My forehead was wrinkled in anguish, I could feel the tension in the back of my head. My occipitofrontalis was straining and I could sense it all the way down my neck and into my back. The wonderful discovery of the very happy pregnancy (see part 1) was now expiring in front of me as I experienced a miscarriage. You could see the stress in my forehead, the tension had created a constant dull headache, neck pain and, began affecting my sleep.

These symptoms are common and understandable when it comes to stress and traumatic events. Luckily, I knew I didn’t have to let myself continue to suffer. I had encountered an amazing remedy to help me release tension in my now very stuck occipitofrontalis. I had felt this sensation before to varying degrees, during other types of stressful situations, like when I had spent too much time on the computer in a position that wasn’t favorable to my neck or when I would tighten my face and head to help me hold difficult yoga poses or other challenging exercises.

Since this particular situation was understandably difficult to let go of, I needed to move beyond simply relaxing my face and use my trusted support team, my Yoga Tune Up® balls. I used the grippy texture to release tension in the frontalis area by taking one ball in my hand, placing it gently on my forehead and spinning it, so to spiral the skin and release the tension. I continued until I had completed the whole forehead. It felt great!  My next step was to address the occipitalis area. The video below explains the technique I used. I would always end by continuing to allow my occiput to rest in stillness on the balls, close my eyes, and use the yogic complete breath, focusing on lengthening my exhale. Within a few minutes I could feel relaxation take over and my occipitofrontalis release, allowing myself to move past the event.

No matter the degree of stress or tension you have, I encourage you to test out these techniques and experience for yourself how the can help you reduce stress in your life.

Note: There is a very happy after story! I was able to easily enjoy another pregnancy discovery shortly after and am expecting a healthy baby girl July 2015. I look forward to teaching her the wig game, reading the signs on her little occipitofrontalis muscle as she learns to express herself and show her the tools to help ease this area when she faces times of stress.

 

Enjoyed this article? Read Hold Your Head High: Help For Neck Pain

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