Tara Sanders: Healing, Yoga, and Reflexology
healing, yoga, and reflexology
As reflexologists, we add new clients to our practice often. Healing, yoga, and reflexology are important here. Depending on your personality, or your practice, you may ask a few or many questions from them on the intake forms and in the initial interviews.
Trauma is one area of a person’s life which we rarely approach. It is just too hidden, too destructive.
This is wise. Trauma is a subject which our client partners need to bring up when the time is right for them to share. Because nothing is said doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. It just means that the person isn’t comfortable discussing it.
Because, in reality, 1 woman in 4 has experienced domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Personally, I question the 1-in-4 statistic. No woman reports domestic violence or sexual assault if she can possibly avoid it. Reporting is simply too painful.
When I first spoke with Tara Sanders, a Woodstock based yoga instructor and program director in the nonprofit Exhale to Inhale I was suddenly very alert. I realized that we, as reflexologists, need to be more sensitive to the secrets and hidden traumas of our client partners.
Exhale to Inhale yoga works to empower survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to heal through yoga. Exhale to Inhale yoga guides women through postures, breathing, meditation. Taught in trauma sensitive style, practitioners are enabled to ground themselves in
their bodies
their strength
their stillness.
As this happens, the women connect to themselves. They work toward empowerment and worthiness. This practice can be transformative for survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence when they shed the cloak of victimhood.
Healers, reflexologists, and body workers have long known that when a person is traumatized, the event is stored in the muscles.
We also know that reflexology sessions are given a boost when combined with other modalities such as yoga, meditation, breathing, Reiki therapy, and massage.
Tara teaches the classes without music. She does not touch the students to correct a posture. Lights remain on throughout the class. These sessions offer survivors an opportunity to reclaim their lives through the healing and grounding of yoga.
Tara uses the yoga classes to help her students feel safe, strong, in the present moment. As she teaches, she is a conduit for healing and healthful programs in our community. Reflexology for the Spirit practitioners are also conduits for healing as we work the reflex points to encourage homeostasis.
Exhale to Inhale is a New York-based nonprofit offering free weekly yoga classes to survivors of domestic and sexual assault. After June 20, Exhale to Inhale yoga classes will be taught free of charge to women in area shelters in Upstate New York.
Not everyone has a Tara Sanders available in the community. However, it’s possible to suggest reflexology sessions offered in tandem with yoga, meditation, breathing classes. Whether or not you are aware of your client partner’s experience with trauma or domestic violence is not important. What is important is that you invite your client partner to experience this boost to your modality. Think of healing, yoga, and reflexology as a package.
Hopefully one day soon, there will be more Tara Sanders yoga teachers in communities everywhere.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Jennette Nearhood provided the media.
Thurman Greco
One Thing Everyone Needs
WHEN YOU COMMIT TO making health a priority, it becomes a part of your everyday life. This commitment is one thing everyone needs. You become conscious of how your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual systems work together and how they change daily. You listen to the messages your body sends.
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT something is not right, you work to bring about balance. Homeostasis offers an opportunity to honor the body as a complex system. Homeostasis occurs when this system is in balance. This is the one thing everyone needs.
WHEN YOU FOCUS ON your overall health as the pieces fit together and make sense.
The food you eat goes
with the sleep you get goes
with the exercise you get goes
with the information you receive from your body goes
with the supplements you take goes
with the importance of homeostasis.
The balance we all seek is what I define as health. This can be a challenge. One thing is sure:
for my money we can’t have good health without homeostasis.
Health is different for everyone. As we go through life, we have to figure out what works for each of us. In the 21st century, there is no one “right” answer to a health question. There are, instead, several good answers for each question. We empower ourselves to make the right personal decision based on:
our own health goals,
personal health circumstances,
the advice of professional healthcare professionals.
The important thing is to take control of the body and the future of our health.
Taking control means being well informed about our options. We have to know the difference between what options are “good” and what options are “not so good”. The power to choose a path based on practical information is strong. The informed choices we make guide us down the path to health.
Curing disease starts with preventing it.
Empowerment brings responsibility. We won’t know which options are right for us until we know ourselves and our bodies intimately. Good decision making involves knowing:
our physiology,
genetics,
unique health conditions,
and what we consider to be important.
The next series of articles will explore the answer to the question “What is Health?”
