Eye Pillow for Deeper Relaxation
My go to, eye pillows! I love them so much I make them using upcycled material (shout out to our local Ragfinery) and harvested lavender from my Mojo Garden. They are heavenly and they make great gifts!
IF you can get your hands on one (holiday art markets are coming up...), I recommend that you bring it along to your next Sound Bath for an even deeper relaxation experience.
What are eye pillows? They are lightly weighted fabric pouches (literally a rectangular bean bag) to be placed over your eyes. Often filled with rice, split peas, mung beans or flaxseed. I add dried lavender and chamomile to mine for the yummy smell and the added calming benefits from the herbs.
Why use one? It aids in decreasing anxiety, soothes the nervous system, relaxes the body and slows a racy busy mind. In addition, the light-blocking creates a quick sensory pause from overstimulation and eases eye strain, muscle tension and headaches attributed to screen time.
How to use? Simply recline and cover your eyes with the eye pillow for 5-8 minutes and enjoy a refreshing respite anytime.
Place over your eyes before bedtime
Anytime of day when feeling anxious, tense or blue
Anytime for a refreshing pick-me-up
For grounding after travel or a hectic experience
During shavasana, the final asana in yoga practice
During Sound Baths for deeper relaxation & rest
How does it work? Let’s geek out on this for a New York minute cause it's super cool: the weight of the eye pillow places light pressure on the eyes in turn, stimulates the vagus nerve and its ultra cool role in our amazing, highly intelligent bodies.
The vagus nerve (VN) stimulation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), signaling relaxation time: slowing breathing rate, decreasing the heart rate, releasing muscle tension and accompanied emotional stress - this is where I get out the pom-poms and celebrate.
The VN, in conjunction with the PNS, oversees a vast array of bodily functions including: mood regulation, immune system response, digestion effectiveness and inflammation. This simple little eye pouch ignites a whole chain reaction of impactful effects - simple and accessible. Eye pillow anyone!?!? ~Source: Courtesy of my PE/Health degree from WWU
Rest requires a radical spirit, a willingness. It is a basic need. In that pause, that space between each breath there is a place of power and possibility. ~compiled from: Rest is Sacred
Follow @mysticheartbeats on Insta & FB. For more sound offerings and inspirations stay connected through my Mystic Hearts newsletter.