Reflexology For The Spirit

spirituality of one's health

Healing Music – an important part of your toolbox – Part 5

Music is an important component of healing because everything has its very own musical component.

When we speak to one another (or to ourselves), our voices transmit a unique spiritual music.  Each person’s voice is individual.

When we move, our bodies send a tempo representing our feelings at the moment.

Everything around us is musical because we are all composed of energy.

When we offer reflexology or Reiki therapy or chakra healing or any number of other healing modalities, each one has it’s own music.  But, that doesn’t mean that an added layer of healing music isn’t important.  The healing music you play while you heal a person contributes to that person’s wellness.

I have known healers who used only one or two musical selections for everyone.  Other healers had stacks and stacks of cd’s to choose from.

I have also known client partners who preferred a specific song.  One  client partner wanted only a  special song playing when she entered the healing room.  She wanted nothing more.  For her, healing began when she heard the music she chose.   Her choice:  “Nada Himalaya” by Deuter.  New Earth Records produced this CD.

My thoughts on this:  Whatever works for your client is the right choice.

The important thing is not whether I like the music or not.  My preferences don’t matter.   The important thing is that the person who needs and receives the healing responds positively to what she hears.

I have client partners who only want to hear chants.  Others dislike the chants and don’t want to hear them.  My job is to discover what music each client prefers and have it playing during each session.

If you don’t know what to offer, you can’t go wrong with some quiet Bach or Pachelbel.  Music by Steven Halpern or Deuter have been staples in healing rooms for decades.

But, whatever you select, your choice is important, very important.

Not long ago, I lost a client because of the music I selected.  This woman was a recent regular client – coming to my table weekly.  She appeared to be happy with my services and healing modality environment.

She enjoyed a variety of music and I had enough CD’s to offer a different selection at each session.  Then, one day, she walked into the healing room and immediately went on alert.  She was even a little fearful.  I didn’t know why.

Before the end of the session, she commented to me that I was playing her “favorite song”.  The musician was not well known and only had one CD out.   She revealed  me that this love for the music we were listening to was a deep dark secret that she had never shared with anyone.

I had, inadvertently, invaded a  private space she was not prepared to share.

Do I need to tell you what happened to this client?

Every client has a private space where no one can be invited in.  One of the jobs of a healer is to find the  door, make sure it’s locked, and throw away the key.

The music you share in your healing space is as intimate as the work you do.

Thanks for reading this blog article!  Please share it with your preferred  social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

 

 

 

Feel good about your feet!-Healing tools in your toolbox. – Part 4

 

Once you see the soles of your feet as more than just the bottoms of your feet, you find your soul.   You have a better understanding of the path you travel to a deeper consciousness.

I’m a reflexologist, teacher, writer, speaker, dowser.  And, whether I heal, teach, write, speak, or dowse, my intention is the same.

I want us all to become more conscious of our unique selves.

I want us all to take charge of our own healing.

I want us all to release things we don’t need anymore.  This will make room for changes that are important for our current time and place.

As we  journey through life, we discover things about our selves that we never knew.  We rediscover things we once knew but forgot.  And, finally, we see things about our selves which we may have felt weren’t important but now realize they are.

My job is to help you find your feet.

Once you see the soles of your feet as more than just the bottoms of your feet, you find your soul.  You have a better understanding of the path you are traveling to a deeper consciousness.

After awhile, everything falls into place.  For some, this shortens the journey.  For others, it takes months or even years.

Historical references to our feet as healing conductors can be found in the Physicians’ Tomb in Saqqara, Egypt in wall paintings dating back almost to 2400 BCE.

Ancient Chinese writings describe pressure points on thumbs and toes.

The Medicine Teacher Temple in Nara, Japan has stone carvings of Buddha’s feet.

In India, Vishnu paintings highlight points corresponding to reflexology points on feet.

Ayurveda medicine incorporates foot reflexology.

When I work a person’s feet,  I feel as if I’ve opened a book filled with stories, all waiting to be told.  This is the Language of Your Feet.

But, many of you already know this.  You practice reflexology, or some other healing modality, either as a hobby or as a  profession.

