Reflexology

Reflexology is one of the most powerful natural therapies for counteracting the stress and tensions of modern life. It is deeply relaxing, and has a restorative effect on the body.

Our modern lifestyles are highly stimulating. We are often unable, or we forget, to relax properly. We have become used to existing in a perpetual state of nervous tension and we begin to think we need high levels of stress in our daily lives to function “normally.”

However, it is also true that too much stress can disturb the body’s normal functioning, typically affecting sleeping patterns, and the digestive and immune systems and causing anxiety.

It is not only exhausting to feel permanently on edge, but also bad for our long-term health. This in turn weakens the immune system and leaves us vulnerable to illness; someone who is tired out and stressed is more likely to become ill than someone who is relaxed and happy.

Learn to Relax

You must learn how to relax properly, as this is the key to finding balance in a busy lifestyle. If you are relaxed, you can put problems into perspective, release pent-up frustrations, and safeguard your health.

Need some time to unwind. Why not consider Reflexology as a natural way to relax and take that much needed time for yourself. Call 334-358-3990 to schedule an appointment.

Spring

Spring is a time for rebirth. It is a time when the trees bud and the flowers bloom. The birds seem to chirp and sing louder at this time of the year. The colors and beauty of spring presents us with the splendor for our eyes, the

brilliant greens of the grass and the color of beautiful flowers. It is also a time to enjoy the smell of honeysuckle and the warmth of the sun on our faces.

The pleasures of nature can liberate us from our everyday world of asphalt roads, concrete sidewalks, and ever present noise.

Let’s set aside a few minutes each day to appreciate the beauty nature has provided for us to enjoy.

Spring is also a good opportunity to plant our own personal garden with :

Kind Words

Kind hearts are the gardens,

Kind thoughts are the roots,

Kind words are the flowers,

Kind deeds are the fruits.

Take care of your garden

and Keep out the weeds,

Fill it with sunshine

Kind words and kind deeds.

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.----Bill Cosby

Listen More to Others:

How often do we ask a question, then as the person is answering, feel we must respond, now? So, we jump in, and interrupt them, not allowing them to finish. AND, then we start talking, expecting them to now give US their undivided attention???? The cycle continues, while neither person truly “listens” to and “hears” the other.

It is easy to hear what the other is saying when we quiet our own dialogue and just be. Listening is such a difficult thing to do when we are thinking about our response. For most of us, we need a constant reminder to just listen with no thought of our response.

Listening can take the pressure off. We often feel we must always respond, but we do not have to. Just listening is such a gift to the person who is sharing.

Learning to really listen to another human being is critical to good communication. Valuable exchanges between people can only occur when we each listen to the other person.

Let’s commit to listening closely to each person for one week and see what happens. Listening is an art and as with all arts it takes time to develop our skills. The beauty of it is that is something that practice makes perfect.

Take a Pure Pleasure Day

Get your calendar out and plan to take a “Pure Pleasure Day” within the next three months. There are 365 days in one year and we are only considering one of those days for that Very Important Person, YOU!

As challenging as it may seem to clear a whole day to set aside for our pleasure, the soul will soar as a result of it.

Be willing to choose a day just for you and plan it to serve you; physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Encourage your family members to also schedule their “Pure Pleasure Day”. Think of what fun it would be for each person in the family to have their own Very Important Person (VIP) day.

My Dimples Have Fallen

Recently when having lunch with a friend, we were talking about some of the things we had noticed during the process of aging/maturing. I told her I noticed one day that my dimples had fallen. She said she thought this would be a great title for a book. Since I don’t plan to write a book, I decided to use it as the title for an article in my newsletter, Heart and Sole.

For those of us who have dimples, they begin to fall the minute we are born, it took me years to even notice it. I would like to share with you some of the things I have learned while my dimples were falling.

1. If you try to change someone, you have failed before you begin. Our personal traits are what make us our own individual self.

2. Enjoy each moment in Life. We can learn about living in the moment from our pets.

3. Success is taking time to accomplish what you have to, then making time to achieve what you want to do.

4. Time is a treasure. Take time to love, to laugh, to smile, and to be kind. Take time to do something rewarding, and deeply personal and completely worthwhile.

5. In order to respect, trust, and love others, we must first respect, trust and love ourselves.

6. To stop searching, only listen to our small quiet voice.

7. There is magic in believing.

8. The beauty of the human mind is that we can dream anything we want.

9. Desire is the first step to reaching a goal.

10. What is truly important in life are the simple things.

11. A smile or a pat on the back can make a dark day seem bright.

12. Go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life, and it presents to you a chance to do all the things you want to do. Go For It!!!

13. The little things in life may signal transformation, come to appreciate all of life’s little things!

A Retreat

A friend recently invited me to go to a three day Peace and Wholeness Retreat with her. The cost was very reasonable: $110. for 3 days which included room and board. The accommodations were simple, but comfortable. I felt relaxed just enjoying the beauty of the grounds, which Mother Nature supplied.

I would like to share a few things with you about my three day venture.

Programs/workshops were presented during the morning and late afternoon. During the early afternoon we were given a long interlude to roam the spectacle landscape, nap, relax, go to the library or read.

What neither my friend nor I knew was that this was a Silent Retreat. Talking was only allowed during the workshop times.

I will have to say being silent is not an easy task, but it was a learning experience. None of us knew sign language so we communicated with smiles, waves, and some facial expressions. A smile or wave was our good morning greetings or a way for us to say a friendly hello.

Silence definitely gives you an opportunity to be more aware of your surroundings. It also gives you a chance to get to know yourself a little better and to reflect on your life choices.

During the workshop time we discussed some of the things we had learned in silence.

One participant decided she watch too many newshows and as a result of this had developed some negative outlooks about the world. During the retreat she did not know what was going on the world each minute of the day and felt much more calm and at ease as a result.

Another said she thought keeping the Sabbath was anti-cultural. Our society does not encourage us to take a day to rest and worship, but to use it as a day to get more things accomplished.

Another attendee said she realized she had seized chances/choices for her family members to become more self-reliant. In an effort to make life smoother for them, she assumed more and more of their responsibilities. As a result she burned the candle at both ends. This was her choice, but in retrospect she realized life is a give-take situation. If you are doing too much of either, it can become biased for all involved. If we feel we are burning the candle at both ends, it might be a sign we are spending too much time giving and not enough time taking or accepting help from others. As result she had taken very little time to nurture herself. She concluded choosing self-care or nurturing does not mean you are self-centered, you are just taking care of yourself and allowing others to do the same.

If you have the opportunity to go to a retreat, think about it. I found it to be a fun, relaxing, and learning experience.

My Good News:

I have good news I would like to share with you. In December 2003, I applied to the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) to become an Continuing Education Provider. This application was long (20 pages) and detailed. In March 2004, I received word from this Board that my application had been approved. What this means for me is that I can now teach a Pampered Feet and Reflexology Workshop on both the State and National level and Massage Therapist/Bodyworkers will receive 16 continuing education units for attending the two (2) day workshop I present.

Seeing clients and providing Reflexology Sessions is and has always been a love and I will continue doing this. I just felt like it would be a move forward in my goal to become a better and more accomplished Reflexologist.

Paula

Gift Certificates are a way to encourage someone to take time out and do something nice for themselves. There are several important occasions coming up in the spring and early summer. Why not consider a gift of relaxation for that special person? Remember the certificates are available in person or by mail. Call: 358-3990 for information.

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