1. Bottoms Up--Start with the Feet
The philosophy behind reflexology is that certain areas of the body--namely, the hands, feet and ears--are "gateways" to the rest of the body. Since so many of the body's nerves end in one of these three types of extremities, one can affect nearly any part of oneself by massaging these areas in a firm and precise manner. To perform reflexology on yourself, take your shoes and socks off and sit in a comfortable position on a chair. Bring one foot up onto the opposite knee. The entire body is represented in the foot, with the head represented by the toes, and the bottom of the body near the heels. Take the opposite hand, and with firm pressure from the side of your thumb (or using the knuckle of the forefinger), press hard and hold deeply (up to 30 seconds) in the area you want to affect. Common areas include the sides of each toe on either side of the toenail to clear the sinuses; the soft, vulnerable center of the foot to stimulate the vital organs, and the top of the heel for leg cramps. The front of the ankles, the space on your foot where an anklet would lie, can be stimulated to affect the groin and lymph nodes.
2. The Hands Are Always Available
When you are in public, at the office or wherever you don't want to do foot reflexology, work on your hands. Pinching, or firmly holding, the fleshy area between the thumb and forefinger with the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand can relieve a headache. The eyes can be stimulated in the area on the right palm just where the forefinger meets the middle finger. Rub the hands briskly together for an entire minute to bring energy to the entire body. Clap the hands briskly five times to focus your concentration.
3. Stimulate the Ears
The ears are more delicate than the hands and feet, so one needn't be as firm in pressing the various pressure points in the ears to create a full-body effect. Gently stroking and massaging the entire ear as a whole with the thumb and fingers of each hand can create a very soothing effect. Pressing the "kidney" point, which is two-thirds of the way up the ear, directly in the middle (on the pronounced ridge there) has been deemed helpful to weight loss and smoking cessation. The lungs and the spleen can be stimulated by massaging the direct center of the ear in small circles with a gentle finger. Charts and books on reflexology can be found in nearly any bookstore these days, and modern reflexology practitioners are often very willing to help a person learn the art to practice on himself. It's a "full-body" massage you can take anywhere.
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