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How to open your heart – by Rosemary Patten

Singing DragonJanuary 3, 2014 2 Comments

We are full of complexities, a myriad of different functions that completes us make us part of the human race. Our bodies crave order and the status quo, yet our heart wishes to be free, joyful and loved. We are looking for that special something that unites us with nature and the heavens. Yet we become distracted with challenges of life, we twist and turn looking for that spark of our existence.

The Universal life force energy that unites us is drawn into us by seven main energy centres or chakras. Our heart is the link between earths’ energy and the heavens. When our heart is in balance we can love, be joyful, and can cry when life around us is tough. We can live each moment with pleasure, accept ourselves in the now and forgive our weaknesses.

People who have in the past inflicted pain and have indeed broken our hearts should be forgiven. We know in our heart that it is their failure to understand, they have taught us strong powerful lessons that we need to know. When we understand the people who have hurt us, we free our hearts from the pain and our heart has been healed. When we stay in conflict, we only continue to be unhappy. This negative energy emulates out to people, the world, the planet and the Universe. Everyone around us receives our signals as hostility toward them, people move away from us and our isolation grows as we push the hurt deep down inside us.

How can we forgive such terrible hurt? We are who we are and we cannot change, our scars are there, tight in our heart, locked deep. They are almost physical in the pain they inflict, too frightening to bring to the surface and assess. But if we do not allow ourselves to cry, to feel that which we shut away, and then let go with understanding and compassion, we will not be that person we want to be. The pain will not go away unless we release it and forgive those who have rendered us immobile.

We must forgive ourselves for hanging onto a hurt that takes our breath away- the breath of life. Start to see with different eyes, a world that is sacred and all things beautiful. We must learn to emulate our love outwards and love will come to us. There is no effort involved as our thoughts are more and more positive. We experience love in all its different forms; love of nature, art, music, mankind and the love of that special person. Love our amazing planet and love the Universe that created us and loves us back.

How can we regain this balance between heaven and earth? When you are aware of your thoughts, it releases negativity. Thinking on the following affirmations confirms your intention. We will attract positive thoughts towards us, a higher vibration that raises us up towards the heavens. The heart is the link between our higher self and earth, beginning our journey greater understanding.

How to open your heart

Affirmations – choose two of the following or use your own personal affirmations:

I release all feelings of guilt and start my journey to peace and love.

I accept myself and know that my heart is mending.

I can cry and can release those feelings of hurt.

I am surrounded by the beauty of nature and this makes my heart sing with joy.

I forgive those who have broken my heart they also are on a journey.

I embrace change and look forward to exciting new challenges.

I only surround myself with people who bring joy into my life.

Try to be aware of your thoughts, allow negative thoughts to come to the surface. Never suppress them, as they are low vibration and will be heavy. Picture in your mind’s eye a red balloon and place the negative thoughts into the balloon, allowing them to drift of up into the sky.

Whenever possible, change any thought to a more positive vibration by putting a spin on it. For example ‘I am dreading work today’ could change to ‘I am dreading work today so I will meet my friend at lunchtime, always enjoy her company. I am lucky to have such a good friend’. Now there is a reason not to dislike work, as you are now more optimistic!

Once you start bringing your thoughts to a conscious level you will feel you have more energy. The journey of forgiveness towards those who have hurt you in the past has begun. By healing yourself you will truly open your heart and bring true love and joy into your life. That joy and love can then spread through to all who come into contact with you.

Rosemary Patten is a master Reiki practitioner, aromatherapist, reflexologist, and author of Japanese Holistic Face Massage. She lives in Kent, UK.

All-natural facelift: Relax away wrinkles and sagging— ‘Vital Face’ featured in Woman’s World Magazine

sdusaDecember 11, 2013 0 Comments

We’re thrilled to announce that Woman’s World Magazine, with a circulation of 7 million, has featured our book, Vital Face: Facial Exercises and Massage for Health and Beauty by physiotherapist Leena Kiviluoma in the December 9th issue!

