Pucker up. Touch your tongue to your chin. Scrunch up your face.
These are surely some of the exercises -- or yoga postures, if you will -- that are designed to soothe the tense facial expressions that might lead to wrinkles.
Welcome to the latest trend in yoga: Face yoga.
One such class is known as Revita-Yoga, according to an article in the New York Times, and it seems to be a fairly popular class at the New York Health and Racquet Club. They wanted to call it Yo-Tox, but apparently ran into some legal red tape.
And it seems that it's just the first indication of what could be a big "face yoga" trend, which includes spa sessions, classes, books, and most likely DVDs. In fact, it seems that it's even possible for a yoga teacher to get certified in something called "facial toning."
The premise is that yoga and facial exercises can help fight wrinkles, frown lines, sagging skin, plump up the lips, and even just bring a rosy blush to the cheeks. (Downward dog is particularly good for that, thanks to all that blood rushing to the head.)
People who support the trend say it's a natural alternative to cosmetic surgery, Botox, and other procedures that seek to reverse the aging process (or, at the very least, preserve us in time.)
The medical community, however, has yet to be convinced. But, they're not really knocking either. The general consensus seems to be that it can't hurt any of us to give it a try.
Meanwhile, several well-known yogis, including Rodney Yee, aren't too sold on the idea because it strikes them as too much of a marketing ploy.
Personally, I'm not quite sold either. I love the glow that I get from regular yoga practice. But I'm not sure that squinting is the path to bliss. (Although, the same can't always be said for puckering up.)
Photo credit: The New York Times.
Interests: Living life as an intiatic experience, uniting with like minds and hearts to build a better, cleaner, more peaceful world, listening to the wisdom of the inner voice, communing with the elemental forces of Nature, the arts, media and communications, personal growth and development, the natural healing arts, interesting cuisines, cinema, all that expands the consciousness, betters the Self, and links me with THAT from Which I come.
Inspiration: Whitman, Thoreau, the Tao, deep meditation, spiritually anointed words carried on the human voice and the Cosmic Winds, being with those of like mind and calling.
I read that too yesterday and must admit was very skeptical.
In the artticle it mentioned a product called "Frownies' which I have tried. The premise is that it pulls back the frown lines. It does work a little, though not permanant. If I had to really look good, I would definitely use them for a couple of nights before. My Whole Foods carries them.
I've never tried face yoga, but I'm skeptical too. Yoga, in general, offers so much more than just a nice looking body or face. It's sad to see people try to spin it into something like "yo-tox." I'll stick to my sun salutations.
YogaVicki
http://www.yogavicki.com
Squiting....DEcreases wrinkles? Does it prevent them, too?
...runs outside and stares into sun...
What is squiting? Never heard of it.
I agree that yoga is so much more. I am not a practicing yogi, but have many friends who are and what they get from it far outweighs any wrinkles.
It makes me sad to think that people are using it for cosmetic reasons.
I certainly meant SQUINTING.
I'm sure my meaning was unknown. I apologize for all of you out there unable to take typos in context. Maybe if Lime.com puts more ads on the pages, they can afford to add spellcheck without charging us to use this great site.