What to do When Your Life Begins to Unravel Around the Edges
What bodywork does for you when your life unravels around you:
Years ago, I took a reiki class in Reston, Virginia, in Reiki Jinkei Do, taught by Gilbert Gallego. This was at a time when I was taking Reiki classes from anyone and everyone who taught one. I learned something wonderful at each class. I remember each and every class fondly.
Giving my memory one takeaway, it is this: Bodywork in general works in our best interest, supporting health and healing on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. Reiki and Reflexology are in this mix.
I write a lot about Reflexology and Reiki because I spent the most time studying those two modalities. I teach both of them and I know the good they can do for a person.
Bodywork in general is cumulative, whatever the modality, which means that the more sessions someone has, the greater effect they will have on that body.
So far, the only modality I’ve found without contraindications is Reiki therapy. This means you can use it on anyone, anytime, anyhow, anywhere. Reiki is a soft touch on a clothed body so that it can be used in a private healing space, a bus station, airport waiting area, ICU, or accident scene.
Bodywork of all kinds have reactions. They depend on the modality, the client, the healer, and what is happening in the life of people on the day and time they receive help.
When clients receive Reflexology and/or Reiki, their reactions are different each time they receive a session. One of the reasons we don’t think about is the fact that our bodies are different each and every day.
I’m discussing this now because I’m seeing more and more people whose lives are unraveling. Stress and uncertainty over a long period of time have a way of untethering a person from those things that ground us.
There are many things you can do. The first of these is to recognize your situation for what it is.
The second is to list the things you can do. You want to know what you can choose from. The options are, possibly, many. Which ones are more realistic and which ones are less realistic?
Make your healing list. .
Be prepared to change your list several times, at least. Maybe you should be prepared to change your list more times.
What is practical?
What is affordable?
What is the option that you prefer?
Work this list through as you winnow it down to fewer and fewer options. Finally, this list will be short – possibly only 1 or 2 items.
Until you get down to the final option, there is one thing you can do now. There is one thing which will help you. It probably won’t interfere with your life.
It can change your daily life for the better.
And, what is that? BODYWORK!
There are many modalities that ground the person receiving the work. A good thing to do when the “going gets tough” is to schedule and receive regular grounding bodywork.
Your body will be grateful for the attention.
One example of this is sleep. Both Reflexology and Reiki sessions can help restore disturbed sleep patterns.
The effects of a bodywork session are often experienced immediately after a treatment. For example, a client may notice that a headache has disappeared or a frozen shoulder may has become much more mobile. Other symptoms may take three or more sessions to improve a condition or complaint.
Generally, a disorder that has been around for a long time may take a longer time to improve.
The problem with this is that we live in a society that wants instant results.
Schedule regular bodywork sessions as part of your life. These regular sessions will stimulate your body’s own healing processes over time as you have regular visits.
If you find regular sessions to be challenging, 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 which is extremely important in these times.
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.
For healers everywhere, thank you for reading this blog post. Share this article with friends and relatives. Forward this post to your preferred social media network.
Check out my books on www.thurmangreco.com.
“Healer’s Handbook” is in its third edition. So far, this book has gone out to three dozen different countries. The best way to buy a book is to contact me at thurmangreco@gmail.com. The books are listed on thurmangreco.com but the website is undergoing repairs and upgrades.
“But for Gabriel” is available as both ebook and paperback at thurmangreco@gmail.com. Until the repairs are completed, email thurmangreco@gmail.com
I host “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco” a program aired weekly on Woodstock, New York’s own educational TV channel 23. This show is an informative, upbeat hour with no rehearsals.
My guests are various people whose lives have brought them to Woodstock for a day, a week, an hour, a decade, or more.
Let’s Live has been running for over 15 years with an occasional intermission, now and then. You can find some programs on YOUTUBE “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco”. My assistant, Renee, adds new programs weekly.
I look forward to our show each week. And, I look forward to hearing from you at thurmangreco@gmail.com or 845-399-3967.
THANKS!
Thurman Greco
Happy 10th!
Way back 2014, I published the first post of “Reflexology for the Spirit”.
I dedicated this blog to Margaret D’Urso. She was a wonderful person who gave of herself whenever she could. She was brave in her attitudes toward healing people. She was always willing to answer any questions asked of her to the best of her ability. Without her, this blog and my companion wellness books would never have happened.
I also dedicated this blog to reflexology students everywhere.
You are wonderful people who are giving far more than you realize when you allow someone to be your teacher. To venture down a totally unknown path is a brave undertaking. Your willingness to ask questions stretches your teacher’s knowledge and results in better teachers and mentors. Without you, this blog would never have made it to 10 years!
I hope you are enjoying this journey we are on together. I know that this blog has travelled the world because the companion book, “Healer’s Handbook” has gone out to over 36 countries!
Companion YOUTUBE video productions featuring reflexology and Reiki therapy are available on “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco”
“Reflexology for the Spirit” is an inexpensive downloadable video which is fun to use and easy to adapt to sessions. ENJOY!.
