REFLEXOLOGY ARTICLES

Below are a few articles by Christopher Shirley. For a more extensive resource of reflexology related articles go here.

AN INTRODUCTION TO REFLEXOLOGY

By Christopher Shirley

Welcome to the universe of reflexology. I choose these words carefully because it is my experience that reflexology is capable of taking you to the boundaries of your universe and, if you are willing, beyond those boundaries. (See discussion of boundaries at the end of this article.)

Reflexology is a NATURAL HEALING ART.

NATURAL means that reflexology enhances the normal functioning of the body. It does this without creating any damage. It is essentially benign - harmless.

HEALING means that reflexology's effect is consistently observed to be beneficial to a person's health. Reflexology reduces physical, emotional, and psychological stress and tension. This reduction of stress and tension results in a greater degree of relaxation in the body and a consequent revitalization and rejuvenation of the functioning of the body. Reflexology also increases the body's awareness of itself. The combination of therapeutic relaxation and increased awareness facilitates movement toward optimal healthy functioning. In this sense reflexology is healing.

ART means that the application of reflexology is most beneficial when the practitioner is bringing their intuitive senses into play with their practice of reflexology. Everyone who uses the techniques of reflexology will find that the results are beneficial. However, the practitioner that develops awareness of their intuitive senses and applies reflexology in accordance with their intuitive senses will have more effective results.

The basic techniques used in the practice of reflexology are very simple and easy to learn. As in many other activities, it takes some practice of the techniques to become familiar with them. In this process of practicing the techniques, it is inevitable that some of the benefits of reflexology will be discovered. The most common benefit to be discovered is how profoundly relaxing reflexology is for most (not all) people that it is applied to. Even for relatively healthy people in our hectic western society, the feeling of profound relaxation is a blissfully pleasant experience that is deeply appreciated.

Beyond these pleasurable feelings of relaxation, recipients of reflexology often report a wide range of other benefits, such as: feeling more centered, feeling more solidly connected to the ground and paradoxically feeling like walking on air, experiencing deeper sleep, relief from a wide variety of aches and pains, relief from headaches, clearing of sinus congestion, etc…

The range of potential benefits available from reflexology is very wide. It is believed that reflexology moves the body from functioning in the sympathetic nervous system modality (fight or flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system modality (rest and repair), that reflexology improves the assimilation of nutrients to enhance the provision of nourishment for healthy functioning; that reflexology improves the circulation of the blood and lymph with consequent improved nourishment and cleansing of the cells and elimination of accumulated toxins; similarly, that reflexology strengthens the functioning of the immune system. In short, by revitalizing and rejuvenating the intricate functioning of the physical body reflexology assists the body in its inherent process of healing itself.

As a consequence, reflexology powerfully complements all other healing modalities. In particular, it enhances the effectiveness of nutritional therapies including herbology, and, manipulative therapies such as physiotherapy and chiropractic.
When a person is experiencing extremely acute pain, such as severe whiplash, reflexology, unique in its ability to relieve stress and tension through stimulation of the distant reflexes, can safely ease the pain until it is conducive to the direct stimulation of massage therapy or physiotherapy. In this way, reflexology is very beneficial for the person who is presently experiencing extreme pain and who is understandably not receptive to any direct stimulation of the injured area.

As reflexology gains wider acceptance as a therapy, its effectiveness for specific conditions is being researched. In 1993 the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a prestigious medical research journal, published an evaluation of the effectiveness of reflexology for women suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). This study, which evaluated 38 symptoms experienced by these women, reported that the symptoms were reduced by 46% during treatment, an improvement that was sustained at 41% for two months beyond the cessation of treatment. The journal concluded that reflexology should be considered an effective therapy for PMS.

Many other studies evaluating the effectiveness of reflexology for specific health conditions have been published in Denmark, England, and China. In these countries, reflexology has been integrated into the national health care system - which has made it easier to get research studies conducted. The health conditions focussed on in these studies include headaches, back pain, asthma, and constipation - a wide variety of conditions for any one therapy to address. In general, the results of these studies report reflexology to be effective for 75% to 80% of recipients.

It appears that in reflexology we have an easy-to-learn, harmless technique that provides the recipient with a blissfully relaxing experience, and, is potentially powerful in its ability to assist the body to heal itself of a wide range of conditions.

Reflexology is a healing modality that is harmless unless the reflexology practitioner is not respectful of the person that they are working on. In fact, unless the person receiving the reflexology is fragile in some way (suffering from emotional, psychological or physical imbalances, or, is commonly considered very sick), it would be necessary for the reflexology practitioner to be intentionally abusive in order to do harm.

In a social sense, reflexology has a lot to contribute to its ability to provide a safe nurturing environment for people to touch each other. There is considerable research on the power of touch. This environment allows a very natural deepening of the relationship between the person doing reflexology and the receiver. Professional counselors are exploring the possibilities that this presents for their work with their clients.

For us laypeople, there are also many possibilities in our relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues. An example would be the relationship between a teenager and his/her parents: typically these relationships can be strained and lacking in communication or any feeling of connectedness. However, many teenagers would love to have their feet massaged. In the process of  45 - 60 minutes of giving a reflexology session to the teenager the parent simply needs to be willing to listen to whatever surfaces in the teenagers’ mind. Reflexology provides a setting for nurturing touch that is safe, relaxing, and conducive to sharing any concerns that the teenager may be currently wrestling with If the parent is willing to just listen, there is the potential for a wonderful intimacy to develop.

In short, reflexology has many very healing facets.

