The First Step in a Reflexology Session – Part 2
In the last post, we discussed welcoming your client partner into your healing space, gaining trust, and offering essential oils. We’re now going to begin the healing process.
Remove the socks. Cover the feet with a towel. Rotate the ankles 4 or 5 times clockwise and then counterclockwise. This ankle rotation will tell you much about the person’s physical, mental, and spiritual health. As you develop your practice, you may find other things that have more meaning for you than the ankle rotation. For now, try the ankle rotations and see how they help give insight into your client partner’s needs.
Observe the skin.
Look for: hard skin, dry flaky skin, cuts, odor, pigmentation, color (red, yellow, pink, white, orange). Are there skin cracks, crevices, swelling, calluses, corns, sores, flaking? Where are your findings located? There are references to all of these things throughout the blog/book.
Hard skin and thickened skin patches represent places in a person’s life where extra protection is needed. Toenails will thicken up when protection is needed.
Hard cracked skin areas represent places where there are issues. An example of this is cracked heels. When you see this, you’re looking at a person with issues concerning core values. Other times it can be disease. If you see hardened skin over the thyroid area of the foot, for example, you’re probably looking at a thyroid imbalance.
The color of the feet reflects your client’s emotional and spiritual situation at the moment. White feet represent a totally stressed out person.
Red reflects anger. Sometimes, if a foot or part of a foot is red and hot, there’s a recent injury. The red heat is the blood rushing to the injury to carry off the toxins generated by the injury. This is a good thing.
Orange feet represent a person who is totally disgusted and may be experiencing a variety of emotions.
Blue and purple places on the feet represent the bruises (or may actually be the bruises) that s/he is dealing with in life.
If the total foot is not a particular color but the color is coming through in spots or places, note what these places reflex to. For example, if a person has white places on the feet in the area of the heart, you’re dealing with a client who is completely stressed out over a “love” issue.
Beyond the skin, examine the foot. Note bunions, hammertoes, flat feet, swollen feet and ankles, deformed or unhealthy nails.
Not only is it important to notice all the things on the feet and ankles, but it’s important to note where these things are.
We’ll finish the “first step” in the next post. I hope you found this helpful. Please leave your comments below and check out the other posts.
As always, this post comes to you from my Woodstock healing space.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
What Goes Into Your Reflexology Healing Space?
One nice thing about Reflexology for the Spirit is that you can practice is without a lot of expensive or complicated equipment or props. Your healing space doesn’t have to be the Taj Mahal.
Reflexology for the Spirit works best if the recipient has a body length surface to lie on, face up, or a chair to sit in comfortably. This can be a massage table, sofa, recliner, or zero gravity recliner.
Often, a recliner is the practitioner’s first choice. If you have one at home, try setting up a special space in the corner of your living room, or other spare room for your healing work. Arrange it so the space is comfy and cozy. The standard reflexology furniture is a zero gravity recliner which can be purchased anywhere selling lawn furniture.
It’s fine to use your sofa, as well. When your client partner lies on the sofa face up, their feet hang over the arm.
Some practitioners use massage tables which can be folded up out of the way when not in use. The height is adjustable.
With a recliner or sofa, you’ll need a stool or small chair that can go low to the floor. (The zero gravity chair and recliner don’t fold out too high.) Massage tables are adjustable to you can use whatever chair you’re comfortable with. (It’s important for you to be comfortable, too.)
Create a sense of place that is peaceful and inviting – a ‘safe’ environment that invites the person to return, a reminder of a sense of peace. Your environment needs to say “this is your special time”. Silence the phone – no one making noise, opening doors, etc. Any other people in your home should be instructed to keep noise levels low. Purchase a white noise machine.
A massage table with several heating pads lined up under the bedding will ensure the table is warm. Turn them on a few minutes before the client partner arrives so the space is warm and friendly upon entering. Table warmers for massage tables can be expensive, and for the beginning practitioner, heating pads will do just as well.
Pillows are important. They go under the knees as well as under the head. You need towels to use under the feet as a cushion and also to protect your linens from oils and creams which you’ll be applying. Wrap a towel around each of your client partner’s feet after you work on them.
If you’re happy working in the space you create and feel it is a sacred space – so will your client.
Many practitioners play low volume music. Choose something you think will be appealing or offer a selection to choose from before beginning the session. Find your music from classical, spiritual chants, Reiki therapy music, yoga music, meditation music.