But, however we describe our Reiki therapy, our healing modalities, our Yoga classes, our music, our meditations – let us never forget:  These are tools to use throughout life.  They exist to get us through the tough times, the crises.  They “get us down the road” as my grandmother used to say.

I’m so grateful we have these tools!

Thank you for reading this article.  Please share this post with your favorite social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

 

Practicing Reiki-Part 3

When I enrolled in  my first Reiki therapy class,  I was primarily interested in learning  something  I was curious about.  A massage therapist, I regularly participated in continuing education programs.  I liked to learn new things to use in my healing  practice.  Reiki  therapy  interested me because it was so hidden in my area.

I learned Reiki therapy was easy to use, and extremely adaptable.  In short, I loved Reiki.

For the next few years, I was in a Reiki therapy class somewhere learning something at every opportunity.  I liked to tell my classmates that I loved Reiki therapy classes and somehow the universe saw to it that I had enough $$$ to pay for every class I signed up for and that my car had enough gas to get me there.

But, not everyone who studies Reiki therapy is a massage therapist seeking  continuing education credits for annual certification.

Whether healing professionals or not, a question in every student’s mind was “What am I going to do with my new skills?”

Reiki therapy  is a keeper skill.  Once you  receive an attunement, it stays with you – whether or not you consciously use it.  Reiki accompanies you on your life path.

Reiki helps you create your life story.  Because each of us experiences a unique life journey, Reiki therapy is different and inique for each of our needs.  No two people experience Reiki in the same way.

If you received a Reiki attunement 20 or 30 years ago, you  still use it.

Books were few and far between when I learned Reiki.  Today, Reiki books are everywhere it seems.  You have the luxury of picking up any Reiki book that attracts you.

We can all thank Diane Stein for that.  Diane Stein changed the game  in the healing world when she wrote a memoir/expose about her career as a Reiki Master.   “Essential Reiki” is probably still found in book stores and libraries today.

I  have a suggestion for you if you are attuned to Reiki and are not sure what to do next:

Get yourself a spiral notebook, or bound journal, or whatever.

Get yourself an appointment book or calendar.

Call around and tell people you have learned Reiki therapy and are doing your clinicals.  Schedule 100 sessions.

Include your hairdresser, neighbors, friends  and anyone else who might take you up on your offer.  Find   five people  with health issues.  This can include things like MS,  headaches, allergies, low thyroid, cancer.

These five people will  receive five Reiki sessions as close together as you can schedule them.

Everyone else receives one or two sessions.

Record each session in your Reiki journal.  Include the person’s name, address, contact information, and a short description about the session.

At the end of these 100 sessions, you will have learned  much about Reiki, yourself, healing, and life.

Join or start a Reiki circle.  In a Reiki circle, you’ll meet new people and share Reiki on a regular basis.

But, what if you don’t want to do any of these things?

Your new-found Reiki therapy skills are with you – assisting you throughout  each day.   You carry the Reiki energy with you every where you go on your life journey.

How cool is that?

Thank you for reading this article.  Please refer it to your favorite social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

 

 

 

Guided Meditations get you to the next level in your sessions.

I learned about guided meditations in Mary Ruth Van Landingham’s classes at Terra Christa in Vienna, Virginia.  She always included a guided meditation as part of each learning experience.

When Rev. Dan Chesbro taught a class at Terra Christa, he always included a guided meditation.  Looking back on his sessions, I see now they were guided meditations in and of themselves.

I bought three books at Terra Christa: “Meditations for Awakening”, “Meditations for Transformation”, and “Meditations for Healing” by Larry Moen.  These books became part of every work day, whether I was teaching or healing.

The influence of these books on my career was significant.

As a matter of fact, I wore out the Awakening book and had to buy another to replace it.  The other two need to be replaced now.

I’ve bought other guided meditation how-to books over the years.

Two that stand out  include “Guided Imagery for Groups”  by Andrew E. Schwartz and “Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps for Healing, Harmony, and Purification” by Clemence Lefevre.  I’m including them in this list because they are interesting and helpful.  Each book shows how different and honest guided meditations can be.

These 2 books each have a different approach to guided meditations.  Through the years, even though I wore out the Larry Moen books, it was important to me to expand my boundaries and use different information.  That’s how I learned.

