Reflexology and Its Benefits

Reflexology and Its Benefits

Reflexology and its Benefits

Reflexology is a popular relaxing therapy that helps to activate the body’s own natural healing mechanism. This is achieved by the application of massage and gentle pressure techniques applied to the feet. The feet are said to be a ‘mini map’ of the whole body and thus the organs, glands, body parts etc. are all represented within the feet.

This idea that parts of the body correspond to other parts of the body was developed by the work of Dr William Fitzgerald in the twentieth century. He showed that when applying pressure to one area of the body, this could have a pain-relieving effect on a corresponding area of the body. Eunice Ingham developed this theory further in the 1930’s.

She concluded that ten energy zones (or meridians) run throughout the body and could be accessed by reflex points on the feet. The energy can be referred to as life energy (or chi). Thus stimulating or ‘working’ any zone in the foot by applying pressure with thumbs and fingers affects the entire zone throughout the body.

The Reflexologist can detect imbalances within the zones on the feet by touch. Often this is felt as a ‘lumpy’ or ‘grainy’ area on the foot. These imbalanced areas can be worked upon, to help the release of blocked or stagnant energy. These energy blockages can relate to the person’s physical, emotional or spiritual health and working on them promotes self-healing, therefore having a positive effect on well-being.

There are many benefits of Reflexology. Principally it helps to induce deep relaxation, which encourages other healing effects. These include improving circulation, cleansing the body of toxins, balancing the body’s system, revitalising energy and calming the mind. It is completely holistic in its approach, focusing on the mind, body and spirit of the individual.

To get the most benefit from Reflexology, generally a course of 4 treatments is advised. This is because the effects of the therapy are cumulative. The first treatment would enable the individual to relax and the therapist to identify any imbalances within the feet. Subsequent treatments involve working on any imbalances more deeply in relation to client feedback. The individual is then able to evaluate how they feel the treatment is benefiting them.

Written by: Suzannah C. Knight

Utopia