Make the décor simple and peaceful. Keep the lighting subdued.
Be certain that everything is tidy and orderly, the area clean. No one wants to receive a session in a chaotic atmosphere.
Things need to be kept clean also. People are coming and going; they could come with a few germs, pick up a few when with you (hopefully not), or leave a few. After each session, change the linens. Wash everything with a disinfectant or 1% bleach solution. Whatever you choose, its gotta be clean.
I hope you found this post helpful. Please leave your comments below and check out other posts.
The next post will focus on the first step in a reflexology session. This focus will cover two posts.
Thanks again.
Thurman Greco
Woodtock, NY
Even if You’re Not in Woodstock, Reflexology Works – Here’s How
Energy follows intent. In order to use reflexology as a tool for spiritual work, you and your client partner need to agree on an intention.
Reflexology for the Spirit practitioners are trained that the entire body is reflected on the foot with the left foot reflecting the left side of the body and the right foot reflecting the right side of the body. The head is reflected on the large toes. The body is then reflected down to the base of the spine which is reflected at the bottom of the heel. Practitioners work with maps of the feet showing the different body parts and their locations on the feet.
These locations on the feet are called points. When a Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner works a client’s feet, using thumbs and fingers to stimulate these points, tension and congestion are released, blockages are cleared, and homeostasis results.
As a practitioner works the client partner’s feet, several things are noticed. The practitioner may feel crystals under the skin. Hollows, mushiness, swelling, also resistance are also noted. The location of these observations tells the practitioner
what body part is affected and also provides information about what spiritual sensitivities the person is experiencing. The client may experience sensitivity, itching, pain, the feeling of sensations moving up a leg, etc., as feet are reflexed.
As the practitioner works to dissolve the crystals, reduce swelling, calm resistance, etc., homeostasis occurs.
Reflexology for the Spirit is truly a holistic modality. The client is seen as a whole being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
The path to wellness is a process, not a pill. It’s offered through the encouragement of homeostasis.
Reflexology for the Spirit works best when applied at regular intervals over a period of time. It, therefore, requires a commitment to the process of healing. And, after a while, your client partner may own up to having some control over this process.
The Reflexology for the Spirit client partner needs to give his/her body an opportunity to allow homeostasis to occur. This process can be felt on several levels.
General relaxation throughout the body is a common response. This feeling is so rare in some people that it takes several sessions before they even realize what they’re feeling.
With time, they begin to feel their body healing itself. This process of self healing is a new concept for many people. They begin going to a Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner thinking they have no control over their health at all. Then, as they realize their body is moving toward homeostasis, they feel empowered by what happens. For many, this is a spiritual event.
Then, of course, they observe the condition of the feet themselves has improved as well as their overall health. For some, specific parts of the body begin to improve as the body seeks balance. Then, of course, an improved sense of emotional wellbeing begins to take place.
This brings about an increased awareness of one’s body and how it feels and works when healing on several levels. WOW!
Thank you for taking the time to read this very important post. I hope you found it helpful. Please contact me if you have questions, observations.
Our next post, coming to you from my Woodstock healing space, will discuss healing spaces in general: how to set one, what’s important, what’s not, what I use in my healing space.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Thickened Nails and Skin – Spiritual Protection Issues Need to be Worked Through
This is protection, pure and simple. So, what is being protected?
Secrets? Thoughts? Actions? Beliefs?
It’s not important to know.
So, what are you seeing? Whatever you observe, no matter how unsightly, or benign it appears, you need to persuade your client partner to visit a podiatrist to treat the physical issues. As feet age, podiatrists become more important. There comes a point at which the nails need to be professionally trimmed regularly and the issues presenting themselves in the nails must be addressed.
Spiritual protection issues need to be worked through…especially in the older person because issues affecting the nails don’t heal overnight. It takes regular visits in addition to what the physician or podiatrist has prescribed to work through them.
Encourage your client partner to cleanse the colon and then the liver. As always, begin with a colon cleanse first before proceeding to the liver. These cleanses are important because your client may not see any improvement for months and a colon and then liver cleanse can speed up this process somewhat. Cleaning out the body is the first step in a journey to healthy skin and nails.
Where the thickness occurs on the foot offers clues to the issues beyond the physical disease. Look at the foot. Where is the thickened skin? What body part or system is represented? For example, if a person’s thyroid is out of balance, there will be a thickened place or a callus in that reflex area.