Here’s a snippet from the article:

“Turn back the clock—and feel more relaxed? It’s not only possible, it’s easy to erase lines, creases and stress without pricey products! The key: ‘Giving your face a mini-lift’ says physiotherapist Leena Kiviluoma. ‘With precise massage and stretching techniques, you can reduce tension in your face, making your skin look smoother, and relaxing your whole body!’

The science behind the moves:

Increasing blood circulation
Draining away bloat
Strengthening facial bones
Stimulating collagen production

These exercises create age-proofing changes in and beneath the skin.”

To read the complete feature on Vital Face, click here.

Vital Face is a fully-illustrated handbook that guides the reader through stretching and massage techniques to relax the facial, neck and shoulder muscles, with particular emphasis on the jaw, where tension is often held. The exercises address health issues such as teeth clenching and grinding, pain in the face, jaw, head or neck, and can even improve the effects of Bell’s Palsy. They also achieve positive cosmetic results such as reduced facial lines and healthy glowing skin. The English language edition is published by Singing Dragon.

Singing Dragon is building a new website – we’d love to hear your suggestions!

Singing DragonNovember 8, 2013 4 Comments

Singing Dragon’s new website will include some great features to make it easier for you to order books from us. We will be adding two of the most commonly requested features by making it possible to create a customer account, so that you won’t have to enter your details every time you order, and enabling you to pay using PayPal.

If you have any feedback on this or you’d like to make any suggestions about what you’d like to see on the new website, we’d love to hear from you. Either add a comment in the section below or email us directly at hello@intl.singingdragon.com

Sign up to receive the Singing Dragon New Titles Catalogue, Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Singing DragonNovember 1, 2013 2 Comments

Our Singing Dragon New Titles catalogue for Autumn and Winter 2013-14 is now available. With full information on our expanding list of books in Chinese Medicine, Qigong, Daoism, Yoga, Aromatherapy, and a variety of other disciplines, our new titles catalogue is an essential resource for complementary health practitioners and anyone interested in enhancing their own health, wellbeing and personal development.

To receive a free copy of the catalogue, please sign up for our mailing list

You may also request multiple copies to share with friends, family, colleagues and clients–simply note how many copies of the catalog you would like (up to 20) in the “any additional comments” box on the sign-up form. Please be sure to click any additional areas of interest as well. You should receive a copy of the catalogue within two to three weeks.

How complementary therapists can help older people

Singing DragonOctober 24, 2013 2 Comments

Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care by Sharon Tay

In this extract from Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care, Sharon Tay gives practical advice on how therapists can adapt treatments to suit older people with age-related medical conditions, such as Arthritis, Parkinson’s Disease and Cardiovascular Disease.

Click here to read the extract.

Sharon demonstrates how the role of a beauty and natural therapist is valuable in providing care and attention to frail and elderly people who can no longer cater for their own needs. Simple treatments such as an application of make-up, a session of reflexology or a manicure can greatly restore dignity and confidence to help these clients face the challenges in their physical and mental well-being that ageing brings.

Sharon Tay is a beauty therapist and natural therapist who has worked in the industry for eighteen years. She specialises in health and beauty care for women of all age groups, particularly with older women residing in both nursing homes and private residences. Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care is available to purchase from the Singing Dragon website.

How to breathe more easily with COPD

Singing DragonSeptember 27, 2013 0 Comments

An exercise taken from Janet Brindley’s Breathe Well and Live Well with COPD to help easy relaxed breathing using a check list of problems to look out for.

Click here to read the extract

Janet Brindley came across therapeutic breathing exercises in 1998. They dramatically improved her asthma, and that of her fourteen-year-old son. She then left her job as a hospital biochemist and taught yoga and Buteyko breathing techniques. She has since worked with doctors, physiotherapists and nurses to develop a professional training course. This training course was used as part of an MSc Respiratory Physiotherapy module at Coventry University. She lives near London, UK.

