Are You Stuck? This Body Scan Can Help
I’ve used this easy mindfulness technique for years and I love it.
Use it to help release tension that you hold in your physical body.
Begin your body scan by finding a quiet, comfortable place where you feel safe. Your best location is one where you won’t be disturbed.
Sit in a comfortable resting position where you begin to lengthen and deepen your inbreaths and outbreaths.
Focus on your body, noticing any sensations such as pain, tightness, warmth, cold, or tension.
Begin by focusing on your feet. What do you find?
As you notice tension or other sensations, breathe deeply, coaxing your feet to relax.
Observe the tension leaving your body with your out breath. Let the tension disappear into the air.
Now, work your way through your body. Repeat this process through your calves, knees, hips, back, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers.
Finish the first phase of this scan with your neck, jaw, face, eyes, and head.
When you reach your head, move your attention back down your body. Repeat this process ending with your feet.
When you finish with your feet, place them on the floor. How do they feel? Stay with this feeling as long as you are comfortable. When you are ready, slowly get up.
Move your muscles around slowly. Move your head from side to side. Slowly swing your arms from side to side. Move your legs around.
Take your time with these slow, luscious. focused movements.
When it is time for the scan to end, thank your body for taking care of you to the best of its ability.
If you don’t have time for a full scan, focus on the body parts where you experience tension. The important thing is to do what you can with the time you have.
This scan is also a good practice to do before sleep because it helps both your body and mind relax deeply.
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Thurman
Your Body Scan: Use This Ritual When You Need Uplifting Calm and Well
Have you ever experienced the luxury of a body scan? Have you ever heard of a body scan?
This little-known technique releases tension effectively. Use it often. Your muscles, bones, and nerves will thank you!
A body scan helps you release not only tension, but also pain, tightness, or warm areas.
Begin your body scan by finding a quiet place where you can sit or lie in a comfortable position. As you get comfortable, encourage your breath to become deeper and slower. Lengthen your inhales and exhales.
Focus on your toes. What do you feel? If you feel tension, allow your toes and feet to relax. Encourage tension to leave your body with every exhale. See the tension disappear into the air.
Now, repeat this process as you work your way up through the rest of your body. Pay attention to your feet, calves, knees, thighs, hip and pelvic area, back, shoulders, upper arms, elbows, lower arms, hands, neck, jaw, face, eyes, and scalp.
Notice what you find: Stress, tension, stiffness, cold areas, tight muscles.
When you reach your scalp, reverse the process and move your attention back down your body. When you finish, you will be back with your toes.
Now, notice how your feet feel. What about the rest of your body?
Stay with this feeling for a few minutes. Enjoy the relaxation and calm for as long as you want before ending the session. Take as much time as you wish.
When it is time to end the scan, move your body just a little. Shift into the here and now. Let the calm soothe your body – from the toes to the top of your head.
Take a slow, breath and join the here and now at your own pace.
Thanks for reading this article. Contact me at thurmangreco@gmail.com if you have questions or comments.
More information is available at in earlier posts of this blog. You may also find more information in “Healer’s Handbook”
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Thanks again!
Thurman
Who Shouldn’t Receive a Reflexology Session, and Why (Contraindications)
My introduction to contraindications began at my first massage therapy class at the Potomac Myotherapy Institute in Washington, D.C back in 1979.
Our first class began on an autumn evening with about 40 students. By the second class, that number had shrunk to a few over 20. Missing students were culled because of contraindications.
A contraindication list changes based on several factors:
Wellness and reflexology writers each have lists based on their experiences and training.
Healers each have a list. My experience in this field tells me that this list is highly individualized, again based on each healer’s experiences and training.
Teachers in both schools and continuing education seminars have opinions. These professionals teach from a list compiled not only by themselves but by the school owners and the states where they teach.
When I first began practicing massage, Kerrith McKechnie cautioned us to not treat cancer patients, or anyone with fever, or a rash. And the list continued beyond that.
Later, when I studied reflexology, Marge d’Urso’s list was different.
Mary Ruth VanLandingham’s Reiki therapy list had no contraindications.
Over the past three plus decades, I have a list of my own. This list has changed over time based on my experiences, and classes taken.
And, of course, this list begins with
CANCER PATIENTS
As a student at PMTI, we were cautioned against working on cancer patients at all.
Years later, I know reflexology offers much for a cancer patient: relief from pain, stress, and nausea.
When I first offered reflexology to a cancer patient, she received her reflexology sessions 48 hours after chemotherapy. The theory was that she was toxic for 48 hours after receiving her chemotherapy.
I waited the 48 hours to protect myself.
The first time I offered reflexology sessions to a cancer patient, I did it because she asked. We discussed the situation and she felt that she had no options left.
To put her situation bluntly, I was offering reflexology to a terminally ill client. She wanted the relief offered from pain, stress, and nausea.
Now, of course, fewer and fewer cancer patients receive chemotherapy.
What’s important here is the journey reflexology and other healing modalities have taken as we learned more about cancer.
Years later, at a seminar at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, I learned that reflexology, massage, and Reiki therapy are appropriate for cancer patients whenever they want to receive a session.
For me, cancer is no longer a reason to refuse a reflexology session to a client.
PREGNANT WOMEN
I do not offer reflexology sessions to pregnant women experiencing the first trimester of an unstable pregnancy.