Some of the information shared in these posts will work for you and your client partners. Some of it will not. After all, everyone:
is different.
has choices to make.
Hopefully you’ll find things that will work for both you and your client-partners. At the end of this section of the book, both you and your client partners should be empowered by the information shared. This is the one thing everyone needs.
Thank you for joining me in this journey as we explore homeostasis and health.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
I hope you found this helpful. Please leave your comments below and check out the other posts.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Artwork provided by Jennette Nearhood
Envision Balance and Wellness
Envision balance and wellness, homeostasis, or whatever you want.
After including reflexology in your life, the most important thing you can do to bring about homeostasis is to become aware of the path you are now on..
We’re never going to get where we need to go unless we know:
where we’re going,
how we’re going to get there,
what we’re going to do when we arrive. .
This may seem like a subject that doesn’t belong in a reflexology text book, but it really does. If you’re going to help people get to a better place health wise, they need to know where they are going. Not everyone knows about setting goals. As you teach them goal setting they’ll envision the balance and wellness which is best for themselves and their health. And, you, likewise will benefit from setting your own goals.
Learning the importance of how to envision balance and wellness is a good start.
Sometimes, client partners come to a reflexologist, massage therapist, or whomever. After a few visits they begin to feel better and forget why they came in the beginning. Then they stop coming. Without lecturing, teach them that energy follows intent.
Your client partners need to see Reflexology for the Spirit as a process, not a pill. Keep them (and yourself) focused on what you find as you reflex their feet. You do this when you learn, gently, what is happening in their lives and their visits to other healthcare professionals.
Review, periodically, how their feet have changed, and how these changes affect their health in general as they envision balance and wellness.
You can keep your client partners focused on the goal if you know what it is. So, an important question to ask during the first visit is “Why did you come today? And, why not 6 months ago? Or 2 months ago?”
When you can get the answer to that question, you’ll both be on the way to balance and wellness (homeostasis) through a health goal.
Many healthcare professionals recognize health red flags. These flags differ from professional to professional. They can be
test results
client appearance
client remarks.
Red flags for a Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner include:
fatigue
loss of appetite
fever
pain
itching
boils
irritation
inflammation
headaches
feeling jumpy or uneasy
coated tongue
halitosis
colitis
sinusitis
stomach ulcers
canker sores
boils
cancer
Many of your client partners may have multiple issues.
Each individual is unique. But, homeostasis is a goal that all can seek.
When this happens, the body is in a good health balance.
Disease is a sign that the flow toward homeostasis has reversed. So, the red flag words become markers teaching how far away from homeostasis the body has drifted.
You, as the Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner, are concerned with a person as a whole. You work to create a natural balance that is wellness oriented.
You seek to expand the positive potential for good health in all areas.
Disease prevention is the best medicine.
Thanks for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Thurman Greco
WhiteHawk Shares Her Reflexology Chart
Please meet WhiteHawk.
Reflexology wouldn’t be what it is today without the many charts created by reflexologists over the years.
The charts are, to my mind, all accurate and all wonderful. They vary greatly depending on the abilities, skills, and experience of the reflexologist creating them. When I say this, I mean not only the skills, abilities, and experience of the reflexologist but also the skills, abilities, and experience of the reflexologist as an artist.
Several years ago, I found the work of WhiteHawk. She is not only an accomplished reflexologist but also a wonderful artist. She has a website that shows a few of her gorgeous paintings.
WhiteHawk has a chart. I contacted her and received permission to share this chart with you. As you study it, you’ll notice a few points that are exclusively “WhiteHawk points.” These points are hers alone, as far as my research reveals. These points represent healing places which WhiteHawk has successfully explored in her career.
When you examine/study a new chart for the first time, please take note of any special points. Use them on your client-partners. See how they work for you. Special points on WhiteHawk’s chart include the jaw, hernia point, Ha-Ku point, and shoulder tension.
The WhiteHawk Ha-Ku point is important. It is found on some hand points but never on feet. The Ha-Ku point can also be found on some ear points. I’ve used this point and find that it works in my practice.
And, of course, WhiteHawk’s shoulder tension point can become very important in your practice. I don’t know how it is for your practice, but my client partners have a lot of shoulder tension.
Thanks for reading this blog/book.
Please send a comment.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media.
Thurman Greco
Reflexology chart shared by WhiteHawk.