Singing Dragon’s US e-catalog is now online

sdusaSeptember 27, 2013 0 Comments

We are happy to present Singing Dragon’s US catalog in an easy-to-use electronic format. This is a convenient way to explore Singing Dragon’s growing list of books on Qigong, Chinese Medicine, Bodywork, Martial Arts, Yoga and Alternative Health, complete with links back to our website for ordering or more information.

To browse this catalog, click the image below. It will enlarge automatically to allow for easy reading.

Although this catalog contains US pricing information, you can still use it if you reside outside the USA. All the links embedded in the catalog lead back to the Singing Dragon website where we process orders from around the world.

If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of this catalog…

Click here to sign up for our mailing list.

Early therapeutic uses of light and colour – extract from Colour Healing Manual

Singing DragonAugust 28, 2013 1 Comment

Taken from Pauline Wills’ Colour Healing Manual, in this extract the author discusses how colour, light and healing have traditionally been linked across a range of ancient civilizations – and what these can mean for today’s uses of colour therapy.

Click here to read the extract

Pauline Wills is a qualified yoga instructor, reflexologist and colour practitioner and pioneered the integration of colour with reflexology. Her first introduction to the healing power of colour was through yoga and then through the Maitreya School of Colour Healing. She is the co-founder of The Oracle School of Colour in London, where she teaches and practises colour therapy and reflexology. She has written numerous books on complementary therapies.

How facial exercises and massage promote both health and beauty – Interview with Leena Kiviluoma

Singing DragonAugust 22, 2013 0 Comments

How did you first become involved in facial muscle care? What drew you working towards working with the face?

As a physiotherapist I aim to help my clients to improve and maintain their overall health and well-being. The musculoskeletal system does not end at the neck, and so I felt it was important to enhance my knowledge of facial anatomy and physiology, and develop my skills to also treat the facial area.

I hope that Vital Face will help people with jaw problems or anxiety about their ageing face, both telling about the reasons behind their problems and concerns and giving advice on how to deal with them.

We use our faces every day in expression and interaction. What can we tell about a person through their face?

Facial expressions show us emotions. Basic emotions activate different facial muscles, producing different facial expressions. We process people’s facial expressions quickly and instinctively, and facial expressions are contagious. When viewing a person with a genuine smile, seeing genuine enjoyment evokes a similar response in the observer’s facial muscle activity, and, consequently, a similar emotional experience.

Interestingly, even though people can fake facial expressions and try to not to show negative emotions such as anger, you may be able to see a tiny involuntarily microexpression appear in their face for a very brief moment, revealing their true emotions.

With the help of Vital Face people will develop an improved awareness of their own faces and ability to release facial tensions. A relaxed face with an enhanced awareness of facial expressions helps to give a positive impression to whoever you are communicating with.

How does facial massage affect overall health and vitality? What health benefits have you noticed with your clients?

MimiLift Facial MuscleCare and Therapy contain massage and stretching techniques which relieve tension from the face, head, neck and shoulders. This reduces tension headaches, stiffness of the lower jaw, neck-shoulder pain, and helps people who suffer from teeth grinding. Relaxation of the face, head, neck and shoulders also relieves stress, relaxes the whole body, and helps with sleeping. All of these can greatly improve overall vitality.

My clients have, for example, reported instant relief of headache and facial tightness, improved mobility and relaxedness of the lower jaw, improved voice production and the improved ability to notice and avoid harmful oro-facial habits such as holding extra tension in the jaw.

Have you noticed facial massage changing the way your clients look?

Generally, after a one-hour MimiLift Facial MuscleTherapy treatment clients look relaxed and well rested. What has surprised my clients most has been the visible reduction in facial lines and creases. In particular, lines between the eyebrows and across the forehead were considerably diminished.