Somehow, my learning path included one short class about writing my own guided meditations.  I took an End-of-Life Class at the New York Open Center.  Henry Fersco-Weiss taught this class over a weekend.   He included a short instruction about creating a guided meditation.  It was all I needed.

I knew after that short segment that I could do this on my own.   Even though I’ve written many guided meditations, I always return to Larry Moen’s books.  Specifically, I like to select “Lagoon” on page 20 of “Meditations for Awakening.”  I always go to this meditation in my Reiki 1 classes.

But, when you get into guided meditations, the choices are many.

I hope you’ll be motivated to incorporate guided meditations at every opportunity.

Thanks for reading this article.

Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thurman

 

Your Own Guided Meditation: Relax and Enjoy the Journey

A guided meditation awakens, transforms, heals.   It  creates a journey  so you can fulfill a purpose or reach a goal or answer a question of some kind.  In short, a guided meditation helps you solve a problem you may be experiencing.

Many guided meditations use quiet, calming music to support your journey.  I like  music which doesn’t have abrupt changes.  Whatever music you use, you need something which will not  interfere with your visualization.

Guided meditations work well in groups with one person reading or speaking the meditation aloud.  They also work well for a person alone who reads the meditation or who is listening to it on an audio device.

The best time for a guided meditation is whenever or wherever it works best for you.

Don’t worry if you feel you have fallen asleep during your meditation.  Usually, you have not.

Pauses guide and pace the journey.  They can occur throughout a meditation.  How many, and how long each one is depends on the meditation and the group.  I like to schedule the pauses in the meditation when I  design it.  .

Breathing tempo is established at the beginning of each meditation.  Many people do not breathe deeply enough.  Although shallow breathing is common, meditations call for deeper, slower breathing.  Belly breathing is part of the event.  I set the breathing tempo early in the meditation.

A first step in a guided meditation is to spend a few moments encouraging your recipients to get comfortable.  Try not to rush this part.  Many people are not comfortable in their bodies and may not recognize when they are comfortable – not for a few moments anyway.

Then, the scene emerges.  This can be in a secret room, in a meadow, on the edge of a lake, an the foot of a mountain.  The scene is described.  Meditation recipients are often invited to add their own details mentally as they listen to the unfolding  journey.

After the introduction which sets the scene, the meditation generally involves a journey…walking down a path, riding a canoe on a lake, taking a trip on a balloon.  Again, a few moments are taken to include details.  Descriptive paragraphs tell the story as it unfolds.  And, again, your meditation recipients are often invited to add their own details through their thoughts.

Sometimes, a guided meditation may introduce a character – an angel, a wise elder, one’s inner child.  This character’s job is to listen to any questions a person may have and offer an answer or response which may be received during the meditation or at some time later in the day or even the next day.

With a guided meditation, you and your recipient’s  job is to relax and enjoy the journey.  You reach your destination when you receive an answer or solution.

The final step allows a recipient to slowly return to the present moment knowing that she can return to the meditation at any time.  There is no rush.

Assure your recipients that they can return to this meditation whenever they desire.  It is time to stretch, yawn, open eyes, and return to the present moment.

heart with wings

Thank you for reading this blog post.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Please forward this article to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

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.

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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.

Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

 

 

 

Poor Sleep Can Wreck Your Quality of Life

If you let it,  POOR SLEEP   will  leave  you feeling tired, confused, and depressed.

Sleep can have many causes.  And, that’s one of the reasons we struggle with it.   In  past blog posts, I’ve written many articles about sleep and here is yet another one.  And, there will probably be many more.

However, this article is  different from all the rest.    In this article, you will learn POOR SLEEP HAS MANY CAUSES.  Investigate every one that applies to your situation.

Poor sleep causes fall in several categories.

To begin with, COFFEE, CIGARETTES, AND DIET PILLS  are in their own little but potent category.

Is caffeine part of your poor sleep problem?  Remember,  it is found in many things beyond just the cup of coffee you have in the morning.  Try to find them all and banish them from your daily life.

Are your days spent in rooms with DIM LIGHTING?  Poor sleep can be the result of this environment.  What can you do to remedy this situation?  Getting just twenty to thirty minutes of sunlight each day can make a difference.

