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Although strictly speaking, reflexology has nothing to do with Paganism, the technique is very ancient and I personally swear by it as an aid to relaxation and stress reduction. If you cannot relax you cannot meditate, if you cannot meditate...
Put simply, reflexology is the study of reflex points on the hands and feet and how they correspond to the organs and other areas of the body. It is a holistic therapy, treating the body a whole interconnected system rather than as a collection of separate organs. Reflexology is sometimes mistaken for massage as it does include massage-like techniques, however reflexology works by combining massage elements with acupressure, primarily to the hands and feet.
It is quite possible to perform reflexology on yourself, however it can also
be rewarding to both parties if performed on your partner. Judging the right
amount of pressure to apply to the appropriate reflex points can initially be
a matter of trial and error, the error being self inflicted pain (or a clip
round the ear if you try it on your partner before you are well practiced).
I would suggest that you visit a professional reflexologist to see how it should
be done before you try any techniques on yourself. Most pros charge £20+ for
approx. 1 hour, although the first visit may be longer as they will do a full
examination and analysis. Caution, it is unwise to perform reflexology on anyone
who is pregnant, has damaged or broken skin on the hands/feet, or anyone who
has a heart condition. Indeed, you would find it very difficult to find any
reputable reflexologist that would work on this group of people. The Association
of Reflexologists regulates professionals in the UK, and full members can be
identified by the letters M.A.R. after their name.
Reflex points in the foot - click for larger printable version (92KBytes).
Suggested further reading is in the books section.
