Reflexology Blog – Colitis is a spiritual affliction that can be quite painful.
Colitis is a spiritual affliction which reflects a person’s insecurity. A person suffering with colitis is having trouble letting go of something which is already gone.
For many people, colitis is a chronic condition which may flare up and die down over time with the medical professionals treating the symptoms. The disease itself has no cure and is probably unpreventable. It’s generally agreed upon by medical professionals that colitis is not caused by stress but it does get worse when a person is stressed out.
It is believed that, for some people, colitis is hereditary. Whatever the cause, this painful condition is one that can respond to the sessions offered by a Reflexology for the Spirit Practitioner.
A person with colitis should definitely be consulting a medical professional in addition to a reflexologist.
When a person with colitis comes to your healing space, include Reiki therapy if possible. Offer essential oils if you feel called to do so. Your goal here is homeostasis.
WORK THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS WHEN YOU ADDRESS COLITIS:
Work the immune system, the adrenal gland reflexes, the intestinal reflexes, and the lymphatics.
Thank you for reading this blog/book. Please contact me with comments or questions.
As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in scenic downtown Woodstock, NY.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, NY
Reflexology Blog – Bladder Infections Can be Spiritual Afflictions – 3 Things You Can Do To Avoid Infections
There are many kinds of bladder problems. This post focuses on bladder infections because we’re examining the immune system.
Bladder infections are just one more in a long list of spiritual afflictions. People develop bladder infections when they have a fear of letting something from the past go. When this fear occurs, the person can develop anxiety over the issue.
Bladder infections can be very troublesome: pain, frequent urination, etc. Never ignore these symptoms.
Prevention helps. People experiencing repeat bladder infections can do several things to try to prevent frequent recurrence of these infections.
Drinking lots of fluids helps. The goal is to wash germs found in kidneys, ureters, bladder, and bloodstream. Include cranberry juice in your diet.
Improving sanitary habits is necessary. Frequent bathing helps. Wiping from the front of the body to the back after urination is important also.
Bladder infections have a way of showing up when a person’s stress level is high and resistance level is low. Do what you can to release old issues and welcome new things in your life.
When addressing bladder infections, work the immune system, the spleen reflex, adrenal gland reflexes, kidney reflexes, bladder reflex, lymphatics, liver, and solar plexus.
Thank you for reading this post.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, NY
Reflexology Blog: Is It a Cold or the Flu?
We’ve all had this happen to us: We wake up one morning with nasal congestion, sneezing, runny eyes, muscle aches, coughing, maybe even fever.
The first thought is this: “Am I coming down with the flu or a common cold?
There are differences.
FEVER AND HEADACHE are rare in colds. Headaches, on the other hand, are common in flu as well as a high fever which can last 3 to 4 days.
ACHES AND PAINS are only slight or mild in colds. Flu creates severe aches and pains.
FATIGUE: Colds make people tired sometimes. Flu, however, makes people tired for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
EXHAUSTION: Colds are never exhausting. Flu is usually extremely exhausting.
STUFFY NOSES, SNEEZING, and SORE THROATS are common in colds. They’re fairly rare in flu.
The list you just read is somewhat complicated. Especially if you just woke up and are trying to figure out which “side of the aisle” you belong on. Would you like to ask yourself one question and make everything easy?
Well, here is the question:
“Do I feel so bad I can’t get out of bed”? If the answer to that question is “yes”…
YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE FLU
“Do I feel so bad I can’t get out of bed”? If the answer to that question is “no”…
YOU PROBABLY HAVE A COMMON COLD
So, now what do I need to do?
If you have a cold, stick with antihistamines, decongestants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories.
With the flu, you may want to see your doctor.
How could you have prevented this thing in the first place? There are several things you can do to prevent a common cold and the flu – wash your hands often, stay away from those who are sick, and take your annual flu shot.
With a cold, you want to get rest so that you avoid the complications of a sinus congestion, a middle ear infection, and asthma. Don’t forget to call your reflexologist and schedule an appointment.
