8 Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
I estimate that one third of your client partners have problems sleeping. Many of them have just given up on getting a good night’s sleep. This is not a good thing because there are many things that a person can do to sleep well…every night, not just once in awhile.
A person who gets enough sleep looks and acts healthier because there is more energy available to do the things to get through the day successfully. So, here are some suggestions that have proven to be successful. Try them. Share them.
- Receive a reflexology session every week. People who get reflexology regularly tell me they sleep better. This is important for practitioners, too. I receive a session weekly. It’s one of the most important things I do in life.
- Reiki sessions are wonderful for sleep. Do you teach Reiki? Attune your clients to be reiki practitioners so they can give themselves sessions every night when they go to bed. Sleep is sure to follow. A well intentioned Reiki therapy session is better than a sleeping pill.
- Have a regular sleep schedule so that you go to bed every night at the same time. Schedule your evenings so that you plan on sleeping 7-8 hours every night.
- An hour before going to bed, turn off loud music, scary TV shows, and consciously wind down.
- Do you have a lot of things to do tomorrow? Before you go to bed, make out a list of all the things you have to do tomorrow. Then, put that list in another room and forget about it until tomorrow.
- Make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep. This means moving all the clutter and junk to another part of the house. That includes the TV and anything else that is a sleep distraction.
- Take a look at your bedding. When was the last time you bought pillows, sheets, blankets? Does your mattress sag in the middle? Are you sleeping in worn out sweat pants with holes? It’s time to focus on sleep-inducing comfort.
- Get a pen and journal notebook. Early in the evening, every evening, spend a few moments writing about one thing that you feel thankful for.
Thanks for reading this blog post. I will be offering more sleep tips throughout the coming year.
The book “A Healer’s Handbook is available as an ebook on Amazon an d Nook. The paper version is available on my website: thurmangreco.com. So far, the response to the book is very positive.
Thanks again.
Thurman Greco
A Healthy Heart
A healthy heart and circulatory system are necessary to feel and express emotions positively. When you work the circulatory system, you distribute love and healing. This improves your client’s sense of self worth and balances blood flow. When your client’s sense of self worth improves and when the emotions are expressed positively, life improves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
When I begin to address my client partner’s heart health, the first place I go is to the fourth chakra. This means that I work the heart chakra on the reflex points on my client partner’s feet.
I also include an essential oil in the reflexology session when I work the heart and circulatory system. I may choose lavender. If my client partner needs grounding, I’ll reach for geranium. You may have other oils in your tool box which will attract you.
If my client is overweight or underweight or if the skin color is not too good, I’ll offer a list of healing foods that are important for heart/circulatory issues. If I think it’s a good idea, I’ll recommend a visit to a nutritionist.
Heart health issues often take years to show themselves in the body. Lifestyle habits contribute. Heart health issues involve the whole body – the physical, mental, spiritual, emotional layers. Spiritually, heart issues reflect long standing wounds, rejection, and self-criticism.
If I have time, I’ll include a guided meditation in the session. Guided meditations are always good for fourth chakra issues. My favorite fourth chakra guided meditation invites my client partner to go beyond the curtain to a past life because heart health baggage is often past life.
This can be a little challenging if your client partner doesn’t believe in past life issues. When that happens, go to the time right after birth. Some past life issues are still open for you and your client partner in infancy.
Thank you for reading this article.
Please share this post on your favorite social media outlet.
“A Healers Handbook” is now available as an ebook on Amazon and on Nook. The
Paper version is on the way!
In the near future I’ll share a guided heart healthy meditation with you and I’ll discuss lifestyle issues affecting heart health.
Thurman Greco
9 Things Reflexologists Don’t Do – and 5 Things we Do
Cure – Reflexologists do not cure. Instead, we promote healing, which can be a very
different thing, depending on the issue.
Patient – Reflexologists do not have patients. Physicians have patients. We have client partners. Some reflexologists have clients. But, whatever we have, we don’t have patients.
Recommend – We do not recommend. Instead, we work feet. We concentrate our energies on facilitating healing.
Advise – Reflexologists do not advise. We support our client partners in their healing path. Our work brings about homeostasis and synchronicity.
Examine – We do not examine. We read feet or hands or ears. .We notice where our findings are located. We work the feet, hands, ears, to bring about healing, homeostasis, and synchronicity.
Prescribe – We do not prescribe. That’s for physicians and other medical professionals. We rely on our hands and hearts to tell us what we find, to encourage healing, to facilitate homeostasis, to see synchronicity.
Dispense – We have nothing to dispense beyond the sessions we offer.
Diagnose – We do not diagnose. Physicians assist us in our healing efforts when they offer a diagnosis. This is important because it’s much easier to overcome a health issue if it has a name.