Finally, as a person’s life (lifestyle, beliefs, health) begins to change, you may see feet with peeling skin. Hurray! (Providing this is the change s/he wants.)
When working the feet of a person with thickened nails and skin, reflex the points that represent the problem area. For example, if the thickened skin is in the area of the thyroid, work that area as well as the endocrine system.
SYSTEMS TO WORK: Work the systems related to whatever diagnosis the primary medical care person has given to your client partner. Work the immune system, nervous system, urinary system, endocrine system, digestive system, liver and solar plexus.
ESSENTIAL OILS: myrrh, lemon, frankincense, tea tree, lemongrass, oregano, wintergreen, peppermint, tangerine, lavender.
Many conditions exist for which Reflexology for the Spirit is appropriate. However, there is much more information to share with you. When a client partner comes to you with an issue which you feel may have spiritual layers, contact me and I’ll write about it in a post for you.
Thank you for reading this blog. It is an honor and a pleasure to serve you in this way. As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in scenic, downtown Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Swollen Ankles and Feet can be Troublesome to Your Client Partners
Focus warm ups on the swollen areas in addition to your regular warm ups. Schedule appointments later in the day when edema sufferers seem to have the most problems.
Try to get your client partner to consult a medical professional. Often, people don’t realize these issues can be symptoms of systemic problems needing medical attention. You’ll offer relief and solace to the spirit and you are going to reduce swelling but
a physician needs to give a diagnosis.
The underlying cause of edema needs to be addressed.
SYSTEMS TO WORK: warm ups to the swollen areas, urinary system, immune system, nervous system, digestive system with emphasis on the liver, circulatory system, and the solar plexus.
ESSENTIAL OILS: tangerine, geranium, German chamomile, wintergreen, peppermint, lavender, grapefruit, helichrysum.
Thanks again for reading the blog. Our next post is the final one in this portion of the book/blog. It will focus on Thickened Nails and Skin. After the post on the Thickened Nails and Skin, we’ll be shifting gears to focus on other factors important to a Reflexology for the Spirit practitioner.
This post is coming to you from my healing space in Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Sweaty Feet can be very “trying” for a Reflexologist.
For starters, the natural inclination is to just not touch the feet. Don’t worry. Use an antibacterial spray on the feet to clean them off. Wear gloves if you are worried that you’re going to “catch” something.
Remember this: A person with sweaty feet is a person whose Adrenal glands are in serious passing gear.
There are several things your client partner can do. We can’t prescribe these things but it’s nice to know what they are: soak the feet in salt water to change the bacteria, rub the feet with alcohol and let it dry, change shoes and socks often, and spritz with cleansing spray whenever possible.
Suggest a visit to a podiatrist to make certain there are no infections, etc. Whatever the condition, you still have a person with serious spiritual conditions needing your attention regularly.
SYSTEMS TO WORK: adrenals, nervous system, immune system, urinary system, digestive system with emphasis on the liver and the solar plexus.
ESSENTIAL OILS: bergamot, Roman chamomile, frankincense, lavender, marjoram, wintergreen, myrrh, rosemary, sandalwood, thyme, ylang ylang, and spruce.
Thanks again for reading the blog. Our next post will focus on Swollen Ankles and Feet.
As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
When You Consider the Pace and Demands of Life in the 21st Century, it’s no Wonder that Stress is a Huge Factor and Issue in our Health Care Dilemma
The causes are overwhelming and include lifestyle situations, medications, time management, relationship issues, which produce biological responses, any or all of which can contribute to making a person somewhat, or even very, ill. Many people live with stressed adrenal glands.
Prolonged stressful situations can have effects lasting an entire lifetime. In some cases, children growing up in stressful or abusive situations maintain a stress alert throughout adulthood so they never seem unstressed. This can contribute to disease even decades later.
Stress weakens the immune system and, because of this, becomes a factor in diseases such as angina, anorexia, anxiety disorders, autoimmune disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, colds, depression, Type II Diabetes, digestive diseases, fibromyalgia, headaches, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, immune suppression, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual irregularities, PMS, rheumatoid arthritis, sinusitis, ulcerative colitis, ulcers.
“Flare ups” because of an event or problem can trigger outbreaks of acne, arthritis, asthma, heartburn, Multiple Sclerosis.
It’s important for your client partners to develop positive coping habits to manage stress. These include yoga, meditation, tai chi, regular Reflexology for the Spirit sessions.
