Now is the time to focus self-care on flu prevention.
I went over to the Village Apothecary yesterday and got a flu vaccine. Two weeks ago, I went over there and got the RSV injection.
With our busy and overcrowded lives, vaccines are easy to push off into nowhere. That is not a good policy. So, I’m here to remind you:
Don’t forget your vaccines. Now is the time to prevent flu, RSV, and Covid.
My recommendation is that if you are 60 or older, you should get your RSV vaccine NOW.
You can even get both the RSV and your flu vaccine at the same time.
I opted to get my two vaccines two weeks apart because I got the “high dose” version of the flu vaccine.
I scheduled a Reiki therapy session after each vaccination.
Get your COVID vaccine as soon as it is available.
Hopefully a big demand will emerge in your community with your pharmacy going gangbusters for a couple of weeks. And, hopefully there will not be a need for an appointment.
After you’ve gotten your vaccines, please do three more things:
Mark your calendar to receive your boosters in April.
Get your shingles, and pneumonia vaccines. ,
Collect herbs which you feel are relevant to your good health and put them in a small bag or tie them in a small cloth. Now, place this bag, in your asphidity bag, and wear it around your neck or keep in a pocket.
Finally, do a fun thing.
And, one more thing. Give yourself a treat!
Thanks for reading this article! If you want more info, contact me at thurmangreco.com.
Please forward this article to your social media network and to your family and friends.
Regular Reflexology and/or Reiki therapy sessions offer healing. 
If you enjoy the blog posts, you’ll enjoy my weekly shows on YOUTUBE. This program has been running, with a few timeouts, now and then, for over 15 years. My program is an entertaining and informative hour with no rehearsals. You can find it on Woodstock’s own TV channel 23 or on YOUTUBE.
My guests are people whose lives have brought them to Woodstock for a day, a week, an hour, a decade or more.
I can truthfully boast that my guests report they enjoyed the experience and will be happy to return. Both the blog and the show are a means to healing for viewers and healers.
Check out my books at www.thurmangreco.com. They make wonderful gifts.
This book has gone out to 36 countries so far.
Thank you to everyone who got 1 or more copies!
Reiki Healing and your Chakras
Reiki therapy is a specific healing modality used throughout the planet.
Reiki means “Universal Life Energy” and is the word used to describe this system of healing. Reiki is a light touch given to a clothed body to improve the overall wellbeing of the recipient. Using an intention, the Reiki practitioner gives healing energy to an accepting receiver.
The healing energy flows through the hands of the practitioner.
I feel that the Reiki we practice today is old. Its origins are shrouded in the mists of time.
Dr. Mikao Usui developed and used the healing modality we use today. He operated clinics in Japan in the 20th century. Dr. Usui is not only remembered because of the Reiki he developed but also because of his spiritual lifestyle.
Dr. Usui worked with others in his clinic and in his spiritual practice. Two people include Dr. Chujiro Hayashi and Hawayo Takata.
Hawayo Takata brought Reiki to the United States after World War II
It is said that Dr. Usui meditated on one of his five principles daily:
Original Reiki Precepts
Just for Today,
I will not worry
I will not be angry.
I will do my work honestly.
I will count and be grateful for all my many blessings.
I will be kind to every living creature.
When I offer a Reiki session focused on balancing the chakras of the recipient, my client is usually seated or lying face-up on a massage table or other flat surface.
I offer my client a blanket and eye pillow if it’s appropriate.
After setting the intention, I invoke the symbols: Standing at the head of my client, I draw first the ChoKuRei, then SeiHeKi, then HonShaZeShoNen. Finally, I repeat the ChoKuRei again.
I place my hands on the shoulders of my client.
So far, this part of the session should take 5-10 minutes. However, this time length can change with the practitioner. Each practitioner works in a different way so the time will not always be the same for everyone.
I then move to the side of the client and go to the first chakra.
I balance the primary chakras beginning with the root chakra. I balance each chakra by hovering my hands over each chakra about 2 to 6 inches above each chakra. I usually spend about 5 minutes on each one although these times can change depending on the client.
