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.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Artwork provided by Jennette Nearhood
Why do they come to our tables? Homeostasis!
Why do they come to our tables? People visit a reflexologist searching for wellness and healing. Many have never thought about being in in control of their bodies and their health. Of course not, in today’s world everyone has so little time. No one has time to learn and absorb concepts about healing…especially when information overload is a way of life for us all.
They know their body is trying to tell them something on some level but they’re not sure what. For some the message comes in the form of a symptom:
painful feet,
clogged sinuses,
high blood pressure.
For others, it’s a much more subtle voice:
a spiritual message sent on a subtle wave length.
But, whatever the message, they make an appointment.
Reflexology for the Spirit offers homeostasis. When a person embraces this concept, life changes. Healing becomes a priority. Wellness is a journey. The person begins to heal on all levels.
The reflexology table is the hub of a wheel of growth. Marge D’Urso taught us a reflexologist needs to know much more than just where the points are.
THIS NEXT SERIES OF POSTS WILL ASSIST YOU, THE REFLEXOLOGIST, in your journey as you guide and assist your client partners on the path to wellness and healing: homeostasis.
THIS NEXT SERIES OF POSTS WILL ASSIST YOU, THE CLIENT PARTNER, on your path to wellness and healing: homeostasis.
This path is a process, not a pill.
Give homeostasis an opportunity to occur. When this happens, the process can be felt on several levels.
General relaxation throughout the body occurs when a person receives Reflexology for the Spirit regularly. This feeling is so rare in some that it takes several sessions before the client-partner even understands what the feeling is.
Over time, as different healing habits become a lifestyle, the body begins to heal itself. This concept can be new for a person embracing homeostasis….especially when a person begins sessions thinking there is no control over health at all.
Information gained in the coming posts and shared with your client partners will offer opportunities both you and your client partners to:
improve cardiovascular health,
lower your risk of diabetes,
prevent osteoporosis
and learn about many other health benefits.
The feet themselves will begin to improve.
Finally, an improved sense of emotional well being takes place. The result is an increased awareness of one’s body and how it feels when healing occurs.
You, the reflexologist, have an opportunity to profoundly influence health, longevity, and well-being as you inspire and guide your client partners.
Thanks for reading this blog/book.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Jennette Nearhood provided the artwork.
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.
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Thurman Greco
Spirituality of the Thyroid, a Challenging Issue
The thyroid is a small endocrine gland found at the base of the neck. The spirituality of the thyroid, a challenging issue, is evident because it’s an endocrine gland. The thyroid functions as the “gas pedal” of our bodies, facilitating energy and strength.
More women than men suffer with thyroid issues. They’re difficult to diagnose. The tests are not accurate enough to properly find a mildly troubled thyroid. For some, an untreated thyroid issue is very difficult to live with.
Menopausal women ask spiritual questions as their lives move into a new phase. The spirituality of the thyroid, a challenging issue is “front and center” here.
An underactive thyroid causes depression, weight gain, low energy, hair loss, dry skin, mental dullness, and sleep disorders.
People suffering with thyroid issues seek balance, courage, energy, mental alertness, vitality.
Sometimes an under active thyroid takes what seems like forever to diagnose. If you have thyroid issues and cannot find a solution, don’t give up. A persistent professional healthcare provider can get you to the foundation of the spirituality of the thyroid issue.
You can also try meditation to help cope with the issues of the spirituality of the thyroid. The following short meditation may help you. It’s seeks the wisdom of Mother Mary. She helped me tremendously in my journey for a solution to my thyroid problems.
Find a quiet place where you are safe and will not be disturbed.
Sit quietly and allow Mary, Queen of Angels, to come to you. When you feel her presence, open your eyes, ears, and heart. Her teachings offer compassion, courage, and vitality.
At first, you may feel nothing. However, after a few sessions, you will feel Mary’s presence in some way. She will answer your questions around universal truths.
It’s not necessary to be a Catholic to receive Mary’s teachings. It’s not even necessary to be a Christian. Nor is it necessary to believe in God. Mary’s compassion is open to all.