Facial massage can be done on oneself or by a therapist. MimiLift Facial MuscleCare presented in Vital Face and MimiLift Facial MuscleTherapy feature the same kind of treatments with the same kind of results. The only difference is that the latter is the treatment performed by the therapist.

How do you hope this book will help professionals working with the clients?

Vital Face explores the facial structure and function and how the facial musculoskeletal system affects health and appearance. We have tried to make the book easy and enjoyable to read, with rich illustrations and practical tips, so that it is easy to acquire information and brush up one’s knowledge of the facial area.

The book also presents a wide variety of specific, medically-based self-care exercises and techniques, and explains their scientific basis and effects. These will be very useful as they help professionals in the field of health and beauty to select individual home programmes for their clients.

Vital Face is useful especially for professionals such as physiotherapists, massage therapists, dental hygienists, speech therapists, singing teachers and beauty therapists.

Can MimiLift facial rejuvenation be used alongside other therapies?

MimiLift facial rejuvenation is perfect for licensed beauty professionals to use alongside other non-invasive therapies such as electrotherapy, or for anyone to use alongside home treatments and products.

Leena Kiviluoma is a physiotherapist working as a teacher and consultant in the fitness, beauty, health and rehabilitation industries. Her clients have included the Finnish National Opera, the Finnish National Theatre, The Parliament of Finland and many other companies, and she has contributed to numerous articles on fitness and beauty in magazines and newspapers. She began to develop her medical-based, facial muscle care technique and therapy in 1990 and her two books on the subject have been translated into many languages. She lives in Helsinki, Finland.

A quick exercise that will work wonders on your jaw

Singing DragonAugust 7, 2013 6 Comments

Combination exercise to strengthen buccinator and risorius muscles

Place a cork or something of a similar suitable size between your teeth to keep your lower jaw down. Hold the position and simultaneously pull the corners of mouth straight sideways.
Repeat 10 times. Close your mouth and rest for a few seconds. Place the cork again and repeat another 10 times.

IMPACT ON APPEARANCE: Tones the lower cheek.
IMPACT ON HEALTH: Relaxes and lengthens jaw-closing chewing muscles.

Vital Face by Leena Kiviluoma has a whole programme of facial exercises and massage for health and beauty (some with corks and some without!) find out more here.

Vital Face
Facial Exercises and Massage for Health and Beauty

Leena Kiviluoma

This is a fully-illustrated guide to stretching and massage techniques to relax the facial, neck and shoulder muscles. The exercises address health issues such as teeth clenching and grinding, pain in the face, jaw, head or neck, and can improve the effects of Bell’s Palsy. They also help reduce facial lines and leave the skin healthy and glowing.

Click here to buy the book

PRECAUTIONS:
– Perform all the stretches slowly and gently
– Concentrate on the stretch
– Stretch the chewing muscles carefully to a point of mild discomfort and hold the stretch for a while. The discomfort should begin to fade during the stretch, when the stretch gradually relieves tension and loosens your chewing muscles.
– Keep the muscles you are stretching relaxed. Breathing deliberately during the stretching helps you relax and control the stretches. Enjoy the relaxing feeling of stretches.
– If a stretch feels too uncomfortable and tenses your muscles, decrease the force or the range of movement or both.
– The feeling of the stretch should not be painful. It should not produce pain in the muscles or in the joints. Distinguish the feeling of a healthy muscle stretch from the sensation of pain.
– Hold each stretch for the recommended time and repeat each stretch the recommended number of times. You can increase the duration of a stretch as well as the number of repetitions if you like and as long as it feels comfortable.
– Application of moist heat or cold is sometimes a helpful relaxing procedure before the stretching of the chewing muscles.
Caution: Never perform sudden and forceful movements during stretching or try to force your jaw beyond its physiological limits. Those with a history of a jaw dislocation must be careful not to perform jaw movements that are too wide.

Combination exercise to strengthen buccinator and risorius muscles

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