I am an old massage therapist and believe that touching my client will help me do my job better in many situations. As a massage therapist, I feel that I gain a better understanding of what is happening.
However, this is a personal situation and will be determined by your training, and previous experience with not only Reiki but other healing modalities.
A Reiki session works with the physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual levels of a person’s body. On a physical level, many people appreciate the warmth generated by a Reiki practitioner’s hands. On a mental level, the client is often comforted by knowing where the practitioner’s hands are at all times.
Respect your client privacy at all times. It’s important to do the right thing at that moment. Some people do not want to be touched at all, no matter what.
Always respect your client’s privacy. Chakra balancing is extremely intimate work. And, Reiki energy naturally finds its own path, going exactly where it is needed.
The first chakra to be balanced is the root chakra. When I balance this chakra, I place my hands outside the person’s hips where they meet at the base of the spine. This chakra is your client’s connection to the physical world. Trust is an important issue here.
The second, or sacral chakra is located about 1-2 inches below the navel. This chakra is the seat of creativity and inspiration.
After balancing the second chakra I move on to the third or solar-plexus chakra. This is where the upper chakras and lower chakras meet. The solar-plexus chakra is found just above your waistline, where your client feels the chakra as “butterflies”. This chakra is where your client finds her power.
Moving on from the third chakra to the fourth chakra, balance your client’s heart chakra – the center of love, healing, and compassion. Your client’s heart chakra is located in the central chest.
After balancing your client’s fourth chakra, move up to the fifth, or throat chakra. This chakra houses voice and self-expression. As expected, this chakra is located in the throat.
The fifth chakra, the third-eye chakra, is located in the forehead in the area of the eyebrows. The third-eye chakra focuses on intuition and awareness.
The next chakra, the crown chakra, is found toward the top of the head. This is where the higher self and the divine come together.
After balancing each chakra and finally coming to the crown chakra I focus for a few moments at my client’s feet. After all, I’ve come to a full circle along my client’s body. It has been a session of shifts and adjustments – many not yet known by the client. It may take several days for your client to begin to understand what is happening.
A Reiki chakra balancing session can often be repeated more than once or twice in a lifetime. Your client may want to have several weekly or monthly sessions. A few of your chakras may want to be balanced several times until they are happy in their new place.
Whatever the outcome of the chakra balancing session, a few minutes spent at your client’s feet for grounding purposes are a good idea. The options here are many. Have you taken any reflexology classes?
No?
There’s a video out there that might inspire you. You probably won’t spend more than about 5-10 minutes on your client’s feet. You are there to offer a path back to present time for your client.
The are many classes waiting for you on YOUTUBE. Some are mine and some are produced by other teachers. But, whichever one you choose, the idea is to gently finish your session.
One final suggestion: a chakra balancing Reiki session, or a regular Reiki session, are both good for the body and the soul. Every person needs some Reiki every week or so. If you feel you don’t have the budget for this, learn Reiki and partner up with another practitioner.
You can connect with me on Facebook. If you have friends who might enjoy this post, please forward it to your favorite social media network and to your friends.
If you’re looking for more, check out my books. www.thurmangreco.com.
THANKS AGAIN!
Alzheimer’s Disease: This Spiritual Disease is in Your Life Years Before You Know it.
Spiritually, you are overwhelmed with your life’s path and want to run away to another time. You do not want to live your life the way it is now because you lost your sense of belonging. With memory loss, you escaped your roots, your place in your society, and your heritage.
I read somewhere that from one third to one half of people over eighty suffer with this dread disease. I believe these numbers may be overstated. Health professionals write about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with much less certainty than they give their words to heart disease and diabetes.
My experience with Alzheimer’s Disease insists that I share this: much that is written may not apply to your loved one’s situation, no matter the circumstances.
Professionals believe Alzheimer’s has genetic, lifestyle, and environmental causes. Alzheimer’s develops slowly, over time. The same things that put you at risk for heart disease also put you at risk for this disease: sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol scores.