Administer – We do not administer anything. Instead, we read feet, offer sessions. Our noninvasive sessions have been offered to client partners for ages and ages.
Reflexology for the Spirit practitioners use our hands, brains, and hearts.
We do not need to over schedule our days to be successful. Twenty-five appointments a week is a full time practice for a Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner.
We are not wedded to advertising. Some of us don’t even have business cards. Referrals work well for us.
Because Reflexology for the Spirit works well with other modalities, many of us also practice yoga, massage, Reiki therapy, flower remedies. That means we are always growing, learning.
We honor our heritage. Reflexology for the Spirit practitioners take our traditions back many, many years:
Our history takes us far back in time with beginnings shrouded in mystery. What we do know is that early references to reflexology can be found in China, India, Japan, Egypt, Greece, North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, South American and North America.
Historians tell us that Egyptians practiced both hand and food reflexology as early as 2500 BC. If you ever travel to Egypt, please visit the burial ground at Saqqara. The Physician’s Tomb there has a famous wall painting showing two people receiving reflexology.
If you ever find yourself in Japan, be sure to visit the Medicine Teacher Temple in Nara. There you’ll find a stone carving depicting the soles of Buddha’s feet in a carving dating to 790 AD.
In India, there are paintings of Vishnu, the Hindu god’s feet with symbols corresponding to several reflexology points.
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian form of medicine becoming popular in our country. Reflexology is incorporated in Ayurvedic medicine.
Reflexology has been recorded in ancient Chinese writings describing pressure being applied to fingers and thumbs.
From this glorious history and recent twentieth century trailblazers, we now have thousands of people practicing various kinds of reflexology throughout the world.
Reflexologists the world over work in tandem with physicians as our field moves toward integrative medicine in the twenty-first century. Integrative medicine works to heal the total person: the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
Reflexology has endured the test of time and is modern as tomorrow in the 21st !century.
Thank you for reading this blog. It has been a long time since I’ve posted an article. I have been working full time/overtime on the new book! It’s happening!
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, New York
Progress of the Book
The book is, at last, being edited! Real book progress is being made. I hope to get it to the publisher soon. I plan to go over it one last time about mid July.
Thanks to everyone for your patience.
Please share this exciting news (for me, anyway) with your favorite media network.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, NY
The Seventh Chakra and Reflexology
The seventh Chakra reflex point is on the tips of the toes. This is where we find the hair, the brain, and the central nervous system.
Seventh Chakra issues include:
living in the present
selflessness
non-attachment
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN ABOUT SEVENTH CHAKRA ISSUES WITHOUT QUESTIONING:
How can I release cravings?
How can I open myself up to more intuitive thoughts?
How can I see the world as manifestation of the divine?
How can I manifest the divine?
What is my world like without the limitations of the body?
How can I become more aware of multi-dimensional reality?
What direction do I want my future to take?
How can I awaken my spiritual potential?
How can I achieve success in all parts of my life?
As a person seeks wholeness and enlightenment, the Chakras build on one another to allow the flow of universal energy. Blockages in 1 or more of the Chakras make this flow difficult to impossible. A seventh Chakra issue is the (in)ability to be non-attached.
When non-attachment cannot happen, the person gets stuck in a belief system which may not work. Then, that person finds him/herself putting a lot of energy into justifying the dysfunctional system. The lesson is to learn to move on to thoughts and beliefs which work. This allows universal consciousness to grow and mature.
Symptoms of an unbalanced seventh Chakra include
chronic migraine headaches
drug abuse
spiritual extremism
denying the body some of its basic needs
compulsive behavior
rigid beliefs.
A balanced seventh Chakra combines all the senses as they work to create a connection to the infinite.
Reflexology for the Spirit sessions offer homeostasis which is the balance of all body systems. This is extremely important for the spiritual growth experienced in the seventh Chakra.
Reiki therapy sessions balance the Chakras.
Meditation helps keep the seventh Chakra balanced. Regular meditation on the senses is important. It is also helpful to meditate on the different colors of the Chakras.
When you work with your client partner’s seventh Chakra, you help him/her find enlightenment. A balanced seventh Chakra becomes a ladder to awareness of divine consciousness.
Thank you for reading this blog/book. I am now accepting reflexology students. Please email reflexologyforthespirit@gmail.com for information. Thanks.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Thurman Greco
The Fourth Chakra and Reflexology
The fourth Chakra reflex point is found on the ball of the foot. This is where we find the heart, lungs, breasts, thymus gland, shoulders.
Fourth Chakra issues include:
self esteem
personal power
intimacy
forgiveness
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN ABOUT FOURTH CHAKRA ISSUES WITHOUT QUESTIONING:
Are you able to express your emotions?
