Physical Therapy – What to do to Get the Most from Your PT Session
We go to physical therapy because we want to get to the other side – of whatever the situation is.
Maybe you’ve been in an accident.
Maybe you just realized that your neck won’t move right.
Maybe you just finally looked in the mirror and your left shoulder and your right shoulder don’t match – at all.
Whatever the reason, physical therapy takes a commitment. It means going to two appointments weekly with homework between the sessions.
Some people go to their physical therapy sessions and do their homework and things seem to just go right.
I’ve gone to physical therapy sessions several different times in my life. Each experience impacted my life differently.
In my 40’s, I went to physical therapy, and followed the series of PT sessions up with a fitness club membership which helped me immensely. The physical therapy sessions followed by the regular fitness sessions changed my life for the better. The impact of these physical therapy sessions lasted the better part of a decade.
A couple of decades later, my physical therapy experience was just as positive but the therapy was completely different. I spent a lot of time on the table receiving heat treatments. My back and shoulders loved this attention and appreciated the healing applications I received twice weekly.
Now, with different needs, my current physical therapy experience is different yet again. My body does not want to move so fast. Healing is not so easy this time. I leave each session feeling fatigue and pain. My body needs to rest and restore. It needs attention beyond what is happening at the physical therapist’s office.
It took two sessions for me to realize what was happening. What did I do? I ran for the Reiki therapy!
I’m sharing this with everyone because I’m seeing other people coming away from the physical therapy session who need restorative healing. Some people get this information quickly. Others need a little nudge.
What I’m finding is that the physical therapy session is not completed without a Reiki session to follow up.
Actually, other modalities work well also. Reflexology certainly offers the deep calming needed to end a session totally.
But, really, it doesn’t matter whether you schedule Reiki or Reflexology or massage or ………… Many modalities available will work.
The important thing to know is that when we get physical therapy, the work takes your body “so far”. To get your money’s worth in healing, schedule the Reiki session on the same day if you possibly can – certainly within 36 hours.
Schedule these bodywork sessions think of them as part of your life. They stimulate your body’s own healing processes.
When you combine Reiki or Reflexology or whatever modality works best for you, you will receive more healing for your health care dollars.
If regular Reiki sessions turn out to be a challenge, take some classes and learn to give sessions. That way you can exchange sessions with others.
Ask a friend to join you in a learning adventure. The two of you can learn together and exchange sessions. This is self-care, an important activity which we all need to include in our daily lives.
Thanks for reading this blog post! New articles have been posted for 10 years. This blog was created to be a conduit for your own healing.
With blogs, books, classes, and sessions, I am not here to change your story. Instead, I am here to be a conduit for your own healing.
Thanks for reading this article. Please share it with friends and relatives. Forward this post to your preferred social media network.
For more info, my books are located on www.thurmangreco.com. They are all available in both ebook and paperbook form. So far, “A Healer’s Handbook” has gone out to readers in over three dozen countries.
You can also discover more information when you explore previous posts on this blog. Posts focusing on reflexology or Reiki therapy are on both the blog and on YOUTUBE.
My Latest Information! – “A Healer’s Tarot Memoir” has just gone to the publisher!
8 Ways to Heal Your Chakras
When you balance your chakras, you change your physical self. This happens because your chakras affect all levels of your body – physical, psychological, and spiritual.
Balanced chakras facilitate homeostasis. A chakra adjustment boosts healing and recovery from illness, emotional wounds, negative lifestyles and other physical and mental issues.
INTENTION
Wherever you are on your healing path, your foundation is your intention to heal, which guides your journey.
Keep it close throughout your travels because healing can often reach into your past. Your health issues may have begun years, decades, even lifetimes ago.
Write your intention. Meditate on your intention. Stay with your intention. It leads your energy, telling it what to do.
Your intention has a second task: it converts your healing goals into your new normal, maintaining your good health and your spiritual wholeness.