Do you get enough exercise?  MOVING YOUR MUSCLES IS ESSENTIAL  to overcoming poor sleep. It comes down to this:  You have to move enough to get to sleep at the end of your day.  Exercise.  Exercise.  Exercise.

Do you have one or more HEALTH ISSUES that promote poor sleep patterns?  Some diseases make it hard to get to sleep.  Others make consistent sleep throughout the night difficult.  If sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and sinus problems interfere with a good night’s sleep, get treatment for them.  The message here is this:  Don’t let a medical condition cause your poor sleep.

Finally, we come to SLEEPING PILLS.  For me, they are an absolute last resort.  Sleeping pills come after you have done everything you possibly can to overcome poor sleep.

Why?  Some of these pills create their own problems.

Several herbal remedies and supplements are on the market to combat your poor sleep.  Two that come to mind are Melatonin and Valerian.

We don’t really know whether either one of them works because the studies have been sparse and contradictory.  The  preparations and dosages are varied so that it’s complicated to know  how much and when to take either Melatonin or Valerian.

It’s best to take any sleeping preparations under the direction of a professional who knows about the products you are taking.  That way, you won’t be wasting your money and you won’t be overdosing.

The BOTTOM LINE here is to encourage you to chase down each and every cause of poor sleep that you can.  Deal with each and every cause in your search for blessed sleep.

Thanks for reading this article.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

 

 

 

 

Ear Infections are Spiritual Events

Spiritually, ear infections represent your need to not hear.  Ear infections surface where there is anger.  What is happening is that what you hear is getting to you.  What you hear is making you angry.

Bacteria, fungi, and viruses cause ear infection.  They can be excruciatingly painful.  Get medical help if your earache causes a fever and if there is a discharge.  Start treatment you experience pain in your ear.  Your goal is to ease any pain and clear up the infection.

Colds, sinus infections, and throat infections block the eustacian tuber which enable middle ear infections which can be painful.  You may feel dizzy.  You may have a discharge from your ear.  You may have a temperature.  Your glands and tonsils may be swollen.

There  are several things you can do to prevent ear infections.  Avoid second hand smoke.  Keep ear wax cleaned out of your ears.  Treat your nasal and sinus allergies and treat infected tonsils and adenoids.

Reflexology, Reiki therapy, and chakra healing sessions offer homeostasis to minimalize inflammation and normalize body systems.  Reiki therapy help with pain management and nausea.  Chakra healing is grounding.

CHAKRA:

Ear infections are a sixth chakra imbalance.

REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK:

digestive system, sense organ systems, immune system, lymphatic system, liver, solar plexus, spleen

ESSENTIAL OILS

eucalyptus, helichrysum, lavender, myrrh, oregano, rosemary, tea tree, thyme

SUGGESTED FIELDS OF HEALING

Conventional medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Herbalism

THINGS TO TRY

Allergy injections can reduce the number of ear infections.    In some cases, ear tube surgery helps.  Don’t smoke around people with ear infections.  Vaccinate you and your family members against the flu.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Am I listening to my inner voice?  Do I hear what others say?  Can I discover what is so difficult for me?

Thank you for reading this article.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

Emphysema, a Spiritual Disease connected to Stress

Spiritually, emphysema is a fear of absorbing life.  You are worn out with stress and worry because of your sense of foreboding.  For you, life is  a struggle and you cannot live in the moment.  Grief is woven in all this.

When smoking damages lungs so severely that breathlessness and fast breathing occur,  you have emphysema.  You may have a chronic cough.

CHAKRA

Emphysema is a fourth chakra imbalance.

REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK:

respiratory system, immune system, muscular system, digestive system, endocrine system, liver, solar plexus

ESSENTIAL OILS:

lavender, rosemary, tea tree, lemon, thyme, peppermint, ginger, sage, hyssop

CAUSES

Emphysema is your body responding to long-term exposure to airborne irritants.  This includes both smoking and second-hand smoke.  Both indoor and outdoor pollution cause emphysema.  Heating fumes are part of this mix.

SUGGESTED HEALING SYSTEMS

Conventional medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Herbalism.

You can benefit from an integrated medicine approach and using a health care team.  Including alternative medicine professionals can help you overcome the panic that goes along with shortness of breath.

