HOPE – a Guided Meditation
Hope focuses on renewal, rebirth, and healing.
Find a place to be comfortable where you can rest undisturbed during this time.
As we experience this meditation, feel the “old” drop away and “new” opportunities present themselves.
Leave everything around you behind and bring your attention to yourself.
Relax as you go on this journey.
Get comfortable.
Breathe in from your abdomen – slowly, slowly, to the count of three.
One – Two – Three
Now – hold your breath to the count of four
One – Two – Three – Four
Now – exhale to the count of five.
One – Two – Three – Four – Five
Repeat this breathing pattern three more times.
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
Continue to breathe deeply as you go into this relaxation.
Your relaxation becomes a blanket of warmth. Sink down into this quiet place inside yourself.
PAUSE
You are calm and peaceful now. It is time for your journey.
PAUSE
You are strolling along a path in a forest. Notice this path. How does it feel under your feet? Is this path a smooth grassy path? Are there pebbles? What kind of shoes are you wearing?
As you walk down this path, take a moment to feel the air on your skin – the sunlight shining down – gentle breezes caressing your clothes.
As you travel, notice sights, sounds, and fragrances: birds, butterflies, wind in the trees.
What is your reaction to this place? How do you feel beyond your body?
Strolling for a short time, you come to a clearing in the forest with openings to different paths.
As you look at the different paths, one attracts you.
You look down this path and see something shining in the sun off in the distance.
You’re drawn to this shining spot in the sun. What is it?
You walk along this path that you just selected. How does it feel under your feet? Is it smooth? Are there pebbles? Is it a smooth dirt path? Are there stepping stones?
As you walk toward the shiny spot ahead, you feel layers and layers of your past drop away.
The weight of the world evaporates from your shoulders.
PAUSE
You soon arrive at the end of the path where you see a bench waiting for you.
There, on this bench, you see new clothes, neatly folded.
When you look at them, you see they are more beautiful than any you’ve seen before.
You remove the clothes you are wearing and put on these new clothes. They are a perfect fit.
You walk up a slight hill toward the shining object you saw at the beginning of your walk.
As you approach the shining object, you discover it is a mirror.
You look in this mirror and see your reflection.
You see:
The person you have always known you were.
The person you have always wanted to be.
You see yourself as strong, and happy.
NOW – you can continue to explore your new “you” as you return to this room.
You know you can return to this place anytime you want.
This meditation is part of a new program I’m offering called “Hope on the Road”. I am sharing this meditation along with a reiki session and hand blessing to anyone who requests it.
This program is adaptable to zoom and in- person groups large or small. It will also be on my YouTube channel.
Thank you for participating.
Thank you for reading this meditation blog post. Please share it with your friends and forward it to your preferred social media network.
Thurman
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A Reiki Practitioner’s User Manual – Part 2
When I studied Reiki, Mary Ruth Van Landingham’s classes and handouts were my user’s manual. They didn’t even begin to approach all the things Reiki can do for us all. I think Mary Ruth Van Landingham did that intentionally because we each write our own user’s manual.
Reiki is a unique and individual experience for each of us. Our attunements are the user’s manual for each of us.
I learned to practice Reiki on my massage therapy clients. Each one got a 10-minute Reiki boost at the end of the massage therapy session. Because Reiki was still unknown in my area, none of them had ever heard of Reiki. Their introduction to Reiki came during the last ten minutes of a massage therapy session so it came at a moment when they were blissed out, pain free, and totally relaxed. Needless to say, they all loved their Reiki.
This was good for me also because I was new to Reiki and was fearful about the results. It took a while for me to become accustomed to how Reiki worked.
I worried that they might not receive a proper introduction. So, what happened was that both my clients and I learned together. For starters, we learned to recognize my warm hands when I introduced Reiki into a session.
Over time, I learned that my hands warmed up whether they were on another person’s body, or my body, or a plant, or a car. Or whatever.
I learned to trust Reiki. This was a huge life lesson for me. I suspect it is also an important lesson for others as well. Many people go through life never learning to trust people, places, or things.
When I teach Reiki, I don’t think I even mention the word trust. The word floats above the classroom like a gorgeous cumulative cloud. It’s there for all to see.
A wonderful thing to do is practice self-Reiki to experience a regenerative sleep, easy your headache pain, feel comfortable in your body, or simply feel grounded.
Actually, it’s not necessary to do anything with Reiki. Just enjoy having received your Reiki attunement(s). Rest. Heal. Let Reiki be with you.