Without this second task focusing on your good health goals, your body may revert to its previous state.
Your goal is to make strong and durable changes so you can become your new normal self.
This may be scary stuff. After all, it’s much easier to “keep on keeping on”.
If you really seek healing, change the things you do.
AROMATHERAPY
The sense of smell is primal.
When you focus on grounding and safety, aromatherapy is a good choice because these qualities rely on the sense of smell. This is especially important for health issues affecting your root chakra.
Aromas work on the unconscious self and the physical body.
Smells have a frequency which reaches far back in time to heal your chakras and energetic fields.
Smells reveal memories traveling instantly from the past – beyond this life even.
This time travel can balance chakras. Essential oils can focus on a specific chakra.
I’ve listed various essential oils in previous blog posts. I’ve also listed them in all editions of “Healer’s Handbook”.
If you want to own the fewest number of essential oils possible, lavender can be a good first choice.
Good essential oils for the root chakra include wood-related oils: sandalwood, rosewood.
If you want to use essential oils to promote healing and balance, select only a few for the chakra you are focusing on. Buy the best quality, therapeutic grade oils you can find. Store them in glass in a cool, dark place.
Once you select an essential oil, learn to use that particular oil. Depending on the oil you choose, you may dilute it and then apply it topically.
You may also use the essential oil aromatically.
Finally, you may decide to ingest it.
However you decide to use the essential oil, learn the best way to use it before you begin your treatment.
SOUND
Sound affects us all deeply and instantly. Sound is powerful because it changes our vibration. Going straight to our deepest core, sound alters vibrations of illness and disease.
When using sound to heal, choose those sounds which touch your heart, your chakras and emotions.
You may decide to engage in formal sound healing sessions. Or you may simply choose to pay more attention to the sounds in your life. What sounds promote healing, calming, or balancing? Which ones are disruptive and damaging?
Don’t underestimate the power of healing music.
MANTRAS AND HEALING NOTES
A mantra is a word which is repeated for healing purposes.
Om is a universal mantra. The vibration of the repeated word is the power in the mantra. Vibration, not the word itself, is the power in the singing bowls, tuning forks, chants, and mantras.
It’s not necessary to know the literal meaning of a word for it to work as a mantra.
Tools that create notes for chakra healing include Gregorian Chants, singing bowls, and tuning forks designed to heal chakras.
Singing bowls and tuning forks resonate to the energy of specific chakras. Any word or sound carrying a positive resonance has a powerful, therapeutic effect.
Silence can be powerfully calming and healing. If you are attracted to the vibration of silence, try to practice it a few minutes each day.
YOGA
Yoga poses have been used for ages to boost and balance your chakras. The poses strengthen and stabilize your body. They also activate your chakras.
Yoga poses open, strengthen, and balance different chakras based on their location. There are many different yoga poses, each anatomically related to different chakras.
CRYSTALS AND STONES
For me, crystals and stones live. Each has a unique vibration which communicates with our energetic fields. This communication has the capacity to bring harmony and balance.
The best way to select a crystal or stone is to trust your body’s response. When you hold a particular stone in your hand or place it on a chakra, how does it feel to you? Does it feel bad? Are you positively attracted to it?
If the response is good, you may be on the right track.
Selecting the crystal and gemstones is a personal decision. It’s hard for someone else to choose your stone.
A good way is to select a stone in the same color as the chakra you’re trying to balance.
For example, if you are seeking a stone to balance your root chakra, choose from red stones because that chakra’s color resonates with red.
Occasionally, a stone will call out to you. This happened to me recently. Black tourmaline presented itself to me, uninvited. I saw evidence of this stone everywhere I went.
When I opened books, a picture of this stone would be on the opened page.
When a colleague asked me about stones, she wanted information about black tourmaline.
I visited a tarot store in Great Barrington – and there sat a dish of them, right at eye level.
I simply couldn’t avoid them.
So, I finally gave in!
