Danielle Collins - Danielle Collins’ Face Yoga: Firming facial exercises & inspiring tips to glow, inside and out

INTRODUCTION

The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method is a natural and practical way of looking and feeling healthy, happy, glowing and youthful. At its core, it is a combination of face exercises and massage, acupressure and relaxation techniques that are designed to lift, firm, smooth and relax the face and improve your overall wellbeing. This book will teach you how, why and when to practise Face Yoga and give you all the tools you need to implement these techniques in your everyday life.

MY WISH FOR YOU

I wholeheartedly believe you deserve to look and feel the very best version of yourself. My wish for you is that Face Yoga starts your journey to accept and love who you are, whilst simultaneously giving you a toolbox of simple yet effective techniques to look and feel even better.

In the coming chapters you will learn how to best use this book in your daily life, how Face Yoga works and how to live a healthy lifestyle to compliment this.

MY JOURNEY TO FACE YOGA

It was my 22nd birthday and for the previous few weeks, I had been planning my party. However, I couldnt even walk, let alone put on my party dress. My mind was blurred, my body fatigued and my arms and legs were consumed with unbearable aching pains.

A series of blood tests showed that I had been suffering from glandular fever and although it looked liked the end of the virus, it had left me with myalgic encephalopathy (ME), also known as post viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Over the next ten months my symptoms worsened. My muscles and glands hurt so much I often found it hard to walk from the bed to the toilet. My head felt like it was covered in a hazy fog and I found it hard to hold a conversation for more than five minutes.

I had to leave my job and stop exercising. My social life was non existent. Giving up everything that I loved felt like a kind of bereavement. Aspects of my personality changed too. I found that my confidence was lower than normal and I dreaded meeting new people.

Nine months into the illness I was referred to an ME specialist. He said that there was no single remedy to overcome ME but sometimes people found gradually building up activity and a combination of natural therapies like yoga provided some relief. After that appointment I decided I couldnt live like this any longer and was determined to find a way to nurse myself back to health.

NATURAL CURES

I spent time reading books, studies and magazines on natural health and ME. Gradually I started to put together an action plan of lifestyle changes I could make to rehabilitate myself.

Every day I practised five minutes of yoga. I discovered how to breathe correctly to calm my nervous system, boost my immune system and detox my body. My brain fog and my stress gradually started to reduce.

My research taught me that I had to transform my diet in order to overcome ME. I discovered sugar, caffeine and alcohol were impairing my immune system and depleting me of vitamins and minerals.

A NEW START

As I reached my 23rd birthday, my health started to improve. The muscle pain reduced, my head felt clearer, my energy levels were higher and I was able to do a couple of hours of activity a day. I felt it was time to think about the future.

Previous to my illness I had wanted to be a primary school teacher but I now felt that I was destined to use my experience of ME to help others. I enrolled in a diploma in professional relaxation therapy, which led to training as a yoga teacher and nutritional therapist, as well as training in face massage and pre- and postnatal yoga and introductory training in Indian head massage, the Alexander technique, Shiatsu and Thai Yoga massage.

When I was well enough to work again I started by teaching just one relaxation class per week. Then I built up to teaching individuals and groups yoga, wellbeing and nutrition. I also did wellbeing coaching for people with ME and I have been delighted to be able to help them in the same way I helped myself. Then, Face Yoga happened.

MY FACE YOGA METHOD

Early in my yoga career, I noticed how pleased my clients were with their results and remember one client saying to me, I just wish my face matched my body. This echoed my own thoughts. I often wondered why we only trained in yoga techniques below the neck. There are so many muscles above the collarbone and these are the ones that are constantly on show!

FACE YOGA WORLDWIDE

The Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method was born from a combination of my training and many years of research. It is now enjoyed by millions of people worldwide through my videos, classes and courses.

I have taught all over the world and appeared in hundreds of magazines and newspapers, as well as on radio and TV. As well as teaching Face Yoga to countless clients, I have worked with major brands around the globe. I also offer teacher-training courses and mine is the most popular and longest running Face Yoga teacher-training course worldwide.

STARTING YOUR JOURNEY

When I sat down to write this book I knew that I wanted it to be accessible and fun. I also wanted it to be based on a combination of the latest research, traditional philosophies and the experiences of real people who have tried and tested the techniques.

Everything I share with you is part of my everyday life. I use all of these techniques on myself.

A HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE

I am a great believer in the holistic approach to beauty, health and wellbeing. For truly amazing skin you need to be looking at all areas of your health, from whats going on in your mind, to what you apply to your skin, to what you eat. Make your Face Yoga a routine, a ritual and a way of expressing self-love. Make it a tool for life.

AGEING IS GOOD

Something I feel very passionate about is not being anti ageing. I do on occasion use the term as a simple way to explain to people some of the key benefits of Face Yoga. But ageing itself is nothing to be ashamed of! Life is a gift and it we should be grateful for each and every day we are given. Every birthday should be celebrated with pride and joy.

DONT HATE YOUR LINES

There isnt anything wrong with having wrinkles or lines. Every part of our face and our body changes with age. My method shows you how to prevent and reduce these things if you choose to, and if you do, please do it out of love for your face and not out of hate or fear.

A WORD ON AFFIRMATIONS

Throughout the book you will find affirmations, which are such a powerful way of moving toward a healthier, happier and calmer you. When you feel good on the inside, this radiates out through your face. Affirmations are positive statements which always start with the words I am and help train your mind to feel good. Dont worry if you find yourself thinking This is not true or I am not that when you repeat the affirmation. Repetition is key. Try to do at least one a day and soon they wont be just words on a page. Each affirmation should be repeated three times.

You
& your
skin

Having an understanding of your wonderful face will help you better understand why you should use Face Yoga and what changes it will make. The muscles, bones and layers of skin are a fascinating insight into the part of your body that is most recognizable: your face.

FACIAL ANATOMY

SKIN

The largest organ in the body, the skin guards us from the external elements, and protects the underlying muscles, bones and internal organs. It is made up of three layers: