A New Tool for Relaxation, Self-Regulation, & Beyond
- Robin Duffy
- Sep 7, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 9
The Evolution of The Face Cloud
During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, I began experiencing insomnia and anxiety on a nightly basis. One night after my 3 a.m. sojourn to the bathroom, I grabbed two throw pillows from the couch on my way back to the bedroom. I got back into bed and put one pillow on each side of my face, leaving a space in the middle to breathe. Instead of tossing and turning indefinitely, as per usual, I drifted right back to sleep. I began doing this every night and found that the pillows were comforting somehow—they blocked out the world and quieted my mind, allowing me to sink back into slumber.
It dawned on me that I could create one pillow that might perform this same function.
After a year of experimentation and several prototypes, I came up with The Face Cloud™ (TFC), a weighted pillow that lays directly on the face with a breathing hole in the middle. Inside the pillow are bead pods which are arranged in a pattern that conforms to the natural contours of the face. Similar to the effects of the weighted blanket, this gentle pressure calms the mind and helps the body relax.
I began using TFC as a sleep aid on a nightly basis, and it worked remarkably well. As a licensed massage and bodywork therapist (LMBT), I have spent my career helping people relax through therapeutic touch, with a particular focus on integrative acupressure—an approach that uses intentional pressure to encourage the body's natural relaxation response and support nervous system regulation.
While The Face Cloud does not function as an acupressure treatment or target specific points, it grew from the same guiding philosophy: creating simple, physical conditions that help the body settle, unwind, and regulate itself. From this perspective, TFC felt like a natural extension of my work.
I decided to do a bit of research—and more importantly, experiment with it. I wondered, could TFC create a more immersive relaxation experience? I didn't realize it could do this and possibly more.
Entering The Flow State
Around this time, my partner began to wonder what all the hubbub was about. He wanted to try it, so I made one for him. Then my BFF wanted one. I thought, “Okay, this would be a great opportunity to for a little focus group." I decided to set up shop in my dining room where I could spread out. Even though I had no sewing experience, I thought, “I can do this.”
Making the pillows soon became a ritual akin to meditation. There was something so pleasing about the quiet, rhythmic nature of the sewing process. Since my partner works third shift and sleeps during the day, sewing was something I could do without disturbing him.
It felt nice to slow down. The stress level caused by the pandemic and everything else happening in the world was so amplified; this conscious stepping away from the external world just felt right.
While sewing one afternoon, I discovered a channel on YouTube devoted to crystal singing bowl sound baths and thought I would give it a try.
The tones were so peaceful and resonant, I could feel them on a deep, core level. I thought the term “sound bath” apropos.
It was like the outside world didn’t exist and I was in a
bubble, awash in the gentle vibrations while I sewed to
my little heart’s content.
The ever-present, restless chatter that usually plagued my mind–aka the “mad monkey”–had vanished. In addition, the undercurrent of anxiety that I had been experiencing since the pandemic started began to slowly dissipate. I had entered the flow state without even realizing it.
Conscious Inward Engagement
Photo by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash
Something clicked for me when I pondered the idea of purposefully tuning out the external world (i.e. the material, physical world we see and interact with every day) and turning my focus inward. I decided to perform an experiment: What would happen if I used TFC in an intentional capacity, as a tool to regulate my own mental and emotional well-being? I put the sewing aside.
The first part of the experiment consisted of creating a sacred space. It seemed more meaningful that way. My bedroom is the most private space in my home, so I began by de-cluttering and tidying it up. I chose a time of day that I knew would be mostly quiet and set the tone by closing the blinds halfway to create some diffuse light. I then lay down on my bed with TFC on my face.
I was extremely fidgety. I didn’t really want to lie there because I had stuff to do. Even though I had set aside that time to decompress and re-center, I felt myself resisting. Mental images of the stuff I had to do kept invading my consciousness: taking the cat to the vet, doing laundry, going to the grocery store, confirming upcoming massage sessions, and on and on.
It seemed so simple, but why was it so hard to turn off my brain?
I focused on my breath and the weight of the cloud on my face. One thing that appealed to me about TFC was the feeling of the outside world being blocked out.
The pillow was a soft, fluffy barrier against the external world.
This affected me on a psychological level:
I felt safe.
Likewise, the gentle pressure around my eyes, cheekbones, temples, and the top of my chest was comforting.
Since the sound therapy had worked so well during my sewing sessions, I decided to try it again. This time I chose Ohm as my sound therapy. I found the low, deep drone of this particular Ohm video very calming.
I set an intention for the session: To Quiet My Mind.
Diffusing the Mad Monkey and Engaging Ohm
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
I inhaled deeply, focusing on my breath and the sonic vibration of Ohm coursing through my ears. I imagined the sound as a kind of fairy dust entering my ear canals, swirling round and round the curves of my cochlea, and then moving into my head, spreading synapses throughout the circuits of my brain, down my spinal cord, and into the network of my nervous system.
