Remember awhile back I mentioned that I’d been given a gift certificate to a local spa for Christmas? Well, I used part of it to have a foot massage, but then recently went back to use the rest of the certificate and have a reflexology treatment. This experience took fun to a whole new — and different — level.
I was a bit skeptical — reflexology? But my feet have been bothering me so much lately that I figured I’d try anything.
Essentially, and this is a layperson’s quick study on the subject, reflexology is the application of pressure (through massage) onto various points in the sole of the foot (primarily) to soothe, possibly even have healing effects on other parts of the body, in particular various organs. It’s a natural approach to healing that has apparently been around for a heck of a long time:
As the reflexologist explained to me before she began, she’d be massaging and applying pressure to areas on my feet and that pressure would have an effect on other parts of my body. Okay, sounded like worst case scenario, I was in for a heavenly 50 minute foot massage.
But what I got was something quite a bit different.
It didn’t take long before I could feel a wave of some kind of feeling moving through my torso. It’s very hard to explain, but it literally felt like light waves of something — though I can’t say what, just kind of coursing inside my body. That overall effect was one of “lightening” — I felt lighter in some odd sense. Then, as she moved to the pads of my toes, I’m not kidding, I felt correlating responses in my head — I think in my brain — for each toe that she touched. Without sounding dramatic, or at least without trying to sound dramatic, it felt as if the top of my head kind of opened up. I’m serious.
Even now. As I write it. I think how kind of “new-agey” and crazy it sounds. But it was a pretty serious experience — was it physical or psychological? — not really sure. It sure felt physical.
While the massage was going on, it was extremely wonderful-feeling. I felt so good. But I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the feeling persisted after the massage ended. After that, pretty quickly, I felt back to my normal self. Since then, I haven’t felt like any parts of my body are functioning better or worse than before … except interestingly, I have been calmer in my approach to work since then. Calmer in my approach to the deadline-drive days of press releases and article due-dates — and even more interestingly, it’s all working out pretty well. I still have a huge amount of work to get done each day and I never get the entire to-do list crossed off, but I’m less worried about what’s not getting done and more focused on what truly needs to get done throughout the day.
Still, for the money ($75), I’m not sure I’d go back with my own cash, but if I ever receive another gift certificate, I’d probably spend it on that same treatment. And, I think I’m going to see if I can even marginally recreate the experience at home … . Hmmmmm… self-reflexologizing? Sounds a little naughty. But maybe that’s just me.
So, anyway, science? Medicine? Alternative healing? I don’t have the answers. But I will say my skepticism about the connection between our lowly feet and the entire rest of our bodies has disappeared. Completely.
And on top of it all, I did leave feeling better.
Relaxed — for sure.
In a good mood and feeling positive — absolutely.
Convinced I’d found a whole new kind of fun — indubitably.
Scott D
February 6, 2010 at 9:38 pmIf ur feet still hurt
come back for some good ol’ western medicine.
Make an appt
we’ll get an xray and exam and make sure nothing
is really wrong
Then again , massages always seem better than a doctors appt
Steve
February 7, 2010 at 12:13 amWhoa……..It is a good thing that a man didn’t do it………!Glad you had a positive experience.
John W. Perkins
February 7, 2010 at 6:34 amNerves extend along our spinal coulumn and radiate to nearly all parts of the body. Those in our feet affect to some greater or lesser degree the sensations felt elsewhere. When pressure is applied to one area, it relieves pressure to another, releasing the subtle pains that weren’t even realized before. Therefore, when even subtle pain is eased, it feels heavenly.
Accupuncture is very similar.. You may want to try that next..
Steve
February 7, 2010 at 9:41 amGRRRRRRRRRRR Dr.Perkins and she doesn’t need accupuncture nor does my monkey.
MC
February 7, 2010 at 2:56 pmScott — if you need/want to know background about this blog, visit the About section!
Scott D
February 7, 2010 at 4:40 pmU r a tough moderator,
that was my first commentary blocked
I guess I wil have to avoid the subject of cats in the future .
Again I would have to agree with Steve
no accupucture. sounds painful ! Needle in the foot !!! Ouch!
Scott D
February 7, 2010 at 5:55 pmGO SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saints35 Indy28
Steve
February 7, 2010 at 10:12 pmCome on MC what did Skippy say?He has class always agreeing with me and not with you know who.
David
February 7, 2010 at 11:37 pmYou SHOULD be a skeptical consumer advocate for the readership you have, MC. Supplements, complimentary and alternative medicine (SCAM) practitioners are either 1) delusional or 2) fraudulent or 3) onto something that no one else in the scientific or medical community has discovered yet (not likely). Instead of physical, psychological, or even physiological, let’s call it “placebo-logical.”
Either the relaxation of the treatment, believing that you are being treated and WILL get better, or simply waiting it out can heal many things and we will NEVER know for sure without placebo-controlled double-blind research. It may even have been something completely different altogher that helped. In hard science and medicine, testimonials and anecdotal evidence leads to research, not more clients. When alternative medicine starts to actually work they stop calling it “alternative”.
Glad it worked for you, though.
http://www.skepdic.com/reflex.html
MC
February 8, 2010 at 4:34 amwell, as i saw — i’m a skeptic and i can’t say why i felt what i felt — was it just a psychological reaction … or a physiological one? i wouldn’t say it “worked” — because what i went there for was relief for some foot issues i’ve been having. they’re still there. the effect of the reflexology was only for as long as it was being performed!