According to WHO, World Health Organization, reflexology is now the fastest growing complementary health practice in North America. You might be asking yourself why. The short answer is that it's effective, very effective. And it's applicable not only to a wide range of disease-both chronic and acute, it's also an excellent component to a personal wellness plan.
Whether your aim is to become a full time practioner or to limit your practice to family the RAC (Reflexology Association of Canada)certification course is undoubtedly the best reflexology course being offered in Canada today. As a RAC certified instructor I offer the RCRT (Registered Certification Reflexologist Therapist) course, covering the fascinating world of foot reflexology.
It consists of 37 hours classroom instruction, 15 hours of homework and a 60 hour practicum. To help defer some of the cost of becoming a RCRT the last 20 sessions that you complete you can earn up to $400.00.
I'll be running two foot courses this spring.
The first one will be held at the Ocean Wilderness Inn. Dates are alternating weekends beginning in March 2010.
So that will be March 20/21, April 3/4 and April 17/18 beginning at 9:00 each day. This location is nestled on 5 acres of oceanfront on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. As it's the sleepy season the Inn Keepers are offering rooms at 50$ per night based on double occupancy. This makes it a fabulous opportunity to sneak away with your partner or a friend and while your engrossed in studies they can go and explore the Juan de Fuca Trail, spend hours beach combing or curl up with a book.Even your child or pet came come along! When evening comes you can meet in the hot-tub to share your day. Sooke is home to several exceptional restaurants which allow you to make this learning experience a mini holiday as well. Travel time is about one hour from the Swart Bay Ferry terminal if your driving over from Vancouver. Click here for ferry information.
The second course is geared for people who can only get away for isolated days. This one will be run on Mondays (9-5) at the Farmer's Daughter as well as 2.5 hours on Friday evenings (6:30-9). We'll start on Monday Febuary 22 and finish on March 19. The Farmer's Daughter is a vibrant restaurant and local food store which is supporting reflexology by having their premices used as a classroom outside of their normal hours. Located in central Sooke it's handy to shops, restaurants and transportation. An easy commute from anywhere between Naniamo, Victoria and Sidney. For more information contact me at 250-664-6492 or link directly to the RAC web site to register.
Please note that registration is limited to 6 people per class.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Reflexology Explained: The physical element.
There are many theories on how reflexology works. I'll blog on each of them as they each will illuminate your understanding of why such profound results are possible. But first I thought I'd begin with the simplest, most straight-forward, cause and effect explanation.
Our feet are remarkably made. Twenty-six bones, brilliantly articulated, tendons joining these bones to major muscle groups in the lower legs, innervated with 7,200 nerve endings per foot. Those are our remarkable feet.
Now if you think deeply about the function of your feet you'll be struck by just how much work they do. Try standing on one leg (foot) and maintaining your balance. Go ahead,try it, do you feel the slight adjustments as the bones glide in relationship to each other? The minuscule movements performed by the foot to make balance possible? Fortunately with two feet working together balance is less precarious. It is this fine tuning of balance that allows us to conduct our life in an upright position. Balance begins at the feet. Everything else is built on top of that. When our feet loose there ability to balance us with fluidity in their motion we begin to compensate by altering our posture. The alterations in posture cause a misalignment of spine, shoulders, neck, legs etc. The compensation leads to increased muscle tension which in turn leads to strain which leads us to pain.
By working on the feet at the physical level I'm loosening the muscle tension there, which allow you to regain you natural balance, walk a little taller and feel a lot better. To get a better feel for this idea, and another opinion check out this podcast and pay special attention to the piece on barefoot running. It's the third part of the podcast on this site. This isn't just for runner's, although they'll get a lot out of it, this podcast is for anyone who wonders how the feet affect the entire body.
When you're feet are complaining to you with aches and pains. Listen. See a reflexologist. You'll find that paying attention to the warning signs the feet give you can save you a lot of pain down the road.
PS Did you know that reflexology can treat plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis can ultimately lead to bone spurs. so listen to those sore feet and get them treated sooner rather than waiting for permanent damage.
Our feet are remarkably made. Twenty-six bones, brilliantly articulated, tendons joining these bones to major muscle groups in the lower legs, innervated with 7,200 nerve endings per foot. Those are our remarkable feet.
Now if you think deeply about the function of your feet you'll be struck by just how much work they do. Try standing on one leg (foot) and maintaining your balance. Go ahead,try it, do you feel the slight adjustments as the bones glide in relationship to each other? The minuscule movements performed by the foot to make balance possible? Fortunately with two feet working together balance is less precarious. It is this fine tuning of balance that allows us to conduct our life in an upright position. Balance begins at the feet. Everything else is built on top of that. When our feet loose there ability to balance us with fluidity in their motion we begin to compensate by altering our posture. The alterations in posture cause a misalignment of spine, shoulders, neck, legs etc. The compensation leads to increased muscle tension which in turn leads to strain which leads us to pain.
By working on the feet at the physical level I'm loosening the muscle tension there, which allow you to regain you natural balance, walk a little taller and feel a lot better. To get a better feel for this idea, and another opinion check out this podcast and pay special attention to the piece on barefoot running. It's the third part of the podcast on this site. This isn't just for runner's, although they'll get a lot out of it, this podcast is for anyone who wonders how the feet affect the entire body.
When you're feet are complaining to you with aches and pains. Listen. See a reflexologist. You'll find that paying attention to the warning signs the feet give you can save you a lot of pain down the road.
PS Did you know that reflexology can treat plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis can ultimately lead to bone spurs. so listen to those sore feet and get them treated sooner rather than waiting for permanent damage.
First Encounters
If you've never had reflexology you could find yourself somewhat surprised at the results. My first encounter was strictly by chance. I hadn't booked an appointment, in fact I'd never even heard of the practice. It was with some reluctance that I gave my feet over to a visitor in my home. At that point in my life I was working 60+ hours a week in the emergency department of a Vancouver hospital and would have said that I was in excellent health. The practitioner performing reflexology on my feet almost had me in tears, I had to beg that the session end. But 30 minutes after the session ceased I was hit by what I can only call an energy wave. It started at my feet and ascended rapidly to my head. The energy level was remarkable. I felt supercharged I was excited with an enthusiasm for life that I hadn't recalled feeling in years.
I was ready to take on anything.
I hadn't even realized that I wasn't operating at peak capacity anymore.
The feeling of wellbeing I experienced left me with the distinct impression that feeling 'fine' was a choice. I definately prefered feeling 'great'.
Please remember that my practice at that time was as an experienced hospital based RN. I was baffled. Where was the science? The science behind why I would feel a renewal of life, a felling that persisted for at least a week. How could pressure on my feet be so profound and what else could reflexology do?
That was 15 years ago.
I'll give you a bit of the theory in future posts and encourage you to find the practioner that suits your feet.
I was ready to take on anything.
I hadn't even realized that I wasn't operating at peak capacity anymore.
The feeling of wellbeing I experienced left me with the distinct impression that feeling 'fine' was a choice. I definately prefered feeling 'great'.
Please remember that my practice at that time was as an experienced hospital based RN. I was baffled. Where was the science? The science behind why I would feel a renewal of life, a felling that persisted for at least a week. How could pressure on my feet be so profound and what else could reflexology do?
That was 15 years ago.
I'll give you a bit of the theory in future posts and encourage you to find the practioner that suits your feet.
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