Mary, Queen of Angels, is an icon of wholeness. We can all seek Mary’s truths when the challenges of the spirituality of the thyroid seem to be overwhelming.
Sit with Mary for short periods several times a week as you seek her wisdom and insight.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Michele Garner donated the artwork in this post.
The Spirituality of the Spleen
The spleen is unique in the body. It:
is insensitive to pain.
has no diseases.
reacts to injuries.
It reacts to complications from infections and diseases in other parts of the body as it filters out impurities and toxins in the lymph fluid. The spirituality of the spleen goes hand-in-hand with its purpose and tasks as it maintains wellness in the body.
The spleen filters and recycles blood cells as it maintains the blood volume in the circulatory system. It also participates in the digestive process because it enlarges as we digest our food.
When there is spiritual stress, the spleen can suffer. People with splenic issues need to receive help from the universe. Focus on strength, confidence, and courage. The spirituality of the spleen really depends on this.
Learning to stay present for healing and transformation can be a powerful experience.
Find a quiet, secure place and get comfortable.
Breathe to encourage grounding. Breathe in from the abdomen and then release negativity from your life as you exhale. Breathe in and breathe out for a minute or 2 until you feel grounded.
Ask the universe to release the negativity from your spleen as well as from your life in general.
Now, focus on receiving positive attributes needed for you to heal and attract the resources you need to succeed.
Talk to your spleen. Encourage it to heal and regenerate .
Now, listen to your inner self as it offers wisdom for your journey toward health and well-being: homeostasis.
Begin to breathe the grounding breaths again while repeating the word “peace” several times.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
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.
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Michele Garner provided the artwork in today’s post.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
The Spirituality of the Lungs
Lungs are where we house grief, sadness. These emotions are with us over time.
Our lungs constantly work throughout our lives…from the first breath to the last. It’s interesting to me that they have no muscles. Diaphragm muscles keep pumping the lungs.
When anguish, dependence, stress, anger, sadness, and fatigue take over in our lives, it is difficult
to be independent,
to think clearly,
to say “no”,
to honor oneself,
to heal,
to become vital and flexible again,
to encourage creativity.
When you find yourself being overtaken by grief and sadness, it’s time to reduce your anxiety.
Begin by getting comfortable in a seated position.
Take a deep breath and hold it an extra moment…..
Breathe out and relax…..
Breathe in and out for a couple of minutes. As you inhale, invite peace and calm to enter your life. Relax on the exhale.
After breathing in and out with peace and relaxation, verbalize this feeling: “I invite deep peace and relaxation to enter my life with each breath.”
Now, continue breathing in and out as you release the sadness, anger, grief in your life.
Continue to breathe in relaxation and breathe out negativity. All you have to do for a couple of minutes is breathe in the positive and breathe out negative thoughts.
As you release negativity and invite relaxation into your life, notice the different ways you begin to feel better.
Open your eyes now and move gently as you end the session. Try to repeat this exercise whenever you feel overcome by sadness, grief, anxiety, negativity.
At the end of this exercise, embrace the positive parts of your life.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Artwork donated by Michele Garner
Spirituality of the Legs
Legs are very spiritual because they move us about in the world. We use our legs to stand, walk, run, dance, and move in general. As we move through life, our legs reflect our spiritual/emotional/physical state.
Sit in a public place for a while and watch people walk. They all have different gaits. Do you observe someone walking confidently down a hall? Is there someone taking uncertain steps?
When you observe the different gaits, ask yourself:
Is this person walking with an open or closed attitude?
Is a person moving in fear?
Is another person in pain?
Is there a purpose to a person’s stride?
Are the steps large or small?
Is someone stumbling?
As we move through life, our issues are reflected in our gait.
Relax comfortably for a few minutes. Take time to appreciate your legs and all they do for your body and for your spiritual development.
In the quiet of the moment, massage your legs as you meditate on how much your legs actually do for you.
Now, take a few moments to evaluate how your legs feel to you. Do they feel heavy, light, stuck, weak? Or, do they feel free, confident, supportive?
Talk to your legs now as you release them from all their burdens. Remove all negativity from your legs:
burdens,
obstacles,
fear,
anger,
limitations,
weakness.
