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Monday, November 29, 2010

I think I had a dream

This morning just awake but barely, I noticed that my throat was sore; I debated for a second on which point to work, then I decided on the throat chakra reflex, then I must have fallen asleep again.  When I got up about twenty minutes later, there was no trace of a sore throat.  I thought perhaps I had been dreaming.  But now, my throat seems a bit sore again - was it a dream? 


Anemia - Week 6

Fall/Spring Central Park, Nov. 26, 2010
On Black Friday, I started the day with a long walk with Mowgli in Central Park, happy to escape the city streets.  The park was beautiful and inspired me to take photos.  This must be the most colorful fall ever although one tree seemed to have thought it was spring already (see photo).  My week was less stressful so I did not take many notes, but enjoyed doing my protocols; I do not remember my neck/shoulder bothering me much.  I started going to bed earlier and thus getting up earlier; my morning ritual consisted of the usual energy giving massage (EGM) followed by the Basic session (relaxation/toning up) while listening to a classical music station.  In case I had additional time, I added some chakra balancing which I treasured as I am really getting quite interested in getting in touch with these "energy centers" through my face and by using the mantras.
My new favorite tool has become my selenite stick (wand is a better word), other than that it is still my bent index fingers.  
You may have noticed my previous post on the New York Times article Children Ease Alzheimer’s in Land of Aging.

Stress Relief - Week 6

Week 6 ended in a state of heightened relaxation. The delays I was dreading on the busiest travel day of the year as my son, my sister and I travelled via train and then, joining my parents, via car on our trip to Massachusetts never materialized. And although I helped clean up, I was shamefully uninvolved in the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, I took a 2 hour nap next to my son. As I said, shameful.
But a break from both the city and my daily routine did wonders for my psyche. I like to think that my practice of Dien Cham helps forge a silent but steady current offering energy to my every action. Some circumstances are just more conducive to receiving that energy. Unfortunately, I don’t think my current day to day offers such circumstances. But all the more reason to practice!
I worked on both my sister and my sister-in-law over the Thanksgiving break. One’s neck and shoulders were bothering her; the other had a migraine. Both seemed relaxed by the session even though this was the first time anyone took a pen to their face. But neither reported immediate relief although neither did they report pain in any of the points I worked. So I may have missed the point so to speak.
I worked from the image of the frog on the face to address the neck/shoulder pain since I didn’t have my book with me. And from MFM’s protocol for migraines since I later realized my Mom did have her book with her.
My Mom and I were talking generally about the study when I realized I haven’t had a single headache since the study began. Headaches are part of my plan of action. I should mention that I think my headaches prior to the start of the study were from altering my caffeine (coffee) intake and I have been more consistent since the study began.
On a side note, I finished a book called “Born to Run” over the holiday which I would highly recommend. I thought about it a lot in light of foot reflexology as it talks about the design of the foot, our inherent nature as runners and the benefits of barefoot running.

Stiff Neck - Week 6

I have experimented many times this week. Mostly trying different point sequences for different ailments. I did my regular sequences, but tried others.
Just read several other blogs and the articles about reflexology-thank you-very informative and fun to read.
MG commented on practicing on her sister which I did also. she said she was more relaxed after the sessions.
I also had brought my book to a massage session which led to a lively conversation about reflexology, frog on the face, and how truly intertwined the human body is. We also talked about how many people do not recognize the amazing healing power the human body has.
Just for the record--I am not writing as much, but I am practicing for longer periods of time because I'm fascinated with the results. One place I've been trying to practice is at work. I've started using the sequence for relaxation and MFM says to practice all the female hormonal points every day for hotflashes--will let you know about results.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

NYTimes Article 11/26-comment on massage vs. reflexology

The New York Times published my comment (#61) made with respect to the article In a Land of the Aging, Children Counter Alzheimer's, one of yesterday's features.  There is a video to go with it and there are an additional 66 readers' comments.
I suggested that what was referred to as foot massage seemed to be Reflexology.  I had read the  entire article which is extensive and very interesting, however, the word Reflexology was not mentioned at all.

What I did come across was this: During one massage session, 16-year old Oh Yu-mi rubbed a patient's toes, saying: "I am doing the heart".  The heel is the reproductive system, it will help them excrete better."  What I am aiming at now is the definition of Reflexology.   

This is the definition of Reflexology as per NYSRA (New York State Reflexology Association) http://www.nysraweb.org/
What is Reflexology?
Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques.  It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that mirror the image of the body on the hands and feet with the premise that such work promotes a physiological change within the body.

