Do It Yourself Reflexology to Heal and Invigorate

by Fiona Reilly

As a practicing reflexologist, I am continually amazed by the positive effect reflexology can have on people. It can release energetic blockages and held emotions, and encourage deep relaxation. In this article you will find three useful reflex points that you can enjoy working on at home.

Who doesn’t love a foot rub? While reflexology practitioners use particular methods of applying pressure, any type of massage or pressure application can be beneficial, so try it out on yourself, a family member or friend – tune in to what works and feels good for you. You can inadvertently work the body, and help it to re-balance. Enjoy!

Three Useful Reflex Points to Massage

I have chosen to share three reflexology points that are easy to locate and work on at home, working on these points has the potential to be deeply relaxing and transformative. The three points are the pituitary gland, the adrenal glands and the solar plexus.

Pituitary Gland: The pituitary gland is the primary endocrine gland and controls almost every other gland in our body. It is located on the inside of the big toe (as illustrated in the diagram) and is often tender. Working on the pituitary gland encourages chemical and hormonal balance throughout the body and can be especially useful for the symptoms of PMT.

Adrenal glands: Due to our modern lifestyles and high stress levels, we put immense pressure on our adrenal glands, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. With almost everyone I work with the adrenal glands are tender and thus easy to locate. The position varies slightly from person to person, it is somewhere on the upper arch of the foot near the inner edge (see diagram below). Have a feel around until you feel a slight lump or hollow, or notice some tenderness. You can rub your thumb or finger on this point using a circular motion or apply gentle pressure where it feels tender. Working on the adrenal glands helps to alleviate anxiety and nervous tension. I love massaging the arch of the foot around this area – pure bliss!

Solar plexus: This is a very nurturing point to work, though it appears quite subtle. It is located at the bottom of the ball of the foot. Very gently holding this point can be extremely relaxing, the pressure can be extremely light and I usually incorporate this towards the end a reflexology session. It helps to relieve nervous tension and encourage deep relaxation.

So experiment and enjoy. Reflexology can be quite impactful so go gently initially and notice how you react. Stay tuned in and do what feels right for you. It can also be done on the hands. As reflexology can be detoxifying and releasing, it is recommended that you drink lots of water, avoid alcohol, caffeine and spicy food after a treatment.

yogaesoteric
April 2, 2019

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