I hope you will continue to journey with me.
Thank you!
Thurman Greco
Thanks for joining me on this journey.
Contact me at thurmangreco@gmail.com.
Please share this article with your friends and family and forward to your favorite social media network.
Thurman
Let’s Get Back to Basics! Start with Foot Reflexology
Reduced to a basic practice, reflexology works with zone therapy. So, this chart is the one I’m displaying first. If you feel that your life is too complicated for reflexology, try massaging your feet and observing where you feel soreness or sensitivity. Rather than feeling you even need to know how you experience these points, just knowing where they are on your feet is enough.
Foot reflexology sessions relax, balance, detox, and heal your entire body.
Reflexology brings about homeostasis – a body balance that is important for your health.
Reflex areas in your feet correspond to the internal organs.
Note where these points are and then work them over the next few days.
Work your toes to help alleviate headaches,
The ball of your foot relieves tension in your neck and shoulders.
Your foot arch relates to your liver, bowel, and kidneys. Manipulate this area gently, especially if you’ve been burning the candle at both ends.
Massaging the top of your foot induces psychological calm.
Modern reflexology is based on the centuries-old theory of Zone Therapy. The principle is that the energy connection should be free-flowing. An energy blockage will imbalance body parts within that particular zone.
Reflexology sessions work to restore free-flowing energy pathways throughout the body, creating homeostasis. This energetic body balance is essential for your good health.
When our bodies are balanced, things work better:
stress is relieved
the immune system improves
there is relief from pain
circulation improves
bowel movements improve
toxins clear
relaxation is better
In short, the body works better!
Most of us know these things but it’s nice to have a short review occasionally. It’s easier to find time in the daily schedule for a reflexology session if we can remember what the session will actually do for us.
On behalf of healers everywhere, I honor you and thank you for seeking wellness throughout your life.
With blogs, books, classes and sessions, I am not here to change your story. I am here as a conduit for your healing.
“Healer’s Handbook” is available as an ebook or paperback at www.thurmangreco.com
I thank you for reading this blog post.
If you have friends or relatives who might enjoy this article, please share it with them.
Please forward this post on your preferred social media network.
For more info, check out my books on www.thurmangreco.com.
To learn more about reflexology, download this video.
Ask a friend to join you in a learning adventure. The two of you can learn together and exchange sessions.
I have several reflexology videos on YOUTUBE – Let’s Live with Thurman Greco. These videos are free.
Thank you for your interest.
What’s Your Definition of Healthy?
When I first studied massage therapy at PMTI, I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of things that make up the healthy human body. There are, for example, over 600 muscles.
From the beginning of this class in 1980, I have never stopped studying and learning about the human body, its wellbeing, and its health. Not even for a moment.
The question looming over all the studies, classes, and courses is this: What is the definition of healthy?
As a healer, my goal is to be a conduit for your healing. I am not here to change your story. And, I certainly cannot define “Healthy” for you. Each person I meet in my daily travels has a truly unique and individual definition of “Healthy”.
An important word in my vocabulary as healer is “homeostasis”. Through the years, I’ve worked to make that word and it’s definition a part of your life, too.
Homeostasis is the return to balance of your body. As a Reflexologist, my goal was and is and will be to bring your body to homeostasis.
And, of course, Homeostasis is a big word because the body has so many thousands of working parts.
That being said – what is Healthy? For me, as a healer, that word is loaded.
For many, healthy comes down to what you eat. After all, we’ve all heard and read the saying: “You are what you eat.”
And, I think we can agree that something that is perfect for one person is not good for another. That’s why there are so many different diets for people these days. Each of us has individual needs when it comes to what we need to be healthy. So, it comes down to this:
One body needs different foods compared to another body.
Our dietary needs continually shift.
Whether we’re talking diet, exercise, sleep, or any other activity, our daily decisions are spiritual.
So, this all includes judgement and criticism. This is an extremely eye-opening statement for some. But, I know it to be true. Many people feel judged for what they eat, where they get what they eat, and how they store, prepare, and serve what they bring home.
People not only feel judged for what they eat, they feel judged for how they look, whether they are over or underweight, and their lifestyles.
When we eat to be healthy physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, we come up against a lot of opinions and questions.
Something I try to never do is criticize another person for what they eat or don’t eat. However, that’s a tough thing to do. But, really, we never literally know what another person needs to be healthy.
You can simplify your life a bit if you just believe that we don’t know what another person needs and we don’t need to know. It’s just not anybody else’s business.
And, it’s easier to do this if we factor in the cost of food these days. Nowadays it’s getting to be more common to encounter people who simply don’t have the money to eat the way they might otherwise eat.
Instead of feeding their bodies and souls, they are” robbing Peter to pay Paul” (as my mother used to say) as they choose between rent and food. We can’t blame our unhealthy activities and habits on the rising cost of food when our rents have risen from $800 per month to $2000 per month.
