Reflexology deals with the principle that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all of the glands, organs and parts of the body. You use your thumb and fingers on these reflex areas. A fascinating treatment, used to reduce stress, improve circulation, break up congestion in the body and induce deep relaxation.
The following covers the basics of foot reflexology, so that you can perform the treatment on yourself or your loved ones anytime. You will be amazed at how you are able to pick up congestion in the body and equally amazed at how wonderful you will feel after a session. Practising reflexology regularly will give you an overall sense of balance and well-being. Picking up congestion in the body is easy. I call it "crunchies", it will feel like pebbles, similar to walking over a pebbled beach, this is a good indication that there is congestion in a particular area. Also, if the person is experiencing a lot of pain in a certain area.
Always start with your right foot as you want to follow the natural course of your colon.
How does it help?
- Improves circulation
- Cleanses the body of toxins and impurities
- Balances the whole system
Many people tend to think of reflexology as being a "New Age" treatment, however it is quite the contrary. The beginnings of reflexology are unknown, it may well have sprung from the ancient art of oriental pressure point therapy. But, whatever its precise origins, it seems certain that it was in use in ancient Egypt.
BEFORE THE TREATMENT
Make sure the person you are working on is relaxed and comfortable. I like to lie them on a massage table with a bolster under their knees, this helps to take pressure off the lower back. Dim the room with a soft light or candle, but light enough so that you can see any expressions on their face, this will tell you a lot about the treatment. You can also play some soft music. I love to treat my clients and friends and family to a warm foot soak before I begin the treatment. I use warm towels and a peppermint scrub. Also make sure that the person receiving the treatment is warm. You can place a blanket over them or use a heating pad or heated blanket for extra warmth. They are sure to love this!
NOW BEGIN THE SESSION (please refer to the chart, sometimes some of the organs and glands overlap and are not displayed on the chart)
1. NERVOUS SYSTEM (BRAIN - CEREBRUM AND CEREBELLUM):
Once you have dried the feet, massage both feet with a
peppermint foot lotion, then start working on the right foot
and cover the left foot with a blanket.
- Using your thumb walk up the big toe X3 (this is the brain area).
- Next, with your thumb, walk across the base of the big toe and up the inside X1. Do all the other toes, where the tarsals and metatarsals join in a rotating movement (this is the throat and neck area).
- Next you are going to do the spinal column, along the instep of the foot. This is divided into 3 areas:-
Starting with the cervical area at the top (from the bony prominence on the outside of the pad of your foot, to the top of the outside of the big toe), walk your thumb up and back X3.
Next do the thoracic area (just under the cervical area, in the middle of the instep of the foot) X3 changing hands.
Next is the lumbar, sacral and coccygeal area (just under the thoracic area from the top of the heal to below the heal) walk up with your thumb X3 towards the inside of your ankle bone.
2. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM:
- The pituitary gland (the master gland). Press with your thumb into the middle of your big toe.
- Thyroid gland (controls our metablolism). Walk up X3 with your thumb.
- Adrenal gland (the stress gland). Press in with your thumb, this area can be quite painful.
-Gently do the pancreas by walking up with your big thumb.
- Next do the sex organs, the ovaries on the inside and the uterus or prostate on the outside (gently massage with your thumb).
3. JOINTS AND MUSCLES:
- Upper back, lungs, bronchi and breast area. Walk across the top of the foot using all 4 fingers except the thumb.
- Do the shoulder area X3. Walk up using your thumb.
- Do the elbow area X3. Walk up using your thumb.
- Do the lower back and hip area X3. Walk up using your thumb.
- Do the knee area. Push in on this area with your thumb.
- Next do the hip joint. Here you will use your forefinger and walk around the hip joint X3.
- Do the sacro-iliac joint. Gently massage this area in a circular movement, using the thumb or forefinger.
- Next do the sciatic nerve across the heel. Walk across using your thumb X3.
4. RESPIRATION AND CIRCULATION:
- Sinus and teeth. Walk up the middle of all the toes except the big toe using your thumb X3, then up the inside of each toe X1 using your thumb and then up the outside of each toe X1 using your thumb.
