Did you know that the ancient Art of face reading is a branch of Chinese Medicine? Your eyebrows, for example, are an external indicator of liver health and your lips are a way to assess how you eat and digest food? Facial structures point to innate ability and proclivities.

I found this curious and wanted to learn more, so I undertook the Master Face Reading Program with the brilliant, late, Lillian Bridges.

Lillian taught that the face is a topographic map - how we process our experiences emotionally, over time, changes our face. Lillian said that ideally, we retain or re-gain our ‘original face' which is the face we behold when gazing upon a photograph of ourselves at about 2 years old.

In this era of plastic surgery, fillers and smoothers, we seek that magic formula to restore youth, the study of face reading becomes even more fascinating. What ‘bits' of the face hold benefit that we might shave away? What wrinkles do we dread that actually represent a life well lived? And, how to release the less-than-ideal emotions ‘stuck' on our faces?

One aspect of my face I wasn't fond of were my "under-eye bags" — what Lillian aptly called "unshed tears" — and don't they look like reservoirs of tears, waiting to be released!?

Since Lillian taught us that we can change our faces, I wanted to know how to remedy this one! "You need to cry," she said. "And watching a sad movie to draw out those tears doesn't really work."

I reflected on my stubbornness to cry.

When struck by an untimely emotion (when are they ever convenient?), I strongly resisted crying around anyone for fear of embarrassment. I was self-consciousness about mascara leaving black rivers down my cheek. I even remember telling myself, "wait.. you can cry when you get to the car," or, "just wait few minutes when you can sneak away and be alone." Invariably the minutes passed and by the time I was safely alone, the emotion had also passed. So, I had those under eye bags — those tears aching to be released.

I held my question, how to resolve them?

A couple of years ago, I was introduced micro-needling. Micro-needling is a modern form of acupuncture used to encourage collagen production — repairing and tightening of the skin. Microneedling is performed using a handheld pen, electrically powered, with tiny needles that make precise, microscopic punctures in the skin. The "micro-injuries" stimulate the skin to repair itself through a process called dermal remodeling. The micro-injury encourages inflammation, which stimulates the skin to produce new collagen, the elastic fibers that make skin tight, smooth, and youthful.

Acupuncture, generally, works by inspiring a response — diminishing an excess or adding to correct a deficiency. Could micro needling work on my unshed tears?
I tried it, cautiously, on myself.
For 24 hours or so, the skin was pink and felt a bit sunburned, so I liberally applied aloe to soothe.
And I paid attention to how I felt.
Within a few days of my session, a memory arose:
I was 9 years old, in 4th grade, in the gym at school. I was new to this school, and I didn't know the other kids very well. I'd switched - from private to public school — since my parents were divorcing and private school was no longer affordable. Also, in that timeframe, I learned that my dad who raised me wasn't my biological father - a shock which caused a lot of confusion and sadness. And with the divorce, my dad moved out of our house, and with those losses, feelings of insecurity.
So, in the gym, we're doing gymnastics like cartwheels and climbing ropes. I decided to try a handstand. While upside down, my arms went weak, and I collapsed on my head. I clobbered myself and my head hurt horribly; I could feel the goose egg rising up from my scalp. Time moved in slow motion.
All the kids around me looked at me with huge eyes and gaping mouths, awaiting to my reaction.
My immediate impetus was to cry, the tears welled up, my head, the pounding pain rose up in my body, but I forced it back, and held it, like a plum pit, lodged in my throat.

This memory, long forgotten, was so clear and now. I could see the symbolism in it.

For whatever reason, I was always a practical and stoic child.

I remember rationalizing at the time, my parents probably should divorce since they were fighting all the time. I was sad about moving to a new school and losing track of my friends, but sadness wouldn't change the new reality. I was shocked by the truth of my paternity - the loss of my father biologically and physically - but there was nothing to be done.

I saw, symbolically, my life was ‘upside down.' Looking back at my small self, I could see, anyone would cry! And when presented with actually being upside-down and falling on my head, I still refused to cry.

The memory inspired compassion to overtake reason; I could hold little 9 year old me in love and softness. The memory, almost like a dream, didn't bring up immediate tears and I've since noticed a new ability to cry — tears flow easily, freely, when I feel sadness and as often when I am touched by something beautiful - being in the present moment, holding a newborn, the bundle of pure hope and possibility she is; or beholding the brilliant sun setting in a moody sky. Tears even arose once in yoga class. My tears and emotions arise without theatrics or self-consciousness, rather like a warm, soft rain. I welcome them.

I feel like the micro needling and the memory arising for acknowledgment have gifted access to embracing of the spectrum of emotion and the willingness to more freely emote generally.

And, my under-eye bags seem transformed. At least, I hardly notice them.

Hilarey Boly, MAc, LAc
Licensed Acupuncturist

To schedule your micro needling session for facial and emotional transformation, call the 2BWell office at : 503-655-0044 Option 1

To learn more about Chinese Face Reading, see this comprehensive guide https://wisdomtavern.com/face-reading/