The Spirituality of the Shoulders
On your shoulders, you carry the weight of the world:
the work you do
your friends, enemies, relatives, neighbors
housing
mothers-in-law
loved ones who are sick
The operative word here is RESPONSIBILITY. The important thing here is to not neglect yourself in the midst of carrying the weight of the world.
When you are neglecting your own needs, your own activity may be hindered.
When things in your life are not going as they should, or as you hoped, your body will speak to you with:
hunched shoulders,
tense shoulder muscles,
frozen shoulder,
painful shoulders.
When you experience discomfort or malfunction in your shoulders, stop and ask yourself how you can make changes in your activities and lifestyle which will release blockages which cause pain and stiffness.
Are you hugging the wrong people?
Are you anxious?
Are you fearful?
Are you overwhelmed?
Do you need fun in your life?
Take a few moments out of each day for yourself and your shoulders. Try to focus on solutions instead of problems. Seek out guided meditations which allow you to breathe deeply and release your worries.
Encourage yourself to relax completely for a few minutes each and every day. Find a safe place. Turn on some quiet music, get comfortable and breathe deeply from your abdomen. Encourage your shoulders to heal as you send energy to them. Guide the energy from your heart to your shoulders and down your arms and hands to the tips of your fingers. Open your diaphragm.
Relax. Rejuvenate. Release. Renew.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
I hope you found this post helpful. Please leave your comments below and check out other posts.
Don’t forget to join the mailing list.
Michele Garner provided the artwork in today’s post.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Spirituality of the Sinuses
Our sinuses are very spiritual. They:
are connected to our sense of smell which moves back and forth through time as aromas and scents are drawn in through our nose.
give resonance to the voice, so important to communication.
are front line protection against foreign invaders as they prevent dust, germs, and other foreign particles from entering the lungs.
reduce the weight of the skull because they are empty cavities. This is important because the skull sits on small neck bones.
A gift you can give to your sinuses is work them in self-administered reflexology sessions. Sinuses love reflexology, especially hand reflexology.
Short meditations also help the sinuses offer more protection.
Begin by finding a quiet, safe place.
Breathe in and out consciously for about 2 minutes. Breathe slowly and mindfully. Allow your breathing to become regular, grounded.
As you breathe, allow your sinuses to clear and heal. Offer your sinuses an opportunity to function at their maximum health, and well-being level.
At this point, speak to your inner self. Give yourself permission to feel safe, protected, lovingly cared for….out of harm’s way.
Now, relax for a minute or two. Close your eyes and visualize receiving caring attention and support.
End this session by moving slowly for a minute.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please share this article with your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Spirituality of the Spine
Spines – backs – are very spiritual body parts. Experience has taught me that 50% of us have issues with our backs – both spiritual issues and physical ones.
Our backs are divided into 3 parts:
The upper back houses anger, guilt, resentment, shame. A major focal point is survival.
The middle back balances different stresses which move us in different ways daily. It allows us to bend and move whenever and however needed.
The lower back is concerned with weight and responsibility as much as support and security.
We hold traumas in our backs. Incidents occur throughout our lives which leave deposits in the muscles. Eventually, the stresses build up and the result is anything from a dull pain to sharp spasms. And, finally, a small incident may cause the back to collapse. Our body speaks through this back pain.
When it all becomes overwhelming, the body says “Too Much!”
Often, people suffering with back issues know instinctively what they need to do to bring healing and relief to their situation.
Some people need chiropractic help. Others need surgery. Even others need pain medication, massage, meditation.
Get quiet in a secluded place.
Slowly scan your body for areas of pain – whether they be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
Now, ask your higher self what needs to happen for your back issues to heal.
How does your body feel? What can you do for yourself to feel better?
Begin to cultivate your inner healer so you will have the insight and the power to meet your health needs.
Repeat this meditation regularly so you can gain access to spinal wellness.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Spirituality of the Sciatic Nerves
We are deep in emotional/spiritual territory with the sciatic nerves. Once a person experiences sciatic pain, the issues are pretty serious.
The sciatic nerves run from the center of the back down the leg. When sciatic nerves confront issues, the pain goes from the back and down the leg(s).
Medical help is often necessary to relieve the pain. However, to deal with the emotional/spiritual issues, a different kind of work is also needed.
