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.