Do you need to protect yourself?
Do you have problems giving and receiving love?
Are you living a divided life?
Have you created a protective barrier around your heart?
Do you have trouble forgiving people?
Do you fear rejection?
Do you feel vulnerable?
Is it physically/emotionally painful to move forward in life?
Are you hiding your true self from others?
Grief is a fourth Chakra issue. We know as Reflexology for the Spirit practitioners that grief is housed in the ball of the foot – the heart – the lungs.
The fourth Chakra builds on the lower three Chakras as our thoughts and dreams take on language, expression. The fourth Chakra is where the moment of inspiration which took place in the first Chakra, now becomes entire paragraphs, both spoken and written.
The fourth Chakra links the spiritual and physical bodies as well as their issues. This is because the fourth Chakra is the our energetic center, working to fuse the physical and spiritual bodies.
When this happens, we are able to touch others as well as allowing them to touch our lives. The goal is unconditional love. A good way to get insight about unconditional love is to pay attention to cats and dogs, 2 creatures which practice unconditional love routinely.
Our heart Chakra pulls us into relationships involving
intimacy
risk
forgiveness
sensitivities
fear
grief.
Grief is an important fourth Chakra issue. Grief blocks fourth Chakra energy. Letting go of grief and wounding opens our hearts.
The state of the fourth Chakra is easily seen in one’s posture. People suffering with heart Chakra issues may be
round-shouldered
sunken-chested
stiff
rigid.
Unbalanced fourth Chakras can also been seen in people with heart and respiratory problems. Heart surgery can have a direct impact on the heart Chakra.
Meditations can be important. Meditations focusing on:
grief
heart opening
breathing
can help balance the fourth Chakra.
When you work with your client partner’s fourth Chakra, you offer the opportunity to help him/her release grief. It’s in the fourth Chakra that we find
an open heart,
the energy to give,
and a straighter body.
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.
Thurman Greco
Photo donated by Jennette Nearhood.
The Fifth Chakra and Reflexology
The fifth Chakra reflex point is located on the necks of the toes on both feet. This is where the throat, thyroid, neck, mouth, jaw, ears, teeth, and gums are located.
Fifth Chakra issues include:
listening
communication
truth
self expression
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN ABOUT FIFTH CHAKRA ISSUES WITHOUT QUESTIONING:
Am I afraid to express my opinions?
Do I ever lie about issues?
Am I unable to express my creative potential?
Do I never let others express themselves?
Do I ever voice my opinions?
Do I hide my creative potential?
Am I afraid to step into my power?
Do I lack self confidence?
Am I afraid to fail?
Do I use my voice to hurt others?
Do I use my voice to help others?
Can I keep a promise?
Do I express myself honestly?
Do I gossip?
Do I get a lot of sore throats?
Am I sometimes unable to speak?
Do I cough a lot?
Do I have gum and teeth problems?
Am I psychic?
Communication is the focus of the fifth Chakra. Focusing on the fifth Chakra develops listening on different levels.
The fifth Chakra is located on the pathway between the heart (the fourth Chakra) and the mind (the seventh Chakra). The throat Chakra develops issues when a person can accept a truth or concept in the fourth Chakra (heart) but not in the seventh Chakra (mind).
I saw a lot of this happening after the tragedy of 9-11. Many of my client partners began to suffer with throat Chakra problems.
With a balanced fifth Chakra, we are able to listen in subtle ways that we were unaware of before. We can then become more aware of energetic surroundings. We are aware of the harmonic vibrations around us.
As with the other Chakras, Reflexology for the Spirit sessions offer homeostasis,, which is the balance of all body systems.
Reiki therapy sessions balance the Chakras This is important when working the fifth Chakra.
Cleanses remove emotional, mental, and physical toxins. As toxins leave the body, space is made for subtle communication to take place. Intuitive communication becomes easier.
Meditation can facilitate a balanced throat Chakra – especially if you can meditate in silence. So much of our lives are bombarded with sounds. Give yourself a few moments when you focus inward. Give yourself a few minutes without bombarding sound. Try to set aside a few minutes when you do not talk, listen to voices, or mix with people.
On another meditation, take yourself out to the edge of the edge of the heavens.
It’s easy to tell how centered the fifth Chakra is by observing a person’s neck. Is the person in pain?
If your neck is uncomfortable, rotate your head slowly in different directions.
When you work with your client partner’s fifth Chakra, you offer him/her the opportunity to find inner peace through deep listening. The fifth Chakra is based on vibrations. Helping your client partner become aware of these sounds can offer dramatic change to his/her life. This is how the answer to the age old question is found: “What is my truth?”