Please, note the underlined part reflex areas that mirror the image of the body on the hands and feet.  Oh Yu-mi may not be familiar with reflexology terminology but the poin to him is that the foot is more than the foot, he actually sees the entire body mirrored on the feet and that is what is different from massage (the technique is also different by the way); Oh Yu-mi sees a heart (reflex) on the foot and a reproductive system (reflex).   And that was the point I was,  making.  That is Reflexology - no doubt!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Weeks 2-5 Managing Stress & controlling diabetes

I apologize that it has taken me so long to resume blogging although I have been doing my best to work on managing stress and self-care – I sure do need it. But I have been keeping notes and so the following entries are from them. Thank you so much for your patience.

The end of Week 2 was unfortunately a bust. I thought I would be able to practice while traveling but after flying long haul with a baby alone and five days of social gatherings (funerals are like parties in the UK) I was beyond exhausted. When I arrived home, my son had caught a cold and I brought him to a doctor for antibiotics. The day after, my husband’s aunt and uncle arrived and would stay for 10days but I resumed my practice midway through Week 3:

I found it a little discouraging getting back into it for the first few days. I felt like I was starting from scratch and I’d forgotten how to do it without studying the chart.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Anemia - Week 5

We are at the midpoint - wonderful, although I hope we will all continue beyond the study.
Week 5 was a bit challenging, but for the most part I felt supported by my practice and it made a difference.  
I noticed that all of the points are less sensitive.  
On Thursday, I did the detoxification/drainage protocol for the 2nd time.
Also I did Dien Cham on my partner and a client using the selenite stick; both liked it a lot.
Happy Thanksgiving, ladies.

Stress Relief – Week 5

Well, we’ve made it halfway through our study, ladies. Good work.
I altered my practice on Thursday of Week 5. Instead of doing my combined protocol twice daily in 2 two short sessions (am and pm) working my way down my face, I am now doing each of my 4 protocols separately in one longer session working each set of points in the order MFM suggests. This is an easier schedule for me to keep and it seems to have breathed new life into my practice. Things had started feeling a little stale.
Having paid closer attention because of this study, I noticed during my biking adventures to preschool that I have a tendency to hold my breath when I am stressed. I was doing it on the bike and have found I do it when I am emotionally stressed as well. So I’ve made an effort to start breathing again. I went to a Yoga class during week 5, my first in years.
I developed a sore throat on Thursday morning so that afternoon I tried the sore throat protocol. I probably should have done it sooner but it was still pretty effective in temporarily reducing the pain in my throat. I was still congested though.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Stiff Neck- Week 5

Well, first of all, thank you MG!! No problems with blogging!
Thank you BN--L point 195 helped get rid of the finger inf. although now I still need to get rid of the bump. Someone suggested bloodroot and looking on line I might try it. Seems better than surgery to remove this mucous cyst.
This week started with a few days of pain in my neck (figuratively and physically)! I scheduled a massage and JB worked out a lot of the muscular stuff, but also helped with the stress that is adding to the pain. wed. i added the lumbar vertebrae points to my program which gives me 3 for the neck and shoulder region and this seems to be helping a lot.
I enjoy the time that I practice the facial refl. massage and now I've been adding little things to my routine which also help. I' haven't often used a mirror, but now I've been checking the point locations in the mirror and in the book. I also vary the blunt end and the pointed end of my refl. instrument. I have noticed that I've memorized a lot of the points--not on purpose, but this does help because I can then remove my glasses and its more relaxing.
I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Safe traveling and thank you BN and MG for introducing me to MFM!!!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Havoc Caused by Cold

About two weeks ago, I ran into a woman I got to know because we both own dogs. We talked about the weather and she stressed how bundled up she was.  Then she told me about an ordeal she went through that lasted about two years and that started with a simple cold, namely, several kinds of antibiotics, stomach problems, acid reflex, loss of weight, anxiety, doctors bills, just to give you an idea).
Of course, I showed her the protocol for onset of a cold.

Working with Gem Stones

A colleague told me about a store called Rockstar on W. 28th Street (see below link).  They sell gem stones. The selenite stick previously mentioned and shown I bought at a workshop with Lilian Tibshraeny-Morten (Reflexology and Meridian Therapy).

Monday, November 15, 2010

Anemia - Week 4

I used all protocols often this week - either the respective zones at least or the individual points when there was time - doing one after the other each one starting and ending with Point Zero zone.  That approach took longer but there was a difference as to how I felt.  My face, brain, the entire head felt amazingly alive, seemed flushed with energy/oxygen/blood/nutrients because I felt so nourished afterward; I felt present and prepared to do whatever I needed to do and was full of vigor.