A nutritionist can offer you a comprehensive profile of foods and supplements to include in your diet.  A pulmonary therapist will provide you with ways to decrease lung congestion, shortness of breath, or swelling in your legs.  Learn to maximize the effectiveness of your medications.

Use your oxygen therapy.  A physical therapist can teach you easy aerobic exercises and strength training to improve your daily life.

THINGS TO DO

The most important thing to do is stop smoking.   Stay away from secondhand smoke, chemical fumes, and automobile exhaust.

Regular exercise is crucial because it increases your lung capacity.

Wear a cold air mask or scarf over your nose and mouth before going outside.

Get your flu shots annually and include a pneumonia vaccination when it’s time.  Keep your indoor environment clean of toxins\

Avoid stress with tai chi, qi gong, meditation.

Regular reflexology, Reiki, or chakra healing sessions will invite homeostasis, something you can benefit from.  The regular sessions will also calm anxiety and stress.

Thank you for reading this article.  Please refer it to you preferred social media network.

Thurman

Constipation, a Spiritual Problem We all Have Occasionally (At Least)

Spiritually, you are stuck in the past, refusing to give up old ideas.  You hold onto safe beliefs.  Learning to release the past is an important process when you combat constipation on a spiritual level.  Fear of the unknown is definitely part of the mix.  As you move into the future, less worry and fear help.  Focus on deepening your contact with your power center.  Finally, develop feelings of self-respect.

Try to connect with your power center and respect yourself more deeply.

Some people feel three bowel movements a day is normal.  Others feel three movements a week is normal.  Infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, abdominal discomfort are common.

A low-fiber diet and dehydration contribute to constipation.  Other triggers include too much processed food, stress, not enough exercise.

Reflexology sessions comfort the digestive process.  People receiving reflexology sessions regularly claim to not have problems with bowel irregularity.

This claim is especially popular with parents of young children who have problems with bowel movements.  Children who receive reflexology sessions have a difficult time being constipated.

Constipation is a condition can require the attention of a medical professional.  isit your physician to rule out any underlying medical conditions.  This is especially true if your constipation comes on suddenly or if there’s blood in your stool.

Marge d’Urso, my reflexology teacher, taught us to expect fifty per cent of our client partners to have issues with constipation.  The good news is that the condition seldom continues as regular reflexology sessions progress.  This is true of both children and adults.  Her teachings make regular reflexology sessions the backbone of constipation resolution.

CHAKRA

Constipation is a first and third chakra imbalance.

REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK

liver, gall bladder, diaphragm, endocrine system, lower spine, ileocecal valve, sigmoid

When your reflexologist works the digestive system in a reflexology session, your intestinal tract will begin to normalize itself.

When you receive reflexology sessions regularly to deal with constipation, you will probably feel better, have more energy, look better, have a more positive outlook on life, and develop better eating habits.

A colon cleanse followed by a liver cleanse along with regularly scheduled reflexology sessions will improve things.

ESSENTIAL OILS

anise, fennel, ginger, lemon, mandarin, peppermint, rosemary, sweet orange, tarragon

EFFECTIVE HEALING FIELDS

Conventional medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Herbalism.  Complimentary, Alternative, and Integrative medicine all have theories, remedies, and modalities to help with your constipation.  Indeed, so many people in our country have constipation that it seems everyone suffers with it.

IMPORTANT FOODS IN YOUR DIET

brown rice, dried fruits, fresh fruits, green vegetables, leafy vegetables, oats, pine nuts, yogurt

RISK FACTORS

insufficient fluids, low fiber, high fat diet, not getting enough vitamin C, sedentary lifestyle

THINGS TO TRY

Things which may help improve overall digestive health include dry brushing after bathing, using a mini trampoline regularly to clean the lymphatic system.   Prebiotics and probiotics help.  Consuming more dietary fiber regularly along with sufficient fluids is essential.  Finally, avoid stress whenever possible.  Exercise daily. Include high-fiber foods, whole-grain breads, leafy vegetables.  Regular reflexology sessions help.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

What is it about the unknown that I am afraid of?  How can I trust the unknown parts of my life?  What is holding me back from what I want to do?

Thank you for reading this blog post.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco