Eye pillows aren’t just the prop you used to use during Savasana at the end of yoga class. An eye pillow can be a magical addition to your everyday life. They can help facilitate rest, even in the smallest moments, throughout your day.
When placed over your eyes, the pillow creates a darker, more peaceful environment, conducive to resting. Your eyes are able to relax without the distraction of sunlight and other environmental stimuli. The weight of the eye pillow promotes a sense of grounding, and allows the muscles surrounding your eyes and forehead to relax. Many eye pillows (including my own Handmade YogaBird Eye Pillows) include lavender flowers to “scentually” soothe and relieve stress.
Curious about other ways to enhance the Eye Pillow Experience? Read on…
Face Massage
Before placing your pillow over your eyes, give yourself the gift of self-massage. Wash your hands and tap a dab of your favorite essential oil blend on your finger tips. Apply gentle pressure to your face in the following patterns:
Begin at the center of your forehead and sweep your fingertips out towards your temples
Begin between the eyebrows and sweep your fingertips above the brow line, out towards your temples
Begin at the bridge of your nose and sweep your fingertips below the brow line, out towards your temples
Begin at the sides of your nose and sweep your fingertips along your cheek bones, out towards your jaw
Begin below the ears and sweep your fingertips under your jaw line, towards your chin
Restorative Yoga Pose
Restorative yoga poses are designed to restore the body, mind and spirit. If you are laying down to use your eye pillow, you might as well position yourself in way that will rest and replenish your body as well. Try Chair Resting Pose or Legs Up the Wall Pose.
Chair Resting Pose: Lay down on your back with your heels and calves resting on the seat of a chair. You can elevate your hips by sliding a bolster or cushion under your sacrum, and lengthen the back of your neck by sliding a folded blanket or thin pillow under the base of your head. Place your eye pillow over your eyes.
Legs Up the Wall Pose: Lay down on your back with your legs resting up the wall. You can elevate your hips by sliding a bolster or cushion under your sacrum, and lengthen the back of your neck by sliding a folded blanket or thin pillow under the base of your head. Place your eye pillows over your eyes.
Meditation or Music
If your mind tends to wander when you want it to rest, try listening to a guided meditation or play music to set the mood. The internet is full of guided meditations of various lengths and topics, so you can choose one based on the time you have, or the feeling you’d like to embody. Or let yourself be truly carried away with playlist of peaceful music. Here’s the playlist I’m currently resting to: SPOTIFY
Eye pillows have become my favorite way to rest this year. It’s become somewhat of a daily ritual, to allow myself a few moments to rest, especially after teaching online or other significant screen time. If you are interesting in purchasing an eye pillow for yourself, or gifting one to a friend who could use a little rest, check out my dedicated webpage and Etsy Shop.
YogaBird Wellness eye pillows are hand crafted with love, using organic linen and lavender.
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