With flu, you want to get rest so that you avoid the complications of bronchitis or pneumonia.
SYSTEMS TO WORK WHEN ADDRESSING THE COMMON COLD:
Work the immune system. Then go to the pituitary gland reflexes, the sinus reflexes, the ear reflexes, the lung reflexes, and adrenal gland reflexes. Finish the session by working the lymphatics.
Thanks for reading this post. Hope you’ll find it’s helpful.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock, NY
67 Foods That Love to Support Your Immune System and 4 Improvements You Can Expect from Foot Reflexology Sessions Focusing on the Immune System
apples, apricots, asparagus, bananas, beans, beets, black tea, blackberries, blueberries, bok choy, Brazil nuts, broccoli, brown rice, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, chicken, chicken soup, chickpeas, chives, chocolate, coconut, collard greens, cranberries, cranberry juice, curry, dry roasted soybeans, goji berries, edamame, eggs, fermented foods, fish, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, grapes, potatoes, prunes, pumpkin seeds, radishes, raspberries, salmon, sauerkraut, sardines, shallots, shrimp, soy milk, soy sauce, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, tofu, tomatoes, turnips, walnuts, water, water, water, watercress, watermelon, yogurt.
Four improvements to be expected from sessions to the immune system include the following:
The body can build up its defense system to prevent disease.
Focused sessions can shorten the time needed for a person to recover from an illness.
Regular sessions will help the body to detox itself and balance its systems.
Working the lymphatics can assist the body rid itself of excess fluids and other toxins.
The next few posts will focus on specific conditions which respond to immune system work: the common cold, bladder problems , colitis
Thank you for reading this blog/book. Please contact me if you have any questions.
This post is coming to you from my healing space in downtown Woodstock.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
30 Essential Oils to Choose From When Addressing Immune System Issues
There are many, many essential oils out there. How do you decide? One way is to just go for the name that appeals to you. Another is to put out a drop and see if the aroma appeals to you. But, whichever oil you choose from this list, you can’t go wrong. These oils all have a proven track record when it comes to addressing immune system issues:
balsam fir, blue cypress, Canadian red cedar, clove, dill, eucalyptus radiata, frankincense, galbanum, grapefruit, hyssop, lemon, mountain savory, myrtle, nutmeg, orange, oregano, patchouli, peppermint, raven, ravensara, sandalwood, tarragon, thyme, tsuga, valerian, wintergreen,
Begin by choosing an oil and dilute it 50/50 with a vegetable oil which will be the carrier oil. Apply a small amount of the oil to the skin and see if there is a reaction. If not, use this oil. Oils vary in effectiveness from person to person because they work with a person’s body chemistry and every body is different..
There are many, many different ways to use essential oils. You have to find out what is going to work for you in each specific situation. To begin, try putting a few drops of an essential oil on a cloth or on a rug and let it work throughout the room.
I’ll be writing more about essential oils as we go through the book. This is basically a book about reflexology for the spirit but reflexology is compatible with so many different modalities that reflexologists end up with very large “tool kits” before they are through learning.
Actually, reflexologists never stop learning. That’s the beauty of the modality.
Our next blog post will address foods that nourish the immune system. Then, in follow on posts, we’ll address several conditions which can offer challenges to the immune system.
Thanks for following this blog/book. Please contact me if you have any comments/questions.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman
The Immune System Bottom Line: 4 Important Things to Remember
THE BOTTOM LINE
The immune system makes an important contribution to our wellness. There are emotional and spiritual components to the immune system which cannot be ignored.
Some diseases offer challenges and struggles which insist that the ill person examine his/her lifestyle, core beliefs, and connection with the divine.
This whole path to wellness: living with the disease or succumbing to it is facilitated with the homeostasis which Reflexology for the Spirit sessions bring about.
Work the immune system and the nervous system very early in the session. The nervous system combined with the immune system becomes a booster system and they should always be used when you’re trying to resolve a health issue for someone. These two systems combined facilitate homeostasis. The two systems together can offer significant changes.
Thank you for reading this post and for reading this blog/book. Please contact me if you have any questions.