I could feel those intrusive thoughts knocking on the door of my mind like a mad monkey, but again, I kept focusing on my breath and the sound of Ohm. I imagined tiny “thought bubbles” floating outside my body and then bursting into a fine mist, eventually evaporating into thin air. Instinctively, I spread my arms and legs outward like the spokes of a wagon wheel, stretching as wide as I could in the style of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
I repeated this visualization five times, always bringing my focus back to my breath and the sonic vibration of Ohm. The mad monkey was still in the background, but I had managed to keep it at bay. I was doing that: Me, Myself, and I. I was controlling the mad monkey instead of it controlling me, at least temporarily.
I was controlling the mad monkey instead of it controlling me.
This was a breakthrough.
I took five more deep, slow breaths and decided to stop there. I opened my eyes, took off my headphones, and lay there for as long as I could in the stillness. I felt lighter, clearer, and cleaner somehow. Not cleaner in the physical sense, but spiritually–even energetically cleaner, if you will.
I suddenly had the need to document the moment, so I jumped up, grabbed a notebook and pen, and started writing about the experience in my journal. Had I just induced the flow state all by myself? Yes, I had. Had I managed to regulate my own mental and emotional state? Well, almost. It would take some practice. In the present moment though, it was enough. Baby steps.
What I knew for sure was that the experiment had elicited positive results.
I had succeeded in consciously disengaging from
the external world, on my terms, and engaging the
internal world.
I felt as if I’d just raised my whole vibration. Had I? This was definitely something else to ponder.
Looking back, I realize this experiment became one of the first stepping stones toward what would eventually evolve into my Integrative Acupressure for Mind-Body Balance (IAMBB) method. At the time, however, I only knew that I had discovered something worth exploring further.
My next thought was, How can I share this experience with my clients and the rest of the world?
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📚 From Robin's Bookshelf — Continue Exploring!
The ideas explored in this essay eventually became part of my broader work on curating the inner environment—creating the conditions that invite the body and mind to settle, restore, and reconnect. If you'd like to explore these ideas further, here are a few excellent places to begin.
🌙 Sleep & Deep Pressure
An evidence-based overview of how gentle, evenly distributed pressure may promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep quality.
Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker, Ph.D.
A fascinating exploration of the science of sleep and why restorative rest is essential to physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
🧠 Flow State & Focus
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The classic work on the flow state, explaining how complete absorption in an activity can foster creativity, well-being, and a deep sense of engagement.
🎵 Sound & Vibration
The Healing Power of Sound — Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D.
An accessible introduction to how sound, vibration, and music may support relaxation, emotional balance, and healing.
A comprehensive review of current clinical research exploring how singing bowls may influence anxiety, sleep quality, mood, cognition, and other measures of psychological well-being. The authors conclude that the findings are promising while also noting that higher-quality research is still needed.
🕯️ Healing Environments
Physical Environmental Stimuli That Turn Healthcare Facilities into Healing Environments — Karin Dijkstra, Marcel Pieterse & Ad Pruyn
A systematic review examining how light, sound, views of nature, layout, and other environmental factors influence well-being and recovery. Although written about healthcare settings, many of the same principles apply to creating restorative spaces at home.
🌿 Restorative Environments
The Nature Fix — Florence Williams
A beautifully written exploration of how time in nature influences the brain, body, creativity, and emotional well-being, weaving together compelling stories with scientific research.
Effects of Forest Environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest Bathing) on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention — Qing Li, M.D.
A comprehensive, evidence-based review by one of the pioneers of forest medicine, exploring how mindful immersion in nature supports physical and psychological well-being.
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📖 Sources & References
Williams, Vivien. “Mayo Clinic Minute: How Weighted Blankets May Lift Anxiety.” Mayo Clinic. May 18, 2019. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-how-weighted-blankets-may-lift-anxiety/.
Piyush Mehta, Vishwas Dhapte, Shivajirao Kadam, and Vivdha Dhapte. “Contemporary acupressure therapy: Adroit cure for painless recovery of therapeutic ailments.” Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (Elsvier). National Institute of Health. National Library of Medicine. April 2017 v.7(2). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388088/.
World Health Organization. March 2, 2022. COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of axiety and depression worldwide. [“Press Release”]. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide.
Healing Vibrations. “432 Hz - 3 Hour Crystal Singing Bowl Healing Sound Bath (4K, No Talking) - Singing Bowls - Sound Bath.” YouTube video,
Vago, David R., Zeidan, Fadel. “The brain on silent: mind wandering; mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. July 11, 2016. The New York Academy of Sciences. https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.13171.
Inner Lotus Music. “Deep OM Mantra Sleep Music & Rain | 963Hz Singing Bowl | Third Eye Opening & Pineal Gland Activation.” YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZvM-qjT5i8&t=4543s&ab_channel=InnerLotusMusic.
Richman-Abdou, Kelly. “The Significance of Leonardo da Vinci’s Famous ‘Vitruvian Man’ Drawing.” My Modern Met. August 5, 2018. https://mymodernmet.com/leonardo-da-vinci-vitruvian-man/.
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