BrigidMoon
April 28th, 2005, 07:23 PM
Lesson 2 – Massage Healing
B. Techniques : Reflexology
Reflexology is a healing art or type of massage therapy that uses pressure points in the hands, feet and ears in order to aide or heal organs, glands and other parts of the body by correspondence. Reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and promotes the natural function of the related areas of the body. It offers an all natural healing using gentle manipulation instead of medicine to start the body’s natural healing process to heal and stabilize.
Reflexology has a vague history. However, it’s been utilized for thousands of years. It’s an Eastern therapy that has been practiced in India, China and Egypt. An ancient Egyptian wall painting of the 6th Dynasty (2400 B.C.) at the tome of Ankmahor depicts men working on the feet and hands. It’s also noted in the Bible a type of ritual that cleansed and anointed the feet with oil.
The foot in particular is used and is has been called (by the professionals in reflexology) a “homunculus” or “a little human”. It’s because the shape is vertical like the human body. The pressure points or reflex points are in the same position on the foot as the body.
Here is a picture of the pressure points for the feet:
http://www.drwu162.com/images/foot-chart-550x400.jpg
The tops of the feet:
1. The head = The big toes
2. The sinus = The little toes
3. The balls = The neck and throat
4. The upper area = The eyes and ears
5. The upper inner = The lungs and heart
6. The upper outside = The arms and shoulders
7. The mid cross section = The diaphragm
8. The arch cross section = The stomach, liver, gall bladder, kidney, adrenal glands and pancreas
9. The lower cross section = The colon, intestines, bladder
10. The heal = The coccyx, sciatic and lower back areas.
Compare with the picture of the human body below:
Not my first choice picture but here you go:
http://www.gibnet.gi/~shms/just4kids/kids_study/sciencelessons/_humanorgans.gif
What is explained is that the nerve endings on the feet are meridians or pathways to these corresponding parts of the body. The tension tends to concentrate around these pressure points. When a muscle is in pain or tense, the fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by disease, fatigue, trauma, stress, poor circulation and chemical imbalances. When the pressure is placed on the parts of the feet, corresponding parts of the body react. The muscle fibers begin to elongate and relax, increasing blood flow, releasing toxins. The increase blood flow brings more oxygen to these areas increasing resistance to illnesses.
Pressure point therapies are based on eight principles:
The location of imbalance, interior and exterior.
Empty/Full, weakness, exhaustion, inactivity, pressure type pain, restlessness and heavy breathing.
Cold/Hot conditions - Feeling overly cold or hot due to poor circulation or stress.
Yin/Yang - overall imbalance. Yin being overly cold, tired, lack of appetite. Yang being active, restless, feeling thirsty.
Recommendations for reflexology are:
1. Begin with clean feet. Soak the foot with a cup of Epson salts dissolved in a gallon of water. Dry feet.
2. Gently massage one foot, then the other. Use massaging cream and work into the whole foot, top and bottom then, toes and ankles.
3. Work more intensely for the next strokes. Try circular pressures using both thumbs, wrapping your hands around the top of the foot and then bring the thumbs close together and move in a circular motion, between the tendons working firmly but gently from the ankle toward the toes. Using long strokes, not short ones.
4. Massage the soles of the feet making circular motions steady and evenly with more firmness to the heel.
5. Go over the entire foot again with a little more pressure. Give some gentle strokes over corresponding chosen areas of points that where chronic pain is experienced.
6. Continuing with circular motions, gently massage the toes. Give a little stretch while you rub. Rotate the toes around three times clockwise with your fingers then grip all toes together using your thumb to support underneath and all your fingers the top of your toes. Then repeat going counter-clockwise.
7. Give your entire foot using both hands a twist (kind of like an Indian burn). Make sure you have applied plenty of cream for this.
8. Finally repeat by massaging the entire foot as in the beginning this time moving toward the ankles and away from the toes.