Nothing is more wonderful than a reflexology session offered to a woman 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 I follow: 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 the pregnancy. With a regular Reiki therapy client, you can offer sessions weekly and can offer to go with your client into the labor and delivery stages of the birth process. Then, of course, you have two clients.
CLIENTS WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Infectious disease sufferers should not receive reflexology for your protection. If you decide 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.
ADVANCED OSTEOPOROSIS
Persons suffering with mild osteoporosis or osteopenia benefit from reflexology sessions. Use a light touch and a short session taking care not to fracture bones.
The red flag begins to fly 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 is a rash, an open sore, athlete’s foot, etc., offer hand reflexology instead of working the feet. If you are uncomfortable offering hand reflexology to a person who has a contagious or infectious condition, use gloves.
ADVANCED DIABETES
Clients with mild diabetes respond well to reflexology sessions offered to both hands and feet. Use gentle pressure when working the pancreas. Use a lighter pressure in general for diabetics because their skin may be thinner or more sensitive 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 sessions offer a natural detoxing action you need to take care not to overload the person. Offer a light thouch and shorter session.
SEVERE SWELLING
Swelling may indicate an internal injury, such as torn ligaments caused by a sprain, strain or fracture. Do not work an ankle, or foot that is swollen and painful. Once a medical professional has ruled out any underlying conditions, you can use your reflexology skills.
OPEN SORES OR CUTS
Cover blisters and cuts to keep them free from bacterial infections. Sometimes open sores may indicate an underlying, chronic condition, such as diabetes. The sores may also be related to contagious skin disorders.
BREAKS OR SPRAINS
Wait for permission from a physician. And, do not remove a cast or bandaging to offer reflexology. Work with what tissue is available to you and focus on a gentle touch and slow movements.
This may be a good option for Reiki.
FEVER
Fever is not a health issue. It is a symptom of an infection somewhere in your body.
For me, fever is one of the most important symptoms you may experience. It can indicate a heart attack, tumor, trauma, or a reaction to a vaccine.
Reflexology offers homeostasis which is important when a person has a fever. Returning your body to an ideal temperature is one of the best outcomes a person with fever.
Giving a reflexology session to a person with a fever can be a healing situation once you understand the cause.
FEAR OR ANXIETY
The final item on my list is highly personal. If I suspect a person is afraid of receiving reflexology or is experiencing anxious emotions about being on my table, I offer to cancel or postpone the session.
Sometimes, people who have never received bodywork or healing are unsure about being ready for a session. This is not the time to change someone’s mind or feelings.
They can always reschedule the session at a time when they feel calmer about their session.
Throughout the years that I’ve offered healing sessions, I’ve had only two people arrive for appointments. I knew the minute I saw them that something wasn’t “right”.
I followed my intuition and offered to cancel or reschedule the appointment. Both people were relieved to receive my offer. And I was happy I offered to cancel or reschedule. The moment the words left my mouth I knew they were the right words.
Thank you for reading this article!
None of the above contraindications occur often. But when they do happen, I like to feel I am following guidelines learned in classes throughout the years.
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Some information in this post was shared from “Healer’s Handbook”. More extensive information regarding contraindications may be found in prior blog posts and on presentations on YOUTUBE.
If you have any further questions or remarks, I can be reached at thurmangreco@gmail.com.
Thanks again,
Thurman
Exhaustion is a Spiritual Event
Exhaustion is a spiritual event. Spiritually, you are way overextended. You are on a treadmill you haven’t been able to get off of.
In today’s world, the list of causes of exhaustion is seemingly endless. For starters, a good night’s sleep is important. Give yourself permission to relax.
Regular reflexology, Reiki, and chakra healing sessions can offer you relaxation you never thought you could achieve.
Exhaustion is a sense of tiredness and energy depletion that a good night’s sleep cannot fix. If you wake up in the morning fatigued, you need to pay attention to your body, your soul, your mind, and your feelings. This feeling, exhaustion, is a spiritual event.
If it’s any consolation, I have been where you may be now. Exhaustion stopped me right in my tracks. You can get over it if you can focus on it.
The purpose of this blog post is to let you know that you can get beyond your exhaustion. You may feel that you have no energy at all. But, you do have the energy to get beyond this feeling you experience now.
CHAKRA
Exhaustion is an imbalance of all chakras
REFLEXOLOGY SYSTEMS TO WORK
Until you know the cause of your exhaustion, ask your reflexologist to work your endocrine system, immune system, nervous system, and digestive system.
ESSENTIAL OILS
frankincense, grapefruit, lavender, lemongrass, mandarin, myrrh, peppermint, rosemary, sweet orange, vetiver, ylang ylang
EXHAUSTION AND YOUR DIET
This is a good time to visit a nutritionist. But, whether you do or not, clean up your diet and focus on eating clean, fresh, vegetables and fruits. Eat the best food you can for your body.
CONSULT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Exhaustion is one of the best reasons I can think of to consult a medical professional. You need to rule out any medical issues. It is time to repair yourself and regain your health. Get to the bottom of what is causing your exhaustion.
FINALLY…
Better health is waiting for you. You just need to find it.
Thank you for reading this article. Please refer it to your preferred social media network.
Thurman Greco
