Eyes Without a Face

I was in Whole Foods and was positive I spotted my friend Amy at the other check out. So I am waving my hand and yelling "Hey Amy" to this woman who is just looking to me and not reacting. Of course I can only see her eyes and not her face. I walk closer and realize it is not Amy. She had the same hair and height, I swore it was her. With masks on it is hard to tell.

I saw a news story about Drs. and nurses who taped a picture of their own face with a huge smile to the front of their chests. When caring for scared patients, the patients have an idea of what their kind smiling faces look like behind the terrifying masks and protective gear. Young children especially look for emotional cues from caregivers to interpret threatening situations. Children rely on their caregiver’s facial expressions and tone of voice to regulate their response toward people and new situations. Hell my dogs are having a tough time reading people and went ape shit on this lady approaching us in a dark mask.

Our social cues are our of alignment with not being able to interpret the entire face. We are trying to rely heavily on any information we can discern from someones eyes. Remember Tyra Banks Top Model tip: "smize" - smiling with your eyes? My heart goes out to anyone with a hearing loss who depends on lip reading in order to better understand and communicate.

I taught outside last Monday on Labor Day and we were graced with a gorgeous morning. Once spatially distanced on the mats, you can take off your masks to practice outside. I noticed how few facial expressions everyone had. Maybe everyone was concentrating on the practice at hand, but I wondered if we are all going to have to re-learn how to communicate again with our faces.

One of my favorite centering exercises to practice and teach is a practice called Brahma Mudra. There is also a hand gesture of the same name. I am referring to an exercise where you move your neck and head slowly side to side and up and down paying attention to the eyes (which remain open) and how they move. The exercise promotes mental focus and can produce a meditative effect of calming, quieting, and centering the mind. Physically the benefits include reducing stiffness in the neck and improving range of motion. But I had a teacher tell me it promotes healing within the actual orbit of the eye and surrounding tissues. I lost significant power in my left eye due to a detached retina a few years ago and don't see very well out of that one. I often utilize the practice of Brahma Mudra in the hopes that it draws health and awareness to my eyes for years to come.

I will teach you. Click below to come to a class I offer on Zoom or reach out to me personally. One of the greatest gifts you can offer another person is your presence. I encourage you to continue to wear a mask but make eye contact and really see one another. Smile with your eyes.