You do not give up anything to learn Reiki. Reiki does not test you in any way. Reiki is not a cult. It does not come between you and your religious beliefs. You do not need to change any of your core beliefs.
Instead, Reiki opens doors and windows of learning, opportunity, and enlightenment for you…if that is what you want. For some, changes are apparent, immediate, and outward. For others, changes are slow, careful, discreet. It all depends on you, your situation, your life path.
Some students, after receiving their attunements, internalize their new skills. Reiki is private, intimate, internal.
Other students use their newfound skills, practice Reiki and give sessions at every opportunity.
Neither way is better than the other. In all cases, Reiki assists you on your path. For me, there is nothing more beautiful than to travel one’s life path.
Thank you for reading this blog post. Please refer it to your preferred social media network.
Thurman Greco
heart with wings
Guided Meditations: 3 Ways They Change Your LIfe – Awaken, Transform, and Heal
Guided meditations awaken, transform, heal. Guided meditations are change agents.
But, whether a meditation awakens, transforms, or heals, it points you inward to your own strength. This is a direction which benefits us all. Many people focus outward for strength. They search for persons, actions, or objects when the goal they seek is right at home, within themselves.
I’ve used guided meditations to begin reflexology, Reiki therapy, chakra healing, massage sessions. I’ve also used them to end sessions. They are effective when you need action.
Guided meditations help classroom situations. If I feel my students are nervous or out-of-sorts in some way, I use a guided meditation.
Guided meditations are essential for Reiki attunements, and for any situation when a person needs to listen, rest, be still, and learn new ways to be and do.
I think we’re going to do many new things in the near future. Listening, resting, and being still are all prerequisites to embracing a new life.
Guided meditations help a person understand a new reality more deeply. For me, this pandemic offers each of us a new reality. A door is opening for us.
Guided meditations are good with grieving and overcoming fear. And thanks giving. And loving.
By now, you know I turn to guided meditations at every opportunity.
Guided meditation open doors of higher consciousness leaving the past behind. These open doors awaken us to answers which our inner spirits hold.
When we wake our higher consciousness, we transform our lives, improve the quality of our lives and tap more deeply into the higher self.
Transformation facilitates change. Put plainly and simply, transformation encourages calm, serenity, grounding.
The transformation provided by a guided meditation helps reduce stress, headaches, chronic pain.
A guided meditation focusing on healing can be a form of prayer. It taps into what your unlimited higher self can offer.
In the midst of this pandemic, a guided meditation can help you release tension, anger, fear, anxiety, and other illness-causing emotions.
A guided meditation focusing on healing will lead you to your inner strength. It will encourage you to become more comfortable with the new reality this pandemic may produce for you.
Current events throughout our planet convince me we are all on the brink of everything. The future awaits. A guided meditation focusing on healing will allow you to let go and enjoy the goodness to come.
A guided meditation can allow your to love yourself. When this happens, you will have a powerful healing tool. This can encourage your fearlessness.
***********
The next post will focus on how to create your own guided meditations to use in whatever situation you need.
Thank you for reading this post.
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Thurman Greco
The First Chakra and Reflexology
All 7 of the major Chakras are reflected in our feet. They line up on the spine and they relate to energy centers found on the body. The first Chakra is found at the base of the spine.
The reflex point for the first Chakra is located on the heel of both feet. First Chakra issues are concerned with
security
survival
connection to our earth – our environment
issues with grounding
one’s connection to the community
protection
FOR ME, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN ABOUT FIRST CHAKRA ISSUES WITHOUT QUESTIONING:
Have you put down roots? Or are unable to establish a home?
Do you find it hard to move ahead in life? Or, are you unable to let go of your family?
Do you feel vulnerable? Are you refusing to budge?
Do you eat properly?
Do you hang onto unhealthy relationships?
Can you receive?
Can you give?
Are you in a rut?
Are you afraid of change, even if it is positive?
Are you in your body?
Are you controlling?
There are many first Chakra phrases using the word “heel”:
Cool your heels
Down at your heels
Well heeled
Take to your heels
Drag your heels
Achilles heel
I’m sure you can come up with even more.
Fear is a first Chakra issue. Fear is a culprit in almost every disease, health issue, and problem we encounter in life. Fear keeps us all from being the totally healthy beings we were born to be.
