Reflexology - Why Work The Feet?

Reflexology is an excellent tool which is based on the principle that the entire body is mapped onto the feet and hands. There are specific areas of the feet and hands which correspond to different parts, organs and glands of the body. Working these reflexes by the application of pressure through different techniques helps relax, balance and normalize the function of the body.

In my own reflexology practice I have chosen to work mainly with the feet whenever possible. I do also work the reflexes in the hands, however only secondary to the feet. I will work your hands at your request if you prefer, or if you are too ticklish to have your feet touched! If injury prevents me from working on your feet I will work on your hands. Also, if you have specific foot conditions which prevent me from working the whole foot, or certain areas of your foot, I would work either the whole hand or just the reflexes which correspond to the affected area of the foot. If there are any other circumstances which prevent me from working the feet, of which I have not mentioned, then I would work the hands.

As well as in the feet and hands, there are reflexes in the ears which can also be worked in a reflexology session. There are of course reflexologists who do work with the ears; however, I personally do not work with the ears at all. My personal feeling is that it is more beneficial to work with the feet and for several reasons of which I will explain shortly.

I was going to write my first reflexology article explaining all about reflexology and how it works, yet something someone said last night during a meeting I attended inspired me to write about the feet and why it is of benefit to work with them. Someone made a brief comment about their feet, which another person answered saying ?well, everyone?s feet are always sore!? This comment made me realize that reflexology or not, there are so many reasons as to why we should ALWAYS look after our feet. We owe it to them!

How many of us actually pay any REAL attention to our feet? Be honest now! I didn?t until I started studying reflexology, honestly I didn?t. I just painted a lick of nail polish on my toenails every week and I was convinced that was enough to ease my conscience into believing that I did actively care about my poor, unloved feet! My feet were neglected, badly cared for, they were dry, sore, callus, and the skin on my heels was dry, cracked and often painful, which sometimes made it difficult to walk, especially in hot weather when my feet were exposed and even drier than ever!

In many ways the state of my feet reflected the state of my life and the way I thought about myself. There was time when I did not really care about or value myself, my body or my life. Of course, this is no longer the case; I have worked very hard over the last three years to change myself and Reflexology has become a valuable tool, complimenting all of my other work toward personal growth. Reflexology has become a real asset in my life and the lives of the people I work upon. Above all else, learning reflexology helped me value myself, my body and my own health and well-being more tha
I ever have.

The majority of us do not pay enough attention to our feet, whilst we pay so much attention to the condition and appearance of our hands. Why is that? Is it because we consciously use them to sense and feel the world around us? Is it because they are in full view all day as we use them to perform all our daily tasks? Is it for superficial reasons because they are in full view of other people, meaning they always have to be in immaculate and presentable condition? Why do we seem to love our hands more than our feet? Is it because our feet are usually covered up and hidden away from view of the world? You know what they say, ?out of sight, out of mind? Try to consider your own reasons of why you may be guilty of neglecting your own feet.

In reality, although we do use our hands to sense, touch and feel the world around us, our feet are actually far more sensitive. This is because there are a multitude of nerve endings in our feet. Another reason why we should love our feet more is because they are body parts which are farthest from our heart, both physically and emotionally it seems!

I spend a lot of my time looking at people?s feet (discreetly of course!) and I learn a great deal out of doing so. It fascinates me to look and I know this may sound like strange behavior to you and I know what you are probably thinking ?cuckoo? but trust me, you can actually tell a lot about a person by their feet!

So let?s get to the point, why should we work the feet in reflexology? Here are some reasons:-nn

1. Our feet are our basic foundation; they ground us and are our connection to earth and its energies.

2. Our feet bear all our weight, everyday for all of our lives.

3. The feet lie farthest from the heart, making them the parts of the body where blood circulation tends to stagnate. Working the feet in reflexology stimulates blood circulation.

4. Gravity tends to pull toxins and waste materials down, like uric acid and calcium crystals which build up on our feet.

5. We abuse our feet by forcing them into uncomfortable, inappropriate shoe styles. Yes, I admit it, I am guilty! My motto in the past was ?Women?s shoes are all about aesthetics, not comfort!? So ladies, think twice before you try cramming your feet into yet another pair of ?killer? pointy, stilettos!

6. Between our uncomfortable shoes, poor posture, and walking on hard concrete surfaces, the bones and muscles in our feet lack sustenance, thus affecting the rest of our body like our knees, legs, spine and neck.

7. Our busy, quick-paced ?life on-the-go? means that the majority of us experience foot aches and pains each and every day, making us tired and irritable.

Isn?t that enough examples to make you think twice before you ignore, neglect and abuse you feet again? It is time to begin acknowledging, appreciating and loving your feet because in the end, you really need them! Have you ever tried to imagine what life would be like if you suddenly woke up one day and your feet were gone? What would you do, how could you walk? Your life would not be the same would it? You would not be able to do the things you are doing today. You would not be able to walk, run, jump, play sports and freely visit all the places you normally do in your day to day life. In future, please keep in mind that your feet carry a huge responsibility all day, everyday, for your whole life and that?s YOU! So why not recognize and honor that?

Love your feet... Love yourself! nn n