Thank you for reading this blog/book. I am now accepting reflexology students. Please email: reflexologyforthespirit@gmail.com for information. Thanks!
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
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!
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
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Photos provided by Renee Ruwee
Thurman Greco
Time-Out for Sharing then Moving on to the Chakras.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing with you. I’ve offered information in each post for you, in turn, to share with your client partners. I’m following the advice of my teacher and mentor Marge D’Urso who emphasized the many things we can all do in conjunction with reflexology to encourage homeostasis.
Not all of this information applies to all of your client partners.
Some people come to our tables in order to feel better. Others want us to help them take greater charge of their own health. Yet others simply want to hop on the table, receive their reflexology session, and go away blissed out. And, there’s nothing wrong with that.
One special group wants to add other things to their lives which will help them
feel better
look better
avoid chronic disease
live longer
enjoy better health.
By sharing this information slowly, in small increments, you can, along with your reflexology sessions, give your client partners an opportunity to completely change their lives for the better in a non threatening way.
These gradual changes when mixed with reflexology offer dramatic improvements over time. The idea is to be sharing opportunities for good health without complicating lifestyles any more than they already are. You’ll be leading your client partners to a a more healthy lifestyle. They can completely change their lives 1 step at a time.
Slowly
Easily
Comfortably
Not all client partners will adopt every suggestion offered. Some won’t choose any suggestions. Some will try everything suggested for a time. Then, they’ll drop the health step after a few weeks. There’s something here for everyone. We are all different. Our attitudes, ages, and lifestyles are all different.
What’s important is that you are gently, without pushing, sharing suggestions for a healthier lifestyle.
When your client partners are ready, they’ll have this knowledge to use in the way which works best for them.
I’m taking a break with this series of posts to offer you, the reflexologist, some more hands-on posts. Then, I’ll return to these wellness posts for awhile longer…until I feel you have something to offer most client partners over a period of a year or more. You want to be sharing something which a person may accept and live with for awhile before taking on another health giving change. It’s important to let an adopted change settle in so they become lifetime habits.
Beginning next week, I’ll offer posts about Chakras and the feet. We have reflex points for Chakras in our feet. I hope you find these articles interesting. I hope you can use this information in your work!
Thanks for reading this blog/book.
Please refer this post to your preferred social media network.
Don’t forget to join the email list.
Thurman Greco
Sleep…Blessed Sleep
People seek out reflexologists when they have sleep issues. And, visiting a reflexologist regularly to encourage quality sleep is a good thing to do. Very few people receiving regular Reflexology for the Spirit sessions have problems sleeping.
Regular sessions encourage homeostasis. It’s impossible to achieve homeostasis and have sleep issues at the same time.
Your body systems know immediately if you are sleeping properly. This is the rule:
The better you sleep, the better your immune system functions.
Your immune system needs to be calm and relaxed to function properly. This won’t happen if you’re not sleeping properly. Your immune system needs your body to receive not only enough sleep but the quality must be good as well.
Your body repairs itself as you sleep. Your immune system maintains itself. In order for this to happen, stress levels must be turned down. This happens during sleep.
Except when it doesn’t. There are sleep situations where the stress levels are not diminished. Examples include insomnia and sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder. One symptom of sleep apnea is snoring. Snoring can, in some instances, be dangerous because if it is untreated, it can activate the immune system.
Insomnia is also a threat to a healthy immune system. Insomnia has several different causes. Insomnia is created when people burn the candle at both ends. Anxiety and/or depression also cause mood disorders in addition to insomnia.
Good quality sleep:
promotes a healthy immune system.
encourages overall good health.
helps slow down aging.
People sleeping well also look better. Several things can be done to promote healthy sleep habits:
Establish a bedtime and stick to it. Go to bed at the same time every night.
Create a peaceful sleep environment without
noise
light
television
computer
phones.
Make sure your bed has a
restful mattress
soft sheets
cozy blankets
comfortable pillows.
Establish a sleep ritual which prepares your body, your brain, and your immune system for a good night’s sleep. Adopt sleep-encouraging techniques such as meditation or self Reiki therapy.
If you have a partner, taking a few reflexology lessons can be a real boost to healthy sleep for you both. You can then offer a reflexology exchange in the evenings before you sleep.
Self Reiki is a wonderful sleeping potion. Easy to learn and use, it encourages sleep.
Use essential oils to encourage sleep. Put a few drops of a favorite oil on a tissue and place it inside your pillowcase or in a pocket.
And, finally, don’t become obsessive about sleep. Sleep will come. You can learn to sleep.
Lotus Heart Healing with Tom Rigler
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.
Thurman Greco
Renee Ruwe offered the photo used into today’s post.