I bought a stone and silver chain at the Mower’s Meadow Flea Market from a booth there.
I’ve been wearing the black tourmaline for over a week now and I feel totally different than I felt a week ago.
I held out as long as I could and when I finally did what I should have done in the beginning – I felt good.
MEDITATION
Meditations balance and heal on several different levels.
For me, meditations work because energy follows intent. A guided meditation allows you to focus on your intentions in a relaxed state.
If you are looking to find a guided meditation suitable for your chakra balancing, maybe I can suggest a starting point for you. I’ve used several books for years. Larry Moen wrote my three favorite books: “Meditations for Awakening”, “Meditations for Healing”, “Meditations for Transformation”.
I’ve worn out several copies of these books and shared others.
I’ve also written some guided meditations. You can find them in earlier posts of this blog.
REFLEXOLOGY AND REIKI
Both reflexology and Reiki therapy balance your chakras. I wrote about this in my book: “Healer’s Handbook”.
When my chakras need attention, I always turn to reflexology and Reiki first.
While I definitely embrace different healing methods to balance my chakras, I refer to reflexology first.
A reflexology session is my first stop.
Thanks for reading this article! Please forward it to your preferred social media network. Share it with your friends.
Some information in this blog post was shared from “Healers Handbook”. Purchase a copy from www.thurmangreco.com.
Search “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco on YOUTUBE and check out the ever-growing selection of videos focused on reflexology, Reiki therapy, and healing.
Please share this article with your preferred social media network and with your friends.
Thanks again!
Thurman Greco
I’I’m planning a couple of special year-end blogs and YOUTUBE shows. I hope they work out. Sometimes the universe sends me in different different directions.
Thanking you again!
www.thurmangreco.com
Is it a Cold, the Flu, or Coronavirus?
For months we’ve all been reading and hearing about a resurgence of the coronavirus combined with the flu. So…what does this mean?
Every year I hear the same question at the beginning of flu season: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER IT’S A COLD OR THE FLU? This season, the question is a little different: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER IT’S A COLD OR THE FLU OR CORONAVIRUS?
There are some real differences.
Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is common with the flu. It’s usually high and lasts three or four days.
Headaches are rare with a cold but common with the flu.
Cold sufferers may have slight aches and pains. Flu sufferers have definite aches and pains which may be severe.
Extreme fatigue and/or weakness is just not a factor with a cold. Exhaustion is common with the flu – especially at the onset of the illness.
Sore throat, stuffy nose, and sneezing are common with a cold. A person suffering with a cold may have mild symptoms to include a hacking cough. With the flu, these symptoms can become severe.
With colds, treatment includes antihistamines, decongestants. With the flu, the patient needs to consult with a physician about any needed medication.
Coronavirus complicates things.
Many people experience fever as the first symptom of Coronavirus.
The second symptom is often a combination of a cough and muscle pain.
Nausea and vomiting make up the third tier.
These symptoms are usually followed by diarrhea.
And, that’s not all. Some people experience a loss of taste or smell.
And, some people experience deeply reddish-blue toes (chillblains).
Others have headache and dizziness.
The bottom line here is that coronavirus has many symptoms while colds and flu
are much less complicated.
If you suspect coronavirus, go get tested. Waiting around while you try to decide you are sick and contagious or not is not good for you and it’s not good for those around you.
There are several tools at your disposal which can help you early on.
A thermometer is essential. Take your temperature daily.
When I’m out in the community, my temperature is the key to getting into the office where I have an appointment.
The no-touch forehead fever thermometer gun has become ubiquitous on receptionists’ desks wherever I go.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t take your temperature every morning. Your temperature can accompany your blood pressure reading. You can keep your thermometer gun beside your blood pressure cuff.
Then, you only need one other item: a pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter estimates the amount of oxygen in your blood.
If you have coronavirus, your pulse oximeter will register a lower oxygen level in your body. This is because with coronavirus, your lungs are inflamed. (Actually, with coronavirus, inflammation is all over your body).