We carry fear over from past lives. And, if you don’t believe in past life issues, just skip them and think for a few minutes about the fear issues we carry from childhood. We can be perfectly rational adults and still carry fear baggage around. Sometimes I see clients whose fear issues weigh more than their physical bodies weigh. Many obese people are holding fear in the form of extreme fat around their bodies.
If you and/or your client partners want to be healthy, it’s important to have a balanced first Chakra. There are several ways to balance one’s first Chakra:
Reflexology for the Spirit sessions offer homeostasis which is the balance of all body systems.
Reiki therapy sessions balance the Chakras.
Meditation. Set aside a few minutes daily to meditate on a balanced Chakra system. The first Chakra needs to be grounded. Take time each day to listen to what your body tells you. If you listen, it will never lie to you. If you listen, you will know when you are not grounded and when your Chakras are not balanced.
It is also easy to tell how balanced your first Chakra is by observing your hips. What is the range of movement for your hips, knees, and ankles? How do they feel? Your ankles, knees, and hips move you forward in this world. They keep you balanced. Stability is important for the first Chakra. Pain, tightness, restricted movement, and inflexibility are strong indicators of a need to balance the first Chakra.
Physically, the first Chakra governs 3 systems:
Immune System
Skeletal System
Lower Digestive Tract.
When you work with your client partner’s first chakra, you offer an opportunity for increased self awareness. What a gift you give!
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Photos provided by Renee Ruwee
Thurman Greco
Menopause
What can I say? Two words that come to mind about menopause:
explore
discover
FOR STARTERS, VERY LITTLE IS ACTUALLY KNOWN ABOUT MENOPAUSE. Each woman experiences it differently. It’s a time when the body begins to change and there’s not much we can do beyond just try to enjoy the trip.
If you spent your 30s and 40s caring for others and putting your needs on hold, you can now find out what you want to do in life, find your passion.
Ask “What do I want out of life…for me?”
MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF. Follow your bliss! Become a gorgeous butterfly as you discover your new way of being and embrace this new chapter of your life.
As you become aligned with the new self which is emerging, try to be as healthy as possible. Nourish yourself with diet, exercise, Feed your spirit as well as your body.
COME OUT OF THIS CHANGE KNOWING YOURSELF MORE DEEPLY. Drop all the labels. Know who you are spiritually.
And, don’t forget the reflexology for the spirit sessions. Homeostasis is very important from here on out.
Open the menopause sessions with luscious foot warm ups.
Work the endocrine system to balance the body and soul during this important time in your life. Focus on the pituitary gland reflexes, the thyroid and parathyroid reflexes, the ovary reflexes, and the uterus reflexes.
Move to the nervous system and focus on the brain reflexes.
End the session with focus on the solar plexus and liver.
On behalf of women everywhere, I thank yo for reading this blog/book.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual Syndrome is a collection of many uncomfortable symptoms accompanying women’s menstrual cycles.
PMS causes the following symptoms:
negative moods
headaches
food cravings
fluid retention
decreased energy
depression
emotional imbalance
weight gain
water retention
constipation
forgetfulness.
And, that’s not the whole list. It’s just the symptoms that came to mind first.
PMS is on the rise. It’s a situation made worse by stressful situations in women’s lives as well as increased toxicity caused by artificial hormones now found in increasing quantities in our food, water, and environment in general.
On the spiritual level, PMS flourishes in situations where women suffer with anger, confusion, fear, frustration, inferiority, rejection, self-doubt. PMS accompanies situations where women feel a need to hold on to past hurts they’ve received from men. Women suffering with PMS experience a need for more strength and power.
Dietary changes can often help:
Eat more fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy, vegetables, whole grains.
Eat less dairy, fat meat, and sugar.
Eating organic foods is important because they have fewer environmental estrogens.
Detoxing the intestinal tract and liver will help.
It will be helpful to take probiotics. In order to be sure you’re not wasting your money, consult with Liz at Village Vitality (Woodstock Apothecary ) 845-679-0790. Liz will also work with you to determine if you are getting enough of the proper vitamins and minerals for your situation.
Overcoming the negative aspects of PMS will probably not happen overnight but the situation will improve over time…especially if you include regular reflexology sessions to encourage homeostasis.
When offering reflexology for the spirit to a client-partner suffering with PMS, begin by working the endocrine system. Focus on the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, ovary, and uterus reflexes.
Work the nervous system as you focus on the brain reflexes.
Work the urinary system as you focus on the kidney reflexes.
Finish the session by working the solar plexus and liver.
If cramps are involved, use the following protocol:
Begin the session by working the solar plexus and diaphragm reflexes.