Meanwhile, the job is paying more but not THAT much more.
Guess what, this blog post has just degenerated from a spiritual discussion of the word “healthy” into an economic politically spiritual one. Our struggles all have a spiritual component.
And, when a person finally loses the roof and life’s struggle includes finding a warm, dry place to sleep for the night, I wonder how they fit healthy into the struggle to get to work, get the children to school, and find a meal.
At this point, “healthy” becomes a lot about how to breathe deeply for grounding.
And now, I’m reminded of Kerrith McKechnie, my massage teacher at PMTI. She spoke a lot about breath, breathing, grounding and staying healthy.
I listened to her when she spoke about breathing and its importance to our health. And, every time she lectured or instructed us about breathing, I wondered how this was going to fit into the next exam.
Well, Kerrith McKechnie, I finally know the answer to my question. When the rubber meets the road, proper breathing techniques are essential.
Proper grounding and healing breathing techniques fit smack dab into the middle of the situation.
When you can, please schedule a reflexology or reiki therapy session for yourself, your family members, and even your pets.
If this seems a bit expensive, maybe it’s time to learn to practice Reiki or reflexology.
Thank you for reading this blog post article about the spiritual journey we are all on. My intention is that this article can be a conduit for your spiritual growth and healing.
If you haven’t yet read “Healer’s Handbook” this may be a good opportunity for you to order a copy.
Please forward this article to your preferred social media network and share it with your friends and relatives.
If you want to communicate with me, please email: thurmangreco@gmail.com.
“Ketchup Sandwich Chronicles” is about the spiritual journey of hunger as illustrated by the shoppers in the food pantry line.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter.
Seriously, are you getting enough rest? Sometimes, getting to the heart of the matter needs rest.
Frankly, I don’t know anybody who will admit to getting enough rest. Actually, that’s okay. At least, they aren’t lying.
The thing is…when we rest, we recuperate, recover, and heal. Right now, we’re coming off of a three-year stress-a-thon. For some of us, this was a nightmare that didn’t end.
A story in the local newspaper tells me that Biden is about to declare the end of the Pandemic. HURRAH! That’s wonderful. But what about the fallout?
Millions died of Covid-19.
School closings, masks, and vaccines upended and disturbed our children’s education, possibly permanently.
Careers and employment situations changed. Work will never be the same again. For some of us, employment was then, and is now, a horror and nightmare we may never recuperate from.
We watched a black man die as an officer kept a knee on his neck for nine minutes while he cried out he could not breathe.
Social isolation changed our culture, maybe long term or forever. Some of us are unable to leave their homes yet. Others of us experienced loneliness, distance, and abandonment.
For many, this pandemic brought heartbreak, pain, sorrow, and loss. Truths we held strong were changed or lost. Our emotions are raw and we need healing.
The pandemic turned our emotional world upside down and inside out.
During this time, political division drove apart families, religious communities, and committees.
School shootings and mass shootings occurred seemingly every week. They continue.
Finally, we watched tanks and planes attacking Ukraine.
Has the time come for you to rest up and recuperate after the past few years?
Are you ready? Frankly, several people I know aren’t. They are not yet prepared to leave the safe space they created during the ordeal.
Your soul will tell you whether you are ready, not ready, or whether you are somewhere else in between.
If you are not yet ready to move forward, you have received a sign that you still need to recuperate and contemplate. A message for you may be to examine your options further. Meditating on your situation a bit longer may be a good path for you right now.
Now is not a good time for you to rush to a decision.
Now is a good time to schedule some regular reflexology and Reiki sessions. When you make your appointments for these sessions, think clearly about your intentions.
You may want to select a special intention for each session. Or, you may want to set one intention for all the sessions. Either way, use these sessions as a platform to quiet your mind and give yourself permission to explore your possibilities.
Ultimately, you will explore peace and healing.
You may also want to choose a day in which you do nothing at all. Sit around. Catch up on your sleep. Drink some calming tea or water. This can be a day of spiritual convalescence.
.Do you feel that the storm is over and the air is clear for you? Do you feel your wounds are beginning to heal?
This is a good time to assess the damage and move on.
Do you feel you are not ready to move on. Was the experience too painful? Are you afraid that moving on will hurt even more?
Take some deep, cleansing breaths and send yourself love – as much love as possible.
If if seems comfortable for you, visualize yourself back in action. See your life getting busy again. You’ll know you are ready to move forward when You’re ready to get back into the world.
Thanks for reading this article. Please refer it to your preferred social media network. Share it with your friends.
You can find more information at www.thurmangreco.com and in previous articles in this blog.
Please forward this article to your favorite social media network. Share it with your friends and family.
You can find more information in previous articles in this blog.
You can also find more information on YOUTUBE at “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco”. New installments are loaded every Tuesday.
Thanks again for all you are doing.
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For more info, check out my books on www.thurmangreco.com
COMING SOON!
