Reflexology For Enlightenment

The exact nature of the state to which the term "enlightenment" refers is the subject of perennial debate, but most people agree it is an exalted one. Remembering this, you must take any assertion that it can be achieved through a healing modality such as reflexology with a grain of salt, says acupuncturist Ahuti Ferid. Nevertheless, she asserts that the energetic balance created by a skilled reflexologist can promote a lighter, more healthy state of being.

Reflexology Releases Blockages

The practice of reflexology, like acupuncture, is based on a centuries-old Chinese paradigm of the subtle body as a network of energy channels, called meridians, and of disease as an energetic imbalance caused by blockage of energy along these channels. In the ancient practices of acupuncture and acupressure, trained doctors stimulate the nodes where these lines intersect with needles or pressure to release blockages and restore balance. Reflexology is a form of acupressure that focuses on the hands and feet. Chinese medicine regards them, as well as the ears, as holographic microcosms of the body as a whole.

How Reflexology Works

According to Chinese medicine, the energetic nodes in your subtle body become electrically charged when the energy in the meridians becomes blocked. Ferid asserts that this charge can be large enough, in some cases, to be detected with a measuring device. Applying pressure to the nodes releases the charge and allows energy to flow. Your hands and feet contain a series of reflex points, similar to nodes, that connect to every major organ and structure in your body. Knowing where these points are and applying pressure to them allows the reflexologist to improve circulation and energy flow to the organs or structures to which they connect.

Diagnosing Organ Imbalances

Electrical energy flows freely throughout your subtle body when your meridians are free of blockages, and the nodes and reflex points are electrically neutral. When there are no blockages, you would enjoy a state of health that might be considered by some people to be a form of enlightenment, although Chinese medicine would simply regard you as "balanced." When the nodes and reflex points become charged, however, applying pressure to them can be painful. The reflexologist can use this fact as part of a diagnostic procedure, because painful points in the hands and feet signify imbalances in the organs or structures to which they connect, according to reflexology practitioners.

Relaxing Into Enlightenment

Having ascertained a pattern of blockages in your body, the reflexologist can restore balance by working on the reflex points in a systematic way, massaging them and applying pressure as needed. As you gradually relax into the treatment, energy begins to flow, the pain subsides and you may experience an "enlightened" state of being. If the pain doesn't disappear completely, however, it usually signifies a severe blockage. If so, you may benefit from complementary treatment modalities like acupuncture, herbal remedies or lifestyle consultation. If you have a persistent problem, you should seek a diagnosis from a conventional health practitioner.