The next post will focus on essential oils which benefit the immune system and will list the foods that nourish the immune system. Following that, we will focus on some specific diseases such as the common cold, flu, bladder problems, etc.
As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in downtown Woodstock.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
A Canoe and an Angel – A Guided Meditation
This meditation is for you to use…to read to yourself, to use with your client partner at the beginning of a session…or whenever it feels like a good idea to have a guided meditation.
Make yourself comfortable. Relax. Imagine that you are lying in a beautiful canoe filled with cushions. The small boat is just the right size for you. There is no room for anyone or anything else in this canoe. There is just room enough for you to just “be you”. Nothing more.
You are lying in this canoe in the middle of a beautiful pond. The water in the pond is still, clean, peaceful. Let your body become heavy. Sink into the cushions. You are lying in your canoe in the middle of the pond. Notice the space around you. Experience the peace. Feel the energy.
Look above you at the beautiful sky. A few clouds are moving slowly and lazily across the sky.
A gentle breeze begins to move your canoe across the pond. The breeze moves your canoe into a small opening of the pond which becomes a stream. You float down the stream.
Beautiful trees and greenery line the banks of this gentle stream. You feel safe. This is a protected area. As you float along your eye is drawn to the lovely clouds in the blue sky overhead. You see and hear colorful birds in the trees along the banks of the stream.
Breathe in the peace and gentleness of the stream. Enjoy just being. Appreciate the energy of the scene. You don’t have to do anything. Simply breathe. Enjoy.
Slowly the canoe comes to the shore along the stream. You look around and enjoy the beautiful trees, the greenery, the flowers, the birds. You are very, very relaxed and enjoy being in this special place.
You look over to the shore and see a bench. You are called to climb out of the canoe and sit on this lovely bench in a protected area on the shore under some trees. As you sit down on the bench you realize you are not alone.
Coming to sit beside you is a lovely angel. You feel comfortable, and reach out to the angel who touches your hand. You know this angel has come to sit by your side and be with you. You know this angel has come to answer a question for you.
As you sit next to the angel, you notice how the angel looks. What colors surround this angel. Is this angel tall, short? How is this angel dressed? What is the overall feeling you get from your angel? Does your angel give you a name? If so, what is it? If not, it’s okay. No matter.
You pause a moment and ask your special angel a question.
PAUSE
After a moment, this angel answers your question and offers you wisdom, comfort, love.
Then, a breeze stirs and you gently rise from the bench. It is time to say “Thank you” and “Good bye” to this special angel.
You slowly return to the canoe, thankful for having met your special angel.
As you get comfortable in the canoe, you feel an enfolding warmth which is very healing. You feel as if you are part of the earth. You feel strong, healthy. You breathe in peace, strength, health, happiness. You feel very quiet.
You take these feelings into your solar plexus to keep and remember for any future time that you might need them.
Now…return to your body. Become aware of your surroundings. Move your fingers, toes, arms, legs. Slowly open your eyes.
Become fully awake. Know that you have the memory of this time in the canoe with you to return to when you need it.
Maintaining Good Hand Health For Yourself Is Important
Holding your wrists straight is the difference between having a 2-year career as a practitioner and having a 20-year career.
If you find that you must do wrist gymnastics to offer a session, read the instructions again. Adjust the height of your stool or chair, hold the person’s foot in a different way, etc. Do whatever is necessary to protect the health of your hands.
Are you comfortable as you work? If not, you won’t provide a good session.
It’s not necessary to inflict pain in order to be a good Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner. As a matter of fact, many successful practitioners offer a light touch to their clients. You don’t want your touch to be so light that you’re tickling your client partners. But, it’s not necessary to be super heavy either.
So, what do you do if a client insists that your touch is too light and that you should “go deeper” because s/he doesn’t feel anything or because s/he received a session 30 years ago and the reflexologist offered very deep, painful work?
Don’t compromise your standards, your practice, or your thumbs. End the session. Let the person return to the reflexologist who offered the pain in the past.