BOUNDARIES: Let's talk about boundaries - so that you may understand a little bit better what I mean by this word. Each of us has boundaries that shape our experience - our universe. These boundaries we are constantly choosing and changing on the basis of what is comfortable for us, or, what feels right to us in the present circumstance. Consequently, our boundaries are rarely concretely defined, and, will change from time to time as our circumstance changes. Similarly, as our boundaries change, our interpretation of our circumstances will also change.

Of course, this can be very disconcerting as human beings we all seek consistency in our world - and in ourselves. This consistency is our present level of knowledge and understanding. Such consistency gives us a feeling of security, a feeling that with our knowledge and understanding of our life we are able to cope or even be effective in it. Consequently, we are inclined to try to define our boundaries - we are inclined to come to an understanding of who we are, who we are not; what we like, what we do not like; what we believe is true, what we believe is not true; what we believe is fair and reasonable, what we believe is not fair and reasonable; and so on.

So, on one hand, our circumstances pull at us to change our boundaries, and, on the other hand, we seem to have an innate desire to bring consistency to our boundaries. Welcome to one of the paradoxes of life. If you have ever felt that it is an uphill battle to understand yourself or to understand other people - being aware of this paradoxical dynamic of constant change in each and every one of us might help you to comprehend why.

HOW REFLEXOLOGY IS DIFFERENT

The predominant mode of healing in our western culture for the last century has been disease management. Led by allopathic medicine utilizing surgery and pharmaceutical drugs there has been a strong focus on removal and alleviation of symptoms. This may be perceived as a crisis intervention model of healing. When symptoms are identified, the doctor will diagnose the condition and prescribe treatment to manage and eliminate these symptoms. In this disease management mode of healing, treatment is focused on specific conditions. When the symptoms are eliminated, or, managed the treatment is considered complete.

Reflexology could be applied in this manner. When symptoms of stress are presented, the reflexologist would work only the specific corresponding parts of the feet, hands, or ears to alleviate the symptoms. When the symptom is alleviated reflexology would be discontinued.

This might be considered a "First Aid" application of reflexology, and, is appropriate in some circumstances where a more long-term approach is not feasible or appropriate. Possible examples are: providing immediate short-term benefit for someone suffering from a headache, or, in an emergency such as assisting a person to recover from a faint.

However, for the most part, our approach in the use of reflexology is different. Along with other natural therapies, our orientation in the use of reflexology is to support the body in its own healing process, to strengthen the body, so that it is able to draw upon its own recuperative resources to heal itself. This orientation of most reflexologists has, in part, evolved out of political necessity. It is currently illegal for a reflexologist to diagnose, prescribe, or, treat for specific conditions. These activities are restricted to licensed health care practitioners: medical doctors, naturopathic physicians, etc. Consequently, we find ourselves, along with chiropractors and other natural therapists, with the orientation of supporting the body in its process of healing itself.

The reflexologist works to strengthen each and every part of the body, including all those parts in which symptoms are not manifesting. Often it is the healthy parts of the body that provide the resources for healing those parts that are ailing.

One advantage of this approach is that it does not require us to develop a vast knowledge of the complexities of human anatomy and physiology in order to be effective. The systems, glands, organs, and parts of the body are all so intricately intertwined in their functioning that even our most advanced students of medicine are far from comprehending it all.

The reflexologist, by providing thorough stimulation of all the reflex areas of the feet/hands/ears, reduces stress and tension and creates a space in the recipient's body for healing to take place.

Of course, if a reflex area seems to need more attention than others then it is appropriate for the reflexologist to provide additional attention for that reflex area. This would be appropriate in cases of marked sensitivity, or, the reflexologist’s suspicion that the corresponding part of the body might be related to the recipient's loss of health.

Another advantage of this approach is that when the body uses its own recuperative resources they become strengthened.

When medicine intervenes in the healing process and takes over by chemically manipulating the body, the body's resources are often superseded, and as a result, over time these resources will atrophy.

Clearly, a healing process that strengthens the body is preferred over one that weakens it.

THEORIES OF HOW REFLEXOLOGY WORKS

There are numerous theories of how reflexology works, among them:

1. Psychological--This theory proposes that the power of suggestion is the primary factor, and includes the claim that it is a placebo.

    

2. Lymph--Since the lymphatic system removes toxic or malignant products and includes the immune system, it is assumed that reflexology enhances its function and restores proper chemical balance in the body.

    

3. Electrical Potential--It is believed that a difference in electrical potential in various parts of the body constitutes a corresponding malfunction in another part of the body. Reflexology remedies this difference.

    

4. Ki Energy--It is believed that foot reflexology works in the same way as acupuncture and shiatsu: by bringing balance to the flow of energy along the body's meridians.

    

5. Counter Irritation--The human body speeds up repair when it receives an insult to its equilibrium. Reflexology provides this insult.

    

6. Nerve Endings/Crystals--It is believed that nerve endings are unable to transmit their impulses because of crystalline deposits that build up and block their pathway.
   A variation of this theory is that the crystalline deposits impede the grounding connection of the foot with the earth. Reflexology is believed to clear these crystalline deposits.
   Most recently, a Dr.Jesus Manzanares has found, by conducting biopsies, that sensitive reflexes have an accumulation of nerve endings.

    

7. Proprioception--A foot reflexology session with its exertion of pressure, stimulation of muscles, and re-angulation of joints, sends false reports of position and sensation to the brain. The brain responds to reposition the body that results in a relaxation of the muscles.

To date, we do not know specifically how reflexology works. All of these theories are based upon conjecture. It is possible that all of these theories are partial contributors to the effectiveness of reflexology, that they all have a part to play - with variations in their proportions from situation to situation. What we do know is how it feels to the practitioner, and, the recipient's experience -- a deep relaxation of the body and mind.

I look forward to the day when we have access to technology that will facilitate the evaluation of the contributing factors of the effectiveness of reflexology. That day is coming.