Work the endocrine system and focus on the thyroid, parathyroid gland reflexes and the uterus reflexes.
Finish the session by focusing on the spine and spinal cord reflexes.
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Thurman Greco
Infertility and Reflexology
EXPERIENCING INFERTILITY CAN BE DEVASTATING TO A COUPLE. People feel they’ve been victimized. Life sometimes ceases to have meaning for some. They become depressed, jealous. Marriages sometimes fall apart. People feel rejected, abandoned, inadequate, sad.
INFERTILITY HAS MANY CAUSES – both physical, and emotional: environmental, hormonal, genetic. Drug usage, stress, blocked fallopian tubes or testicles, unconscious fears, childhood abuse, can all contribute to infertility.
In this country, people don’t often think of reflexology to help with infertility issues. In other parts of the world, people trying to overcome infertility issues use the services of a reflexologist successfully.
If you’re offering reflexology to a couple dealing with infertility, begin the session by working the solar plexus and diaphragm reflexes.
Work the entire endocrine system and then focus on the pituitary gland reflexes, the ovary and testicle reflexes, and finally, the uterus and prostate reflexes.
Finish the session by returning to the solar plexus and then the liver reflexes.
REFLEXOLOGY SESSIONS NOT ONLY STIMULATE THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS BUT THEY ALSO HELP BALANCE ALL THE BODY SYSTEMS. This is extremely important to a couple trying to create new life.
AND, I OFFER A FINAL SUGGESTION. There are many reasons for infertility. Some are spiritual. This may be a time for you to review what may be your life path and goals. There are many, many children and other animals in dire need at this time on our planet. At the risk of totally upsetting everyone who reads this blog, I submit to you that possibly your path includes embracing one or more of these precious beings into your life instead of bringing a new life into embodiment.
IS THE UNIVERSE TELLING YOU SOMETHING? Listen carefully. There are many ways to use your caring, nurturing, and creative energy for the benefit of all mankind. There are many creatures in need of the love you have to offer.
On behalf of the many needy beings on this planet, I thank you for reading this blog/book.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Endocrine System – very important for both physical and spiritual health
THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM IS MADE UP OF A SERIES OF GLANDS INCLUDING SEVERAL GLANDS WHICH WORK TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS. They include the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroids, thymus, adrenals, pancreas, and ovaries/testes. In addition to working to maintain homeostasis, the glands of the endocrine system work together to regulate our metabolism, growth, reproduction, and body chemistry.
Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. They work with other body systems and are important to the overall function of a person in everyday life. It’s important that the different Endocrine glands work well.
THE HYPOTHALAMUS, PITUITARY, AND PINEAL GLANDS ARE LOCATED IN THE BRAIN IN THE AREA BEHIND THE EYES. They all three interact with the nervous system. It’s believed that the hypothalamus controls the “mother” gland because it’s believed to coordinate the functions of the other endocrine glands in addition to regulating growth, blood pressure, and sexual development.
When a person is stressed emotionally and spiritually, the pituitary reflex becomes sensitive. Sometimes it’s so sensitive to the reflexologist’s touch that it can’t be worked. When this happens, go to the pituitary gland reflex on the hands and work there.
The pineal gland produces melatonin which is responsible for sleep patterns. Many people believe the pineal gland functions as our “third eye” and works with our spiritual and psychic development.
THE THYROID AND PARATHYROID GLANDS ARE LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE THROAT. They’re attached to the wind pipe with the thyroid in front and the parathyroids in back. The parathyroids are believed to control calcium and bone metabolism. The thyroid, a very important gland, coordinates how everything in our body works. The thyroid is to the body what the gas pedal is to a car. People with thyroid imbalances often experience anger.
The thymus is a gland located a couple of inches below the thyroid and parathyroids. This gland offers support to the immune system. Our thymus is a certain size when we are born and does not get much larger as we grow up and age. This leads some professionals to believe the thymus is more important in infanthood and childhood than in adulthood. Here again, we have a spiritual gland. The thymus works better when we feel more positive about ourselves.
The pancreas is partially an endocrine gland which works in close conjunction with the digestive system. The pancreas has two parts: endocrine and exocrine. The endocrine part of the pancreas is called the Islets of Langerhans. This is where insulin is produced.
THE ADRENALS ARE LOCATED ABOVE THE KIDNEYS. They work closely with the nervous system to maintain fluid and mineral balance. The adrenals are easily felt because we experience them as “butterflies” in our stomach when we are suddenly nervous. Prolonged stress overload has a negative effect on the adrenals. When the adrenals get overstressed it takes time and effort by the practitioner to return them to balance.
