Heart and Sole

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Heart and Sole
August 2001

Reflexology a way to.....
Change the pace of Life

Reflexology is one way to change the pace of our life and take that much needed relaxation break.

We live in a society that rewards productivity and speed. It can be difficult to relax when we have spent many hours of the day in overdrive. It is hard to live in the moment if we over focus on what we believe we are supposed to accomplish.

Experience has taught us that we are effective when we are relaxed. We can stay focused, be more efficient, and better able to communicate. When our body is calm, free of racing thoughts and turbulent feelings, we are alert and able to respond flexibly and creatively to situations.

The next time you feel you are spending too many hours a day in overdrive, why not change the pace, slow the speed, and call for a Reflexology appointment. Reflexology is a wonderful way to take a break. The atmosphere is tranquil, peaceful and the setting designed to encourage you to enjoy that down time.

Change

Change can be a most stressful time. Most changes, even the smaller ones, take us out of our comfort zone and into the unfamiliar. While contemplating the change, we might ask ourselves:

Stage 1:
Why do we want, need or desire the change? Usually several things occur to let us know, it is something we want to do.

Stage 2:
The next step is to have a plan. Decide what we want to do, gather all the information we will
need to move forward. It can be
beneficial to talk to others who have experienced changes.

Stage 3:
Stay focused and be patient. Most times at this stage, the questions pop up, What if this happens? and What if that happens? All these questions are a part of the decision making process and are important to assist us in coming to a conclusion which is right for us. Deep down we know what the answer is, but we want to feel comfortable with our choice. Most say the change was for the best, they knew this, but the decision was still difficult.

I have a telephone friend, Patty, who worked for a distributor which sold signs to the county. She had been with this company for 13 years. She was very efficient, knowledgeable, and gave us quick, courteous service. There was a change in management, and she was very dissatisfied. Her blood pressure was 170/100 even on medication. After careful consideration and soul searching, she decided she would leave for her health benefit, both emotionally and physically. She turned in her notice and left this company.

A short time later another company offered her a position as a representative, taking sign orders, and assisting customers. They installed a toll free line at her residence and she set up an office in her home. The business has grown so rapidly, the company has opened an office and allowed her to hire 4 more employees. She told me today, last month when she had her annual check up her blood pressure was 128/68 and she has been taking no medications.

This true life story shows we can make a change if we give thoughtful consideration, make and set our plan in motion. It could be the only healthy thing to do.

Life is filled with modifications of some sort. Change is ever-present and learning ways to
deal with them helps us to become a stronger, wiser person.

“Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose Wisely!”
Karen Kaiser Clark

The ABC’s to Achieve
Your Dreams

A -avoid negative sources, people, places, things, and habits.
B -believe in yourself.
C -consider things from every angle.
D -don’t give up and don’t give in.
E -enjoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
F -family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches.
G -give more than you planned to.
H -hang on to your dreams.
I -ignore those who try to discourage you.
J -just do it!
K -keep trying no matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.
L -love yourself first and most.
M -make it happen.
N -never lie, cheat or steal, always strike a fair deal.
O -open your eyes and see things as they really are.
P -practice makes perfect.
Q -quitters never win and winners never quit.
R -read, study and learn about everything important in your life.
S -stop procrastinating.
T -take control of your own destiny.
U -understand yourself in order to better understand others.
V -visualize it.
W -want it more than anything.
X -xcelerate your efforts.
Y -you are unique of all of God’s creations, nothing can replace you.
Z -zero in on your target and go for it.

Balance the Scale

Independence and
Inter-dependence

Independence

Mother nature teaches us about independence. Take birds, from the moment the eggs hatch, the move toward self-sufficiency begins.

From the day we are born, we begin making strides toward becoming independent. We learn to sit, crawl, walk and talk. We begin school to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic, etc. One of the goals of parents is to teach us to become self-reliant. With independence comes personal freedoms, choices and responsibility. Sometimes our decisions might mean having the courage to stand alone. Independence means knowing what you want, keeping your own counsel, listening to your own heart and following your own path. The beauty of independence is that we develop our own personality, we are each different, unique, and each special in our own way. We can share our talents with others. We will consider this inter-dependence.

Inter-dependence

Sharing our talents and knowledge with others is
Inter-dependence. Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different. Several examples of inter-dependence are family, friends, neighborhood, work, and play. We pool our resources and work together for a common good. It means listening to each other, and cooperating. When we combine talents, knowledge, experience, physical strength and wisdom our great planet is a better place.

When we balance the scale, we pool our individual skills together. We share our knowledge, talents, and skills with those around us.
We could think of it as one big “pot-luck dinner” in which we each make our contribution and the result is something all can enjoy.

Hydrotherapy and Relaxation

Have you ever had one of those days when your body, mind and even your spirit have taken a beating. You absolutely have to get away from everything and just ...recharge? Why not try hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is defined as using water to heal and relax the body. A soak soothes both body and mind. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, praised the use of water and its benefits for the human body. Today many health spas are adding hydrotherapy treatments to their regimens. We can very easily create these treatments at home.

The bathroom is one room where, most of the time, solitude is not only acceptable, but required. You may read, daydream or meditate. Your bathroom can be a sanctuary.

A bath is a special time, not just a necessity. “In just 20 minutes, you can melt muscle tension and forget the day's stress,” says Toni Maggiore, director of training at New York City’s Away Spa, where a hydrotherapy bath is offered as a prelude to every body treatment.

The good thing is if we have a bathtub, we don’t have to go to New York City to create our own individual spa. We can create personal space and do something nice for ourselves. Baths can help infection, stimulate circulation, and promote the body’s oxygen intake, and it feels luxurious. During our soak we can burn a candle, and use this as a meditation time, a time to relax from the day.

Create your own bubble bath. I use Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid. Most of you might not remember the commercial about Mag, the manicurist who used Palmolive in the water her clients were soaking their hands in. I remember the commercial, and decided if it is good enough for my hands, it would probably be good for the rest of me. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and the whole room will smell good.

If your body is tired and aching, try adding a cup of Epsom salts, and a teaspoon of pure glycerin (an emollient to soften and soothe dry skin) to the bath. Again you can add essential oil, As they say on HG T.V., we are only limited by our imagination.

The next time you need stress relief, close the bathroom door and start filling the tub and enjoy some hydrotherapy.

A good website for recipes is:
http://www.luxurylane.com/
This site has recipes for Bath Bombs, Bath Fizzies, Milk baths and many more. (12 pages)

Water Therapy Bath

2 cups Epsom Salts
6 drops blue food coloring
5 drops each lavender, lemongrass, tea tree and orange essential oils.

Place salts in a bowl. Add food coloring, and oils. Mix until salts, and color are blended. The mixture looks striking in a clear glass jar. Dissolve 1/2 cup (or more) before adding to bath.

Recommended Reading:

Whereever You Go There You Are
by: Jon Kabat-Zinn

I’M OK --You’re OK
by: Thomas A. Harris, M.D.

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