Nerve issues are concerned with communication, sensitivity, standing up for oneself. Core beliefs are involved because the pain goes through the back. Moving forward is a challenge because the legs are involved.
When I see a person suffering with sciatic pain, I often see someone who needs to go in a different direction and for whatever reason is having a difficult time with this. The feeling is that things are almost impossible.
Sometimes the person needs more support. Coping with everything alone is just getting to be too hard.
At other times, insight is needed regarding what is actually happening here. The person is suffering at the spiritual/emotional level and the physical body follows up with sciatic issues.
At the bottom of these issues is fear:
fear of one’s survival
fear of money issues
fear of rejection
fear of honesty
Give yourself this supportive meditation. Work with it until you’re comfortable with it. Once that happens, you can have much needed positive outcomes.
Begin this meditation by finding a safe, quiet place where you focus for a few minutes.
Breathe in positive, supportive energy and breathe out any negativity and fear you may be experiencing. Breathe for 1-2 minutes in this way.
Then, create a spiritual support group for yourself. Invite in positive energy you need to overcome the fear. Invite in angels and archangels. Include ascended masters if you want or saints. Invite in whomever you feel can help you in a positive way.
What’s important is that you invite in those you feel can be supportive.
One by one, invite members of your spiritual support group to come take a seat beside you.
Allow these supportive group members to support you and help you move forward to overcome issues causing fear. Allow them to offer advice and insight into your situation.
After a few minutes it’s time for your support group members to go.
Remember to invite your supportive group circle to offer you encouragement whenever you feel the need. When you invite them in, you are taking steps to overcome your issues.
Remember to invite them in to support you when you are concerned about the future and what it brings. Invite them to help you cope with doubts and fears. Share your emotional pain and anxiety.
When the session is over, remember to thank these spiritual supporters for all they are doing to help you through this difficult time.
Thank you for reading this book/blog.
Please leave a comment.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Thurman Greco
Peace and food for all.
Artwork donated by Jennette Nearhood
The Spirituality of the Prostate
Although the prostate gland is small, it suffers and reflects the conditions of a man’s emotional/spiritual life. So, life has a big impact on prostate health.
Worthiness and acceptance issues affect the prostate. The prostate reflects inner conflicts and confidence. Feelings of being stuck in life or in a life situation have a direct impact on the health of the prostate.
Find a quiet, safe place. Go there and get comfortable. Either sit or lie down. What matters is that you feel safe and comfortable.
Turn on some quiet music if you want.
Take a few deep breaths in which you breathe in positivity and breathe out negativity. Let go of as much as you can when you exhale.
Use the inhaling moments to think about ways in which you feel confident and have much self confidence.
After a few moments, begin to ask yourself a few questions:
How do you feel about yourself?
Are you able to express your thoughts and feelings easily?
How can you get rid of feelings of failure?
What can you do to release feelings of being stuck?
Now, for a couple of moments, focus on ways you can increase the happiness quotient in your life.
Focus on this for a few moments as you begin again to inhale positivity, confidence, and empowerment. Exhale all feelings of negativity.
When you have done this, begin to move around and return to your regular daily routine.
Repeat this exercise whenever you feel stuck and unhappy with life.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Artwork provided by Sanghi
The Spirituality of the Pituitary Gland
The Pituitary Gland is the mother gland of the endocrine system. This makes it a pretty important component of the physical/spiritual body.
Even though the pituitary gland is only the size of a large lima bean, it secretes hormones that affect organs throughout the body:
kidneys
breast
uterus
bones
soft tissues,..
Other endocrine glands that are controlled by the pituitary include:
adrenals
thyroid
testes
ovaries.
With a healthy pituitary, we feel balanced. We are able to think clearly and have a sharp memory. We do not feel fearful or threatened and we are able to make good decisions.
To encourage your pituitary function, keep a short journal and spend about 5-6 minutes every day writing. The goal is to clear out confusion and disorder. Writing in this journal will allow you to let go of mental and emotional clutter.
You will be less burdened by pressures. When this happens, you will open up space in your life for things like compassion, creativity, and forgiveness.
Write about whatever comes into your mind without worrying about spelling or grammar. Focus on feelings, dreams, hopes.
As you do this, you will open paths to openness and healing. You will access your deeper self.
Dedicate this journal to a healthy pituitary.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Please send a comment.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