Alzheimer’s patients have trouble thinking, speaking, reasoning, and writing. The personality changes over time. Disorientation is common and personality changes are to be expected. One early warning behavior includes asking the same question over and over and over. A second behavior is forgetting to do familiar things. Finally, misplacing things and finding them in unusual places is a red flag.
Do you practice Reiki therapy, reflexology, or chakra healing? Offering sessions of these modalities can be one of the most significant things you will ever do for an Alzheimer’s patient. Your sessions are a way to spiritually communicate and connect with a person when words no longer work.
Are you a Reiki Master Teacher? Teaching Reiki to a caregiver can be an important gift for both the caregiver and patient. Other people living in the household can be attuned to Reiki. This includes the pets and children.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a thief of a disease. For starters, Alzheimer’s steals your brain. Then, it steals your body. Finally, it steals every penny in your bank and savings accounts.
CHAKRA:
Alzheimer’s is a seventh chakra imbalance.
SUGGESTED HEALING SYSTEMS:
Begin with Conventional medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, and Herbalism. Supplement your allopathic medicine with complementary and alternative medicine techniques wherever possible.
Alzheimer’s Disease responds well to complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine techniques. For now, no treatment can stop the disease. The goal is to slow symptoms and offer whatever relief you can.
REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK:
endocrine system, skeletal system, lymphatics, intestinal system, liver, solar plexus
ESSENTIAL OILS:
cedarwood, eucalyptus, frankincense, German chamomile, ginger, myrrh, nutmeg, patchouli, sandalwood, spikenard.
ACTIVITIES WHICH MAY HELP:
Regular exercise along with reflexology will improve your mood and maintain your health. You’ll sleep better and have fewer constipation problems.
Good nutrition is important.
A calm and stable environment helps.
Keep your schedule regulated.
EMOTIONS EXPERIENCED BY ALZHEIMER’S PATIENTS:
Anger, confusion, depression, fear, frustration, and fear are common. Anxiety is experienced when noise, being rushed, complicated tasks, or crowds happen.
ACTIVITIES TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:
Mentally and socially stimulating activities can reduce your risk. Preventive steps include keeping physically and mentally active.
One of the most important things you can do is keep your heart strong. That means you should keep your blood pressure levels normal. Keep your cholesterol numbers, your weight, and type 2 diabetes numbers in the normal range.
Physical fitness can’t be over emphasized. Take a weekly exercise class. Power walking, swimming, running, regular gym workouts help.
Keep your job as long as you can. If you’re tired of the job you have, get another one. Whatever you do, never quit working.
Keep yourself socially connected to your community. A rich social life is important. Don’t let yourself be lonely.
Take continuing education classes. Learn crochet, carpentry, knitting, musical instruments, paintings, reading, sculpture, quilting. Challenge your mind.
Regular massage, reflexology, Reiki therapy sessions are beneficial. Surf the internet. Get organized. Care for others.
A good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do to keep Alzheimer’s out of your life.
Don’t let yourself get depressed.
A hint: Do all of these things before you experience symptoms. You are fighting Alzheimer’s for years before you have symptoms.
RISK FACTORS:
Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, stress
IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW SUFFERING WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?
One of the most significant things you will ever do for an Alzheimer’s patient is offer reflexology, Reiki therapy and chakra healing sessions to that patient. Your sessions are a truly spiritual way to communicate and connect with a person when words no longer work.
DO YOU KNOW A REIKI MASTER TEACHER? ARE YOU A REIKI MASTER TEACHER:
Teaching Reiki to a person caring for an Alzheimer’s patient can be an important gift for the caregiver and patient both.
Thank you for reading this blog post. Please refer it to your preferred social media network.
Thank you!
Thurman Greco
heart with wings
Positive Longevity: 10 Tips You Can Use
Positive longevity habits always help us if we use them.
GET YOUR SHOTS – Shots can be a royal bore but they can save lives and much disease. These are positive longevity habits. The problem is that we have a tendency to make sure the children and the pets get everything but we skip our own vaccinations. These things should just be added into our schedules.