9. Then wipe off excess cream with a towel and slip into your favorites socks or slippers!
Resources:
http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.reflexology.org
http://www.reflexology-usa.com
http://www.reflexologyworld.com
B. Techniques : Reflexology
Reflexology is a healing art or type of massage therapy that uses pressure points in the hands, feet and ears in order to aide or heal organs, glands and other parts of the body by correspondence. Reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and promotes the natural function of the related areas of the body. It offers an all natural healing using gentle manipulation instead of medicine to start the body’s natural healing process to heal and stabilize.
Reflexology has a vague history. However, it’s been utilized for thousands of years. It’s an Eastern therapy that has been practiced in India, China and Egypt. An ancient Egyptian wall painting of the 6th Dynasty (2400 B.C.) at the tome of Ankmahor depicts men working on the feet and hands. It’s also noted in the Bible a type of ritual that cleansed and anointed the feet with oil.
The foot in particular is used and is has been called (by the professionals in reflexology) a “homunculus” or “a little human”. It’s because the shape is vertical like the human body. The pressure points or reflex points are in the same position on the foot as the body.
Here is a picture of the pressure points for the feet:
http://www.drwu162.com/images/foot-chart-550x400.jpg
The tops of the feet:
1. The head = The big toes
2. The sinus = The little toes
3. The balls = The neck and throat
4. The upper area = The eyes and ears
5. The upper inner = The lungs and heart
6. The upper outside = The arms and shoulders
7. The mid cross section = The diaphragm
8. The arch cross section = The stomach, liver, gall bladder, kidney, adrenal glands and pancreas
9. The lower cross section = The colon, intestines, bladder
10. The heal = The coccyx, sciatic and lower back areas.
Compare with the picture of the human body below:
Not my first choice picture but here you go:
http://www.gibnet.gi/~shms/just4kids/kids_study/sciencelessons/_humanorgans.gif
What is explained is that the nerve endings on the feet are meridians or pathways to these corresponding parts of the body. The tension tends to concentrate around these pressure points. When a muscle is in pain or tense, the fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by disease, fatigue, trauma, stress, poor circulation and chemical imbalances. When the pressure is placed on the parts of the feet, corresponding parts of the body react. The muscle fibers begin to elongate and relax, increasing blood flow, releasing toxins. The increase blood flow brings more oxygen to these areas increasing resistance to illnesses.
Pressure point therapies are based on eight principles:
The location of imbalance, interior and exterior.
Empty/Full, weakness, exhaustion, inactivity, pressure type pain, restlessness and heavy breathing.
Cold/Hot conditions - Feeling overly cold or hot due to poor circulation or stress.
Yin/Yang - overall imbalance. Yin being overly cold, tired, lack of appetite. Yang being active, restless, feeling thirsty.
Recommendations for reflexology are:
1. Begin with clean feet. Soak the foot with a cup of Epson salts dissolved in a gallon of water. Dry feet.
2. Gently massage one foot, then the other. Use massaging cream and work into the whole foot, top and bottom then, toes and ankles.
3. Work more intensely for the next strokes. Try circular pressures using both thumbs, wrapping your hands around the top of the foot and then bring the thumbs close together and move in a circular motion, between the tendons working firmly but gently from the ankle toward the toes. Using long strokes, not short ones.
4. Massage the soles of the feet making circular motions steady and evenly with more firmness to the heel.
5. Go over the entire foot again with a little more pressure. Give some gentle strokes over corresponding chosen areas of points that where chronic pain is experienced.
6. Continuing with circular motions, gently massage the toes. Give a little stretch while you rub. Rotate the toes around three times clockwise with your fingers then grip all toes together using your thumb to support underneath and all your fingers the top of your toes. Then repeat going counter-clockwise.
7. Give your entire foot using both hands a twist (kind of like an Indian burn). Make sure you have applied plenty of cream for this.
8. Finally repeat by massaging the entire foot as in the beginning this time moving toward the ankles and away from the toes.
9. Then wipe off excess cream with a towel and slip into your favorites socks or slippers!
Resources:
http://www.reflexology-research.com
http://www.reflexology.org
http://www.reflexology-usa.com
http://www.reflexologyworld.com