Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Reflexology Certification Programs and Workshops

Archives for October 2011

Two New Stones

For years the standard stones in hot and cold stone therapy have been basalt and marble. Now there are a couple of new contenders in the game, and I am happy to add them to our toolbox in the upcoming Reflexology Rocks! class. Let me introduce them to you.

Himalayan Salt Crystals

Surrounding the earth is an electromagnetic field that vibrates at 7.83 cycles/second. Known as the Schuman Resonance Frequency, it is the most commonly found frequency in the natural world (including the human body), and provides optimal resonance for overall health and well-being.

The modern world of computers, smart phones, televisions, refrigerators and microwaves bombards us with man-made frequencies that emit much higher electrical wavebands than our own natural vibration of 7.83Hz.  Continual exposure to these higher oscillations (known as Electro-Magnetic Frequencies [EMFs]) causes and promotes physical imbalances (especially to our central nervous system), interferes with cellular development and contributes to the build-up of harmful free radicals in the body.

Salt crystals, on the other hand, emit a vibration of around 8Hz and help to neutralize the harmful effects of EMFs. There are many simple ways to introduce crystal salts into our lives (which I will explain during the Reflexology Rocks! class on November 12th); one of which is the use of Himalayan crystal salt stones within a foot reflexology session.

Himalayan crystal salt is different than regular sea salt and a wonderful adjunct in healing:

1. It has been exposed to enormous pressure and heat for millions of years. The high compression creates the salt’s perfect crystalline geometric structure, and its inherent ionic energy. Our cells absorb elements easiest when they are in an ionic state, and research indicates that Himalayan crystal salt, whether applied externally or ingested, is extremely bio-available to human cells.

2. The Himalayan Mountains are one of the most tranquil, undeveloped regions of the world, untouched by modern pollution. Use of dynamite during the mining process is strictly prohibited so as to preserve the purity and structure of the crystals.

Soapstone

Soapstone has been discovered to be the best thermal conductor of any stone. It retains heat and cold longer and more uniformly than many other kinds of stones commonly used in thermal therapy. The nature of soapstone allows it to provide a very silky but deep uniform pressure. Because soapstone is non-absorbent, hygiene maintenance is very easy.


The Lasting Effects of Reflexology

During the final module of the 2011 Therapeutic Hand & Foot Professional Reflexology Certification classes, the interns completed two full days of combined foot and hand sessions with the public. One of the recipients asked a question following her session, and it initiated a wonderful discussion amongst the three of us.

As background, the woman who posed the question is an experienced receiver of reflexology and many other forms of bodywork, and is herself a Polarity therapist.

Our guest commented that for her the positive effects of reflexology far outlast those of massage or any other form of bodywork. She was curious as to why.

I recalled how much of our scientific understanding of reflexology is owed to the Brits, who focused much of their scientific research in the late 1880’s on documenting the human reaction to the environment (including touch).

? In 1883 an English physiologist, Marshall Hall, introduced the concept of “reflex action” in the body.

? Scientists conclusively proved the neurological relationship that exists between skin, tissue and internal organs, and charted the reflex action between skin sensitivity and internal disease.

? Sir Charles Sherrington, who with Edgar Adrian earned a Nobel Prize for his work on the physiology of the nervous system, proved that the entire nervous system adjusts to a single stimulus in its effort to coordinate all the activities of the organism.

Back to our guest’s question, I suspect that it is that interconnectedness of the parts of the body, awakened by the stimulation of reflexology points, that provides the longer lasting effects that our guest spoke to. When function and balance are restored within the individual organs and systems, ultimately the whole organism adjusts, not just the musculature. The return to body-wide homeostasis is what creates the long-lasting feeling of wellness.

As we concluded our conversation I was left to marvel – once again – at the incredible drive for wholeness and order that we humans have been gifted.

Have you or your clients been surprised by long-lasting and seemingly unrelated responses to reflexology?

Celebrating World Reflexology Week

How do reflexology students fulfill one of their requirements for certification, market themselves and honor the field of reflexology? They throw a reflexology party and invite the city to attend!

A requirement for completion in the Academy’s Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification is that each student organize and conduct a community outreach program or some other directed independent study. Some folks choose to offer a presentation and mini-sessions to their local teachers, nurses or fire fighters, as a way to thank them for their ongoing service to the community. Others choose to educate and teach a small targeted group (such as the elderly, or those suffering from diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome or Parkinson’s disease) on how they can help themselves with reflexology.

Three Florida participants in this year’s certification decided to band together and really celebrate. Terri Bishop-Brahen (from Ponte Vedra), John Guinta (from Jacksonville) and Adrianne Metz (from Titusville) rented a space at the University of North Florida and then wrote and distributed an invitation to the Jacksonville community to join them in celebrating World Reflexology Week (held annually during the last full week of September). Their September 25th party was broadcasted as a four-hour educational and experiential event not to be missed. John also prepared an article that was published in the city’s Natural Awakenings magazine. As phone calls started coming in, they wisely decided to recruit another set of hands; Jacksonville certified reflexologist, Elke Schreiber, joined the team. On the day of the event, the four arrived 45 minutes early (along with a photographer) to dress the room with reflexology posters, handouts, fun relevant give-aways, music and refreshments. Much to their surprise, there were already people waiting at the door!

My three students each took the podium to introduce the history, theory and benefits of reflexology, describe the difference between reflexology and massage, and answer specific questions posed by the very inquisitive crowd. Guests were then offered the opportunity to receive a 20-minute session on either their feet or hands. No one declined!

What surprised the therapists most was that people stayed the entire four hours! Even after they received their own taste of reflexology, folks chose to stand around and watch the reflexologists at work.

So, what did these reflexologists gain from conducting a community outreach (other than course credits, confidence and more outreach ideas)? Here’s what they had to say in response to that question:

“We learned how hungry the public is for reflexology. More people are interested in reflexology than we realized. That is a boom to people like us just starting a business. The diversity was pronounced: young and old, husbands and wives, mothers and sons, all kinds of ethnicities represented. Most people who were at our event knew something about reflexology and had come to it after impersonal and unproductive experiences with western medicine. Our time has finally come!”