THE OVARIES IN THE FEMALE AND THE TESTES IN THE MALE ARE ENDOCRINE GLANDS. This is a point of creativity in the body. They are managed by the pituitary gland.
KEEPING THE VARIOUS ENDOCRINE GLANDS BALANCED IS IMPORTANT TO US ALL. Sometimes, when an endocrine gland is not balanced, our whole (physical, mental, spiritual, emotional) reflects this imbalance and is affected negatively by it. Reflexology for the Spirit sessions help balance our endocrine system.
AN EXAMPLE OF A NICE SESSION IS TO FOCUS THE ENTIRE SESSION ON THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM. The importance of endocrine balance cannot be overestimated. One effective way to focus on the endocrine system is to offer rotations (about 10 rotations per point) to each of the endocrine glands in the following order: solar plexus, pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid, liver, adrenal glands, ovaries/testes. Then, finally, return to the solar plexus.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Muscular System Bottom Line, 12 Essential Oils, 24 Foods That Nourish The Muscular System and 3 Improvements to be Expected from Sessions to the Muscular System
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Maintaining the muscular system with Reflexology for the Spirit sessions helps improve both the circulatory and skeletal systems. The ability of muscles to function directly impacts the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual life of a person.
One’s emotional and spiritual health directly impacts how the muscles function, the ability to maintain a proper body weight, and to maintain muscle tone, especially as one ages. Exercise is recommended to release endorphins that interact with the receptors in the brain to promote positive feelings, and when a client decides to start working out this will be a boon to you.
ESSENTIAL OILS TO USE WHEN WORKING THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM INCLUDE basil, fennel, geranium, German chamomile, helichrysum, lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, wintergreen
FOODS WHICH NOURISH THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM INCLUDE beans, caffeine, Brazil nuts, cherries, chicken, dairy, dried plums, eggs, figs, legumes, liver, meat, nuts, oily fish, oysters, peanuts, raisins, rose hip tea, soy, turkey, water, wheat germ, whole grains, yeast.
Of the foods on the above list, the following foods are also on Johnny Bowden, Ph.D.’s list of the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth:
beans, caffeine, Brazil nuts, eggs, figs, liver(calf’s liver), milk(raw), nuts, oysters, peanuts/peanut butter, raisins, yogurt.
So, you’ve actually got two lists here. The top list is the list of foods nourishing the muscular system. The second list is those foods on Johnny Bowden’s list. This gets a little complicated but is worth knowing. Please let me know if you have problems with the information and how it’s listed.
IMPROVEMENTS TO BE EXPECTED FROM SESSIONS TO THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM:
Working the muscular system in a session can relax the whole body as well as specific places in the body.
Muscular aches and pains are relieved and muscular stress and tension can be reduced.
As the body relaxes with repeated, regular sessions, homeostasis offers balance to the body and the spirit.
Peace and food for all.
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Thurman Greco
Reflexology Blog – Muscular System
OUR BODIES CONTAIN OVER 600 MUSCLES, AND THEY ARE IN EVERY BODY PART, GLAND, AND ORGAN. Muscles work in tandem with the bones in our skeletal system to enable a body to move, circulate blood, help maintain posture, and produce heat and energy. They are controlled by that command center referred to in the Nervous System.
There are three types of muscles: cardiac, smooth, or skeletal.
CARDIAC MUSCLES EXIST ONLY IN THE HEART where they form the heart walls. The cardiac muscle works alone and is autonomous. Smooth muscles are involuntary and are found in the walls of internal organs like as the stomach and blood vessels. Both the cardiac muscle and smooth muscle tissues do their work involuntarily with no help from us. They are activated through the autonomic nervous system as well as hormonal action.
THE MAJORITY OF THE BODY’S MUSCLES ARE SKELETAL. The system includes the tendons that attach muscles to bone and the connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles. Skeletal muscles move voluntarily and are used for every kind of motion – walking, speaking, running. These are the muscles which move us forward in life.
SEDENTARY PEOPLE WHO DON’T STIMULATE THEIR MUSCLES TO WORK FIND THEIR MUSCLES ATROPHY. Statistics prove that a sedentary life style leads to depression and emotional and spiritual malaise. Reflexology supports the activation of muscle function through exercise resulting in more positive and alive feelings.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