There is another important reason for this: sometimes people don’t feel anything because they have insufficient, or no, feeling in their feet. This is a health issue. They need to see their primary care health professional.
Don’t get sucked into their illness. If you do, you’ll run the risk of damaging their feet as well as your hands in your effort to offer a session to a person who can’t feel much.
Thanks for reading this post. I hope you found the information helpful. Please leave a comment if you have a question or other observation.
In the next two posts, we’ll focus on the practical application for Reflexology for the Spirit.
As always, this information comes to you from my Woodstock Healing Space.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Who Shouldn’t Receive a Session and Why (Contraindications) – Part 2
Advanced Osteoporosis
Use a very light touch and a very short session (begin with 10 minutes) taking care not to fracture bones. Please note: persons suffering from mild osteoporosis or osteopenia greatly benefit from Reflexology for the Spirit. The red flag starts flying when a new client approaches you with advanced osteoporosis. By then, it’s too late for your services without permission from the physician.
Extensive Athlete’s Foot, Etc.
Whenever there’s a rash, an open sore, athlete’s foot, etc., offer hand reflexology instead of working the feet. If you are uncomfortable offering hand reflexology, use gloves.
Advanced Diabetes
Clients with mild diabetes respond well to Reflexology for the Spirit offered to both hands and feet. Offer gentle pressure when working the pancreas. Offer lighter pressure in general for diabetics because their skin may be thinner than usual and bruise easily. also, reduce sessions to 30 minutes or less for new clients.
Heavily Medicated Clients
Persons taking a lot of medicine may have a buildup of toxins. Because Reflexology for the Spirit offers a natural detoxing action you need to take care not to overload the person. Offer a light touch and shorter session.
When you encounter people who shouldn’t receive Reflexology for the Spirit, consider offering Reiki therapy.
There are no known contraindications for Reiki therapy.
It’s easy to learn.
People enjoy it.
It’s easy to combine Reiki therapy and Reflexology for the Spirit.
The list seems almost endless. Remember this: few people with conditions on the above list will ever approach a reflexologist. For whatever reason, they just go elsewhere for their therapy. So don’t get discouraged. You won’t see them.
As always, this post is coming to you from my post in scenic Woodstock, NY.
Our next post will focus on who SHOULD receive reflexology.
Thank you for reading this book/blog. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Woodstock
Who Shouldn’t Receive a Session, and Why (Contraindications) Part 1 of 2
Cancer Patients
Reflexology for the Spirit is wonderful for cancer patients. It’s now offered in many hospitals throughout the country. However, patients receiving chemotherapy shouldn’t receive reflexology for 48 hours after the end of a chemotherapy session. This is for your protection. The theory is that the patient is toxic for 48 hours after receiving chemotherapy. If you decide to offer a session to a patient in less than 48 hours, please wear gloves.
Pregnant Women
Women in the first trimester of pregnancy experiencing an unstable pregnancy should not receive reflexology. Nothing is more wonderful than a reflexology session offered to a woman who is in her 7th month of pregnancy and has not seen her feet for a couple of months and still has 2 months to go. The rule is to avoid offering reflexology in the first trimester and stay on the bottom of the feet when you offer sessions thereafter. If you have any concerns, switch to Reiki therapy. Reiki therapy is wonderful for pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
With a regular Reiki therapy client, you can offer sessions weekly and can offer to go with your client partner into the labor and delivery stages of the birth process. Then, of course, you have two clients.
Clients with Infectious Diseases
Infectious disease and/or fever sufferers should not receive Reflexology for the Spirit for your protection. To offer a session to someone in a contagious condition, consider some options: gloves, mask, etc.
Severe Congestive Heart Failure
This is a good time to use your Reiki therapy skills.
Gangrene
Gangrene occurs when a person’s cells begin to die in a particular place when there is no circulation in a certain place in the body. Gangrene is fairly rare but can be seen in cases of advanced diabetes. This situation requires a physician’s attention.
Thanks for reading today’s post. We will conclude the Contraindication Section in the next post. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me.
This post is coming to you from my healing space in scenic downtown Woodstock.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
