are some instructions for doing Sukshma Yoga exercises for the face and head:
Massage your eyebrows 5–6 times using your thumb and index finger, as shown in the image. Did you know we use 72 muscles to frown and only half as many to smile?
Rotate your eyes 5–6 times clockwise, and then 5–6 times counterclockwise.
Squeeze your eyes tightly shut, then open them wide. Repeat this 10–15 times.
Pull your ears gently for 10–15 seconds. Scientists say that all the nerves connected to heightened awareness (pragya) are located at the lower part of the ear. Sometimes parents or teachers pull children’s ears to improve alertness and reduce mistakes. If you pull your own ears, no one else needs to.
Hold your ears and rotate them clockwise and counterclockwise (like turning a wheel) until they feel warm.
Using three fingers (index, middle, and ring), move from the jawline to the chin while massaging your cheeks. You can keep your mouth slightly open while doing this. Did you find knots in the space between your jaws? That’s where stress tends to hide. Notice how “tight” you were and smooth out the tension.
Open and close your jaw 8–10 times.
Open your mouth and move your jaw from left to right 8–10 times.
Rotate your neck. Inhale while tilting your head back and exhale while bringing your chin down to your chest. Move your head in a circular motion clockwise. Inhale as your head comes up (first half of the circle), exhale as it comes down (second half). Repeat 5–6 times clockwise and then in the opposite direction.
Shake your hands for 2 minutes. If you're unsure about the intensity, watch how dogs and cats shake water off themselves — they shake it off completely and move on. Do the same: shake, shake, shake your arms, then slowly stop and sit down.
As you practice these techniques, you’ll begin to notice the effect each movement has on your mind. Every small motion or activity slowly releases stress and helps you become aware of the movement of prana (life energy) within your body. This knowledge comes from practice and experience — not from reading. You'll find yourself in a space where body and mind coordination becomes natural and effortless. And that’s just one of the many side effects of yoga. There’s so much more beyond that.
Enjoy the practice!
