reflexology will help me!
Although most of us think physiology when we think of reflexology, I want to share a powerful story of reflexology’s effects on the body’s anatomy. It’s also the story of how the largest federally funded grant for reflexology was awarded.
In the early years of 2000, Dr. Gwen Wyatt, of the University of Michigan’s School of Nursing, suffered a severe break in one of her legs. She underwent months of western care that produced little results. Her next, and last, resort was a surgical procedure that was to implant screws and pins in her thigh bone.
Lucky for Dr. Wyatt, she met Barbara Brower, an experienced and confident reflexologist, who made her a promise she couldn’t refuse. Barbara proposed weekly reflexology sessions for four weeks, with a money-back guarantee if Dr. Wyatt did not see significant improvement in her condition.
Dr. Wyatt hobbled in on crutches; one leg and foot enveloped in a cast, and Barbara set to work. She worked the hand and arm on the casted side and the foot and lower leg on the other. And as they say, the rest is history.
Dr. Wyatt’s improvement was so marked, she chose to continue her reflexology sessions until full recovery was reached, and cancel the scheduled surgery. Dr. Wyatt’s interest in reflexology was so peaked that she wrote a grant application with the National Institutes of Health that resulted in this landmark study.
I share this so that you never underestimate the power of reflexology and the unstoppable drive of the human body to restore health and homeostasis. Reflexology is not just a “foot rub”; it’s a loud and persistent invitation to the body to come back to wholeness.
Who knows whose feet and hands you may be touching? You may be helping the next person in our history to bring more scientific credibility and/or large-scale exposure to reflexology!
What unexpected results have happened as a result of your giving reflexology?
Thanks Karen,
I have never underestimated the power of reflexology. As a new practitioner I am already seeing from the general public a certain misunderstanding associated with reflexology. Many people think it is simply a foot massage, but occasionally I will run into someone who has known someone who was restored to health after trying reflexology as a “last resort” over surgery or other radical treatment.
Stories like the one you shared are bringing reflexology more and more into the mainstream of the consciousness of people who focus on health, and eventually will help shine the positive light on this modality that it deserves. It is especially nice to see the backing of research by the medical community and the National Institutes of Health.
In my own research and practice I have seen beneficial results from working with a Type II diabetic, and I know that it is only the tip of the iceberg. I strongly believe that reflexology can benefit many people, in many ways. I look to the future and the unlocking of the “mysteries” of reflexology, through more research and studies. Thanks for keeping us informed of these wonderful developments.
John