Hidden benefits of
reflexology
The holistic therapy of reflexology has been used over the years to
promote physical health and wellbeing in many thousands of people from
all walks of life, but there is also a subtler aspect to its benefits
that can be applied to the more vulnerable amongst us, to expand
awareness and enhance everyday living. When a client of mine asked if
she could bring her sister, who had learning disabilities, for a
reflexology treatment with me, I was only too glad to concur. When the
appointment day arrived, the young lady's mother accompanied her and
explained to me that her daughter had been born with learning
disabilities (she was now in her thirties) and that the only diagnosis
that doctors had given her was that something probably went wrong
during birth. My client appeared in cheerful mood, did not appear
nervous, but was unable to reply to my enquiries about her health and
lifestyle. Her mother did this for me, telling me she was on the whole
in good general health (apart from suffering from a condition called
rosacea which can make the face flush a deep red) and that one thing
she constantly talked about was getting married! She loved to look at
magazines where there were pictures of brides' dresses and related
details and often imagined herself to be dressed in one. However,
emotionally she was very detached from people, even her mother and two
sisters. During the treatment, she was unable to communicate to me any
tender spots on her feet, which were very smooth & unlined, although I
encountered several gritty areas especially on the head area and the
pituitary and pineal glands. She did, however, say that she was
enjoying it and loved the feeling of her feet being rubbed. I gave her
an especially thorough post-treatment foot massage because of this. As
they were about to leave, the young lady gave me a really big hug and
thanked me for the time I had spent with her. I am quite used to this,
but was a little surprised to see the look of astonishment on her
mother's face. The next day, her mother phoned me to say that she had
never, ever, seen her daughter give anyone a hug - not even to her -
and that was the reason for her amazement at her response to the
treatment. She also told me that, during the evening, when her
daughter had been sitting upstairs in her bedroom, dressed only in her
underwear as she was accustomed to do every night, the mother had
called up to her to let her know that she was going down to the shop
to make a few purchases. Instead of the short ‘OK’ that she expected,
the girl called down to her to wait a moment while she got dressed,
and she would accompany her on the walk to the shop. This was so
unusual that the mother could hardly believe her ears. The daughter
came downstairs fully dressed, and walked to the shop and back with
her, lacing her arm in her mother's on the way back. This may sound
like a very small breakthrough to many people, but the mother was
moved to tears while recounting this to me. Reflexology treats all the
organs of the body through the feet, but not only this - it clears
blocked energy pathways throughout the body enabling organs and glands
to function properly and in a holistic way. When a blockage is removed
from one area, this in turn promotes the free flow of energy to a
related area, and so on. It can show benefits to the physical body or,
as in this case, to the emotional body so that the heart can stimulate
the brain into alternative ways of thinking or behaving. The fact that
a client cannot tell us what is felt during a treatment, is therefore
no indication as to the level of benefit that the treatment can bestow
upon the mind, body and spirit.