So, if you are concerned about your health because you may become exposed to coronavirus, you can help yourself with your temperature, your blood pressure, and your oxygen level.
If you feel ill, you will help your healthcare professional with these three scores.
For those who aren’t really familiar with an oximeter, it is the little plastic clip placed on your finger when you get your blood pressure measured.
These devices are not that expensive, are easy to use, and you can find an explanatory chart which will explain the meaning of the score.
Whatever you decide, prevention is important. Wash your hands often, wear a mask always when you leave your home, use hand sanitizer and don’t go anywhere around other people if you can help it.
Thanks for reading this blog post. If you liked this article, please forward it to your favorite social media networks.
Thanks again,
Thurman Greco
It’s Here! A Wellness for All Reflexology Video
It’s time!
THE VIDEO IS AVAILABLE NOW!
What began as reflexology class notes years ago has now become an informative and entertaining video just waiting for you!
One evening several months ago Karen White, Arlene Ferrieri and I drove out to Palenville to my publisher’s studio and very casually produced this video. Our intention is to offer a dialogue about reflexology which is easy to follow and use.
I hope you like it!
And, the price is sooo right. Simply go to
www.thurmangreco.com and click on videos.
There it is! It’s waiting for you and your donation. Every penny is destined to feed the hungry. No one received any payment for providing this video.
It is our hope that you will enjoy this video and find it informative as well as entertaining.
Please refer this blog post to your preferred social media network.
It is my dream that people will be as happy with this video as they are with the book, which is going into its third edition.
If you like this video, I hope you’ll send thoughts of gratitude to Karen and Arlene and everyone at Turning Mill who gave of their time with love.
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
Anxiety Attacks – a Spiritual Event
Spiritually, an anxiety attack happens when fear takes over the situation. Fear is a huge spiritual issue which can overcome your ability to cope. You feel you are worthless, helpless, and cannot trust life. You feel stuck and limited in life but don’t want to make changes. Stress can be a factor. Fear looms large.
Anxiety attacks usually begin suddenly and peak within a few minutes. Symptoms include a rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, hyperventilation, chills, and a sense of impending doom.
For starters, anxiety attacks require professional help. If you visit a Chiropractor, massage therapist, psychotherapist, yoga teacher, schedule your sessions within twenty-four hours to forty-eight hours for maximum benefit of both.
The synchronicity of your sessions (which should include Reiki, chakra healing, and reflexology) will boost the benefits of these modalities. Your sessions will calm some side effects of drugs taken during treatment.
Do you take prescriptive drugs, herbs, or other medications for a medical condition? Make sure everyone on your medical team knows about all drugs, herbs, oils and other medications you take. Ask your bodyworkers to work body systems that apply to your medications, drugs, and herbs.
Bodywork sessions during treatment can balance your chakras, encourage homeostasis, ground your systems, and support your healing process.
SUGGESTED HEALING SYSTEMS
Conventional medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Herbalism.
Anxiety attacks are a valid reason to seek medical help. They are hard to manage without professional help but they may worsen without treatment. The main treatments include psychotherapy and medications.
Although many things contribute to anxiety attacks, one which is important overall is nutrition. A qualified nutritionist can support your path toward a stress-free environment because what you eat or don’t eat directly affects your day-to-day health.
CHAKRA:
Anxiety attacks are a seventh chakra imbalance.
REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK: endocrine system, digestive system, nervous system, liver, and solar plexus.
Work all systems which apply to any other health issues you experience.
ESSENTIAL OILS:
frankincense, lavender, orange, Roman chamomile, rose, ylang ylang
THINGS TO DO
Learn a breathing technique to ground yourself in your body. Learn stress management techniques to calm yourself and overcome the stress you experience.
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Why do I feel so powerless? Why is fear interfering with my daily life?
Thank you for reading this blog post. Please forward it to your preferred social media network.
Thurman Greco
heart with wings