As you massage your legs, focus on bringing warmth, positive feelings, and confidence to them. Offer them recognition and gratitude for all they do for you daily.
Offer appreciation for your legs.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Jennette Nearhood provided the artwork for today’s post.
The Spirituality of the Kidneys
The kidneys are emotional/spiritual body parts working to remove impurities and negativity from the body. We have 2 kidneys, one on each side of the body. This makes them important for balance. When things are unbalanced, negativity grows. Until the balance returns, the tendency is to hold on to the negativity. Think anger, bitterness, fear, resentment.
Kidneys support the adrenal glands which perch right on top of them. This close connection to the adrenals emphasizes the spirituality and emotional aspects of the kidneys. Because of the adrenal/kidney connection, fear plays a major part in imbalances. Operative words here are anger, grief, loss, panic, stress.
Kidneys respond almost immediately to
difficulties or stress in relationships.
an overabundance of negative energy which cannot be released
situations when the pressure to conform is overbearing.
When the kidneys are threatened, set aside a few minutes each day in which you speak to them. (Please note, these exercises may take a few conversations or many conversations. Each situation is different.)
Offer your kidneys encouragement to release all negativity from the body.
Ask your kidneys to work with your adrenals to support your efforts to forgive yourself and those around you for any and all mistakes. As you do this, you will be encouraging homeostasis, an important component in healthy kidneys.
When you feel you have meditated on these issues enough to be moving in the right emotional/spiritual direction, speak to your inner self about taking responsibility for your life so you can move forward with positive action.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco.
Renee Ruwe donated the photograph for today’s post.
The Spirituality of the Intestines
We are only beginning to explore the true influence the Intestine has on our physical, spiritual, mental, emotional well being. Not only is the intestine the place where food and nutrients are absorbed, but this is also the place where we assimilate, absorb, and process our reality.
The intestine is the body’s largest sensory organ with a strong connection to the brain. The intestine sends more messages to the brain than it receives from the brain. With all this communication between the brain and the intestine, the intestine works to keep informed of what’s happening in the body. The intestine influences, keeps the brain aware of pain, fatigue, nausea.
What this means is that your intestine tells you how to think, how you experience pain, what kind of energy you have, and how much sleep you get. This impact on the entire body means that the intestine is very important to our overall perception of how you feel.
In order to be in the best physical, mental, emotional, spiritual health possible, it’s important to honor the brain-intestine relationship. Eating the best possible diet will promote the balance your body needs in order to achieve the best health possible.
Not everyone needs the same diet. Different bodies have different needs. However, there are some guidelines. A healthy diet is low in fat, sugar, calories and high in fiber, fresh fruits, vegetables. Eat real, whole food which is as close to natural as possible.
Find out which probiotics are best for you and take them. Our understanding of the function of gut bacteria is not advanced. Frankly, we are in the learning stages of how the bacteria in our gut affect our overall health. In a few years we’ll all know a lot more and we’ll all be healthier for the knowledge.
Our intestine has a language. This language includes:
the emotions we feel.
our search for homeostasis.
our immune system.
our conscious desires for food and/or drugs.
how we react to stress.
peristalsis.
Find a quiet, safe place where you can talk to your intestine. Sit quietly as you get comfortable. Turn on some music you are comfortable with.
Breathe into your intestine as you take deep breaths.
As you breathe into your intestine, talk to your body to encourage homeostasis.
As you exhale, ask your intestine to release issues which prevent ultimate good health for you and your body.
As you breathe in and breathe out, examine your relationship to food. Talk to your intestine to allow less controversy and emotion to enter into the act of eating.
As you breathe in and breathe out, explore your connection between love and food. How does this affect your intestine and its communication with your brain?
As you breathe in and breathe out, listen to your intestine to learn what it needs to help your body, mind, and soul be healthier.
After a few minutes, thank your intestine for any and all information you received. If you have not received any information which you understand, know that you will receive knowledge which you can use in the coming hours and days.
You can return to this dialogue with your intestine whenever and however you need. Your intestine offers insight and wisdom about your health. It is ready to share this information when you can receive it.
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Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