Vaccines and booster shots can help us avoid things like whooping cough, shingles, hepatitus.
Some people are afraid to vaccinate and immunize themselves and their children. I am not in that camp.
I lived in both Mexico and Venezuela for several years. I am a great grandparent. My life experiences have permitted me to both experience and see other people I know experience some of the planet’s dread diseases. I have seen dengue fever first hand. A friend of mine had typhoid. And on and on and on. I lived through a polio epidemic. Fortunately, no one in our family was struck. But still.
There are some diseases I do not want to have. There are some diseases I do not want anyone I know to have.
My friend who had typhoid was extremely ill. When he finally got over the disease, he was a tragedy to behold. He looked like he was a prison camp survivor.
I have a friend with shingles now. Shingles is a terrible disease I definitely never want to experience.
Vaccinations only take a few moments. They save lives.
Join the prevention club. Get vaccinated.
SCREENINGS ARE A GOOD WAY TO PREPARE FOR A LONG LIFE – Plan for the screenings now. Screenings are positive longevity habits in action. Know what screenings are good in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, …..70’s? In future posts, I’ll list the screenings needed by agecategory. For now, just know that you need to get these screenings periodically.
An easy beginning is an annual trip to your health care provider.
Plan to get your screenings every decade. They are important longevity goals in action.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH – If you are interested in a long healthy life, your teeth are important in your life. Positive longevity habits include attention to every tooth.
When your teeth deteriorate, so does your life. Without teeth, there are a lot of foods you cannot eat because you can’t chew them. This directly impacts your health because you won’t be receiving the nutrients you need. A visit to a dentist at least once a year is important. Learn to brush your teeth properly. Learn about which toothpaste is good for you.
DON’T FORGET YOUR FEET – Your feet move you forward in life so they are important too. For one thing, 25% of the bones in your body are in your feet. Neglected feet may result in painful bunions, corns, warts, and other problems which make walking painful to impossible. Comfortable, well fitting shoes are important.
Regular foot reflexology sessions promote homeostasis, the balance of all body systems. If you are interested in feeling your best, include these sessions regularly.
-DIET IS IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE TO LIVE LONG AND WELL – Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. When you eat lots of veggies and fruits, you can help prevent chronic diseases and…prevent obesity! Select as many colors of produce as you can and go for the leafy greens. These are positive longevity habits in action!
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE SOAP AND WATER IN BATHROOMS. Washing your hands five times a day is a good minimum goal. When you wash your hands often, you’ll be less likely to catch colds and other germy diseases.
STRETCH! Stretching regularly makes sure your daily life is easier as you get in and out of cars, buses, elevators. Stretching regularly will help prevent falls because you’ll have better coordination and balance. Your joints will love you for it. You’ll love your joints because your life will be easier.
KEEP A TO-DO LIST. This will make your life easier day after day after day. Year after year after year. If you keep postponing your to-do list until you need it, it’ll be much harder to include in your life.
Besides, nobody wants someone to tell you that you need to keep a to-do list because you forgot an appointment and stood up some important friends or co-workers.
DO WHAT THE DOCTOR DAYS – As we go through life, it’s a given that we’re going to come down with something. Who knows what? Diabetes, bifocals, a broken bone, high blood pressure, whatever.
When the time comes to take medicine, get glasses, exercise regularly, eat properly, it’s important to do what should be done.
Unless you don’t really care whether you live a long, healthy life or not.
GET A DOG! The happiest people I know are dog owners. Your pet gives you unconditioned love, something you can’t get anywhere else. Dogs also need to be fed at certain times of the day and they need to be walked, communicated with, and enjoyed. These are all activities that have positive outcomes. Go for it!
WHAT DOES YOUR GOOD HEALTH MEAN TO YOU? I hope you’ll take a few moments to define your health care goals and what you hope to get out of longevity.
This is one of the last posts in the longevity articles. It is my sincere hope that you found a few things that resonated for you. I hope you will be a healthier person because of these posts. Thank you for reading this blog.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, New York