A healthy diet is essential for stress management. People suffering from the effects of stress should restrict or eliminate caffeine, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates. Meals should be eaten in a relaxed atmosphere.
Reflexology for the Spirit facilitates homeostasis. It can also be used to calm the adrenal glands. This is essential when dealing with stress.
SYSTEMS TO WORK: thyroid, parathyroid, and pituitary reflexes as well as the lung, kidney, spinal reflexes and the solar plexus. Include extra warm ups and warm downs.
ESSENTIAL OILS: lavender, Roman chamomile, blue tansy, cedarwood, marjoram, rose, sandalwood, and frankincense.
Thanks for reading this blog. We are approaching the end of this section. There are three posts remaining: Sweaty Feet, Swollen Ankles, and Thickened Nails. After those posts, we’ll explore some spiritual and non-spiritual treatments for different medical issues.
As always, this post is coming to you from my healing space in Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Skin Peeling is an Important Symptom in a Person’s Spiritual Life
Skin peeling on the feet or hands is a sign that the person is taking on a new life. Things are changing and this is reflected in the peeling.
Reflexology for the Spirit sessions offer support as your client partner has new experiences and takes on new beliefs. Because changes are drastic enough to encourage the skin of the feet and/or hands to peel, this is a good time for colon and liver cleanses. Encourage your client partner to take the colon cleanse first and then take the liver cleanse.
SYSTEMS TO WORK: nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, sense organs, digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, skeletal system, muscular system, liver and the solar plexus. Reiki therapy is called for here also.
ESSENTIAL OILS: lavender, lemon, tea tree, orange, geranium, rosewood, helichrysum, spikenard, ylang ylang, German chamomile, cypress, frankincense, myrrh, and oregano.
The next post will be a bit longer because it will deal with Stress.
Thank you for reading this post.
As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Multiple Sclerosis , an Extremely Spiritual Chronic Disease, Affects the Nervous and Immune Systems.
A person often has MS for several months or years before anyone diagnoses it properly. Its cause, and cure, is unknown. Multiple Sclerosis affects more women than men.Treatment focuses on the symptoms and efforts to modify the attacks.
Reflexology for the Spirit offers MS sufferers a method of encouraging the return to balance (Homeostasis). This is especially important for MS sufferers because stress seems to make the symptoms worse. And, Reflexology for the Spirit is a wonderful stress reducer. Regular sessions can also help sufferers cope with numbness, dizziness, tremors, fatigue, pain management, etc. Encourage weekly sessions.
DO NOT HEAT THE TABLE OR OVERHEAT THE ROOM.
MS sufferers are dealing with fear and a strong, inflexible personality. Think steel here. Tough. Inflexible.
In addition to regular sessions, there are a couple of things MS sufferers can try. The first is to try to take part in a medical trial. The second: Don’t ignore the pain. It’s a very real symptom of MS and affects the quality of an MS sufferer’s life. Avoid fevers if at all possible. This means an annual flu shot as well as staying away from people who might have a contagious disease. Finally, avoid stress as much as possible.
AREAS TO WORK: immune system, liver, solar plexus. Include Reiki therapy also.
ESSENTIAL OILS: juniper, wintergreen, frankincense, rosemary, basil, helichrysum, peppermint, thyme, marjoram.
Thanks for reading this blog.
This post comes to you, as always, from my healing space in Woodstock, New York.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman
Indigestion can Definitely be Treated with Regular Reflexology for the Spirit Sessions.
However, as with all spiritual afflictions, more is going to be needed than just a session or two. Lifestyle changes are needed. Does your client partner smoke, live a sedentary lifestyle, need to lose weight, or have other medical conditions contributing to the discomfort? Regular sessions focusing on the digestive tract offer support for positive lifestyle changes.
Once your client partner feels better, the motivation to eat better, get exercise, stop smoking, etc. is stronger.
The importance of working the digestive system regularly cannot be overestimated. A healthy digestive system improves how the entire body functions.
AREAS TO WORK: digestive system, immune system, endocrine system, nervous system, liver, solar plexus.
ESSENTIAL OILS: wintergreen, peppermint, nutmeg, fennel, ginger, spearmint, and grapefruit.
Thanks for reading this post.
Our next post will address Multiple Sclerosis.
As always, this post comes to you from my healing space in Woodstock, NY.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