- Larynx, heart, lungs and diaphram. Hold the toes back and start where the parathyroid begins to where the shoulder begins. Walk up with your thumb X3. Then walk across the area X1 and then push into the area and hold for a second or two. Holding it in for a second or two is also known as the relaxation technique. You can ask the person to breathe in and out while you press on the area, also known as the solar plexus area.
5a. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM:
Start with the right foot, so as to follow the natural course of the colon.
- Stomach and pancreas. Walk up using your thumbs X3.
- Liver, walk up the liver at a 45 degree angle X3, using your thumb.
- Gall bladder, press in and hold on this area using your thumb.
- Appendix and colon (below the ileocecal valve), press in and hold on the appendix and then walk up the ascending colon and across the transverse colon using your thumb X3.
- Intestines, massage this area using both thumbs.
5b. DIGESTIV SYSTEM:
Now do the left foot.
- Stomach, walk up using your thumb X3.
- Pancreas, walk up and across using your thumb X3.
- Spleen (just at the base of the shoulder), press in and hold on this area using your thumb.
- Transverse colon, walk across towards the spleen using your left thumb X3.
- Descending colon, walk up the descending colon using your thumb X3.
- Intestines, massage this area using both thumbs.
6. URINARY SYSTEM:
Start with the right foot, then do the left foot.
- Bladder (the bubble on the foot), walk up using your thumb X3.
- Ureter tubes, walk up using your thumb X3.
- Kidneys, walk up using your thumb X3.
7. LYMPH:
- Tonsils and lymph glands (in between the big toes and little toes), hold against the inside of the toes with one hand and work with the other hand, using your forefinger to walk down the foot in between the toes.
- Groin area, use all your fingers except the thumb and walk around the groin area.
- Fallopian tube, use all your fingers and walk across the fallopian tube towards the groin.
- Uterus, prostate, rectum and sciatic, pinch in this area using your thumb and forefinger.
At the end of the last system, I like to massage their feet with my peppermint foot lotion, to soothe, refresh and invigorate. After massaging the feet with the foot lotion, gently place your fingers on the top of the feet, with the thumbs on the solar plexus region (this is known as the sedation technique). Watch as the person breathes in and out, go in time to their breath, as if gently pushing energy into their feet and up their body - do this about 3 times and then cover their feet with a light blanket, ask them to remain still for a while and quietly leave their presence. It is important for the person to take a few minutes to remain still after the treatment and not to jump up straight away. Encourage them to drink plenty of water, this is important as one is detoxifying when having a reflexology session and the water helps to get rid of the toxins.
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT YOU CAN USE FOR VARIOUS AILMENTS:
ALL AILMENTS:
Treat the nervous system and endocrine system. These areas are very effective in helping with emotional and mental issues and help to maintain the general well-being and health of the whole body.
INDIGESTION:
Treat the stomach, pancreas, small intestines and colon, especially the ileo-cecal valve. Also treat the spleen which secretes a chemical to aid peristalsis of the colon.
CONSTIPATION:
Do the same treatment as for indigestion.
BAD CIRCULATION, GENERAL ILL HEALTH, POOR DIGESTION AND FATIGUE:
Treat the heart, lungs, kidneys and most importantly the liver, which toxifys our blood. The kidneys filter waste and also control our blood pressure.
BACTERIAL AND VIRAL INFECTIONS:
Treat the lymph area and also the lungs, colon, kidneys and liver - these are the organs of elimination.
PAIN AND TENSION:
Treat the solar plexus with the sedation technique.
URINARY INFECTIONS:
Treat the kidneys, ureter tubes, bladder, sex organ zone for urethra tube. In males treat the prostate gland reflexes especially on achilles tendon.
MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS:
Treat the endocrine glands, especially ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.
BACK AND SPINE PROBLEMS:
Spinal column, upper back on top of the feet, lower back and hip.
SCIATIC NERVE PROBLEMS:
Work on the achilles tendon area.
HEADACHE:
A headache is only the symptom of many possible causes. The basic treatment starts with the head, then the cervical spine, neck areas, upper back area and the rest of the spine. Teeth and sinus problems can also be a cause of headaches. If this basic treatment is unsuccessful, you can treat other areas e.g. the liver, digestive area, ear and kidneys.
ARTHRITIS:
Work the adrenals. Work the entire area of the feet and the affected area.
ASTHMA:
Work the chest, lungs, adrenals, ileo-cecal valve and diaphram area.