Stress Relief – Week 4

Things seem to be holding steady for Week 4. I haven’t altered my protocol but haven’t experienced new symptoms either.
I did start practicing on my son before bed. He’d had a cough for a few weeks, the result of starting preschool, I think. So I decided to try the cough protocol on him. He tolerated it for a few minutes. But I didn’t get beyond applying pressure to the area above the eye brow before he batted my hand away. Then I tried point 0. I only worked one side of his face at a time because he was leaning on me and I couldn’t access both sides without making him sit up. His arms are often moving as we’re rocking as are his legs. But as soon as I rested my finger on his temple, his arms fell almost immediately. He was noticeably calmer almost instantly. On another night, he picked up my hand and lead it to his temple. Point 0 seems to be effective and he seems to like the effect. His coughing has also decreased.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Stiff Neck- Week 4

Time to confess- I'm having a difficult time accessing the place where you post each week and I have questions about the blog site, so any ideas about where I can go to learn more please comment.
This week I had an infected mucous cyst in my left long finger. No points for infection that I found, but did try inflammation points which are many. No comment on whether it helped because I started taking an anbx.. However, I wanted to know if in the book if MFM states whether you need to do the points in the order they are given.
Stiff neck back, but I also missed two sessions due to dtr. breaking right hand. Will try to comment more once I figure out a quicker way . E-mail works though.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Stiff Neck - Week 3

Yes, I am late, but I am a volunteer....
Week 3 has been interesting. Throughout our sessions I have been very consistent about always massaging the points for stiff neck and fairly consistent with HA and right knee. I have changed utensils, used forehead tapping and started and ended with point O. This week I experimented with more on hot flashes. M-F M says one should stimulate hot flash points every day (which makes me think some of the massage response is cumulative where as some hits the immediate pain.) Well, Tuesday night 11/02 I had the Best Sleep Ever!! Didn't get up through the night, no hot flashes and no stiff neck. Haven't been able to figure out how to duplicate it, but since Tues. my stress level has increased considerably.
Overall, I feel like I'm calmer and my neck is much less stiff. Sat. night into Sunday morning I had a migraine at Meg's house. I did try to use the points, but was very conflicted because I wanted to be playing with my Grandson.
Ending with this in a whisper: I have had no pain in my right knee!! It's only fair to mention that I have a routine that I have also been faithful too, so not all the redit can be given to Facial Reflexology.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Anemia - Week 3

Week 3 ended on Friday, November 5.  Hopefully you all had fun trick or treating.  We spent some time in Central Park dressed up in a home made costume - we brought candy along for treating.  I was dressed warm, but when we sat down for a while I got cold.  As soon as I sniffled, I used the protocol you all have heard about before - at the beginning of a cold.  Later we had dinner close to the Halloween Parade route and admired the costumes parading by outside the restaurant.  I felt I had enough energy to do both.

Last week I used the memory reflex zones several times in between studying for a test;

Stress Relief – Week 3

Week 3 was stable. Physical symptoms from previous weeks have leveled off and no new symptoms have revealed themselves. My son and I rode the bike to school only one day during week 3. I tried a new route, focused on my breath, making sure to breathe -- I think I was holding my breath during the difficult parts of our previous rides -- and the ride was still challenging but manageable. I experienced some stress as my son continues to adjust to his new schedule at school. But I have noticed having a brighter outlook and a little more patience than before.
My read through of MF’s has added a small step to my protocol. On page 196 (chapter 5), she suggests starting every session with point 0 especially when tired or weak. Previously, I had been ending with point 0. Now I start and end on this spot.
Also, I read about point 124 in chapter 5. Point 124 is part of my stress relief protocol and the only point that has been consistently painful. Point 124 on the left side of the face (the side that has hurt) corresponds to the spleen. I found this interesting because I got a massage from a Reiki master in July and the spleen was the one deficient spot she mentioned. I plan to have some blood work done soon and will ask them to check my iron levels.
During the course of the week, more of the points on my forehead were somewhat painful when stimulated. This brought to mind the Principle of the Opposite Effect mentioned on page 15. I’m not sure I understand this principle very well. But I think MF is suggesting that we focus on painful spots, working them until they no longer hurt. And that we spend very little time on spots that do not hurt. So the pain should almost guide us. She says that overworking points that do not hurt could bring about a worsening of symptoms. This made me think of my “healing crisis” of week 2. I wrote that during week 1 many of the points on my forehead felt really good to stimulate, so good that, although my sessions were short, I may have overdone it. If anyone has a better understanding of this principle, please comment.
I enjoy reading about new points on the blog but without a visual at hand, the information doesn’t really sink in. Goal for the week: leave one of MF's charts near the computer for quick reference while reading.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Anemia - Week 2

My second week started with a crisis caused by an activity I love but did not do much during the summer - and that is why I overdid it last week.  However, I learned a valuable lesson which I will end my post with. I figured it might be the last chance to be out on the lake this fall.  That weekend it was the kayak and the old and very heavy rowboat (family outing with R and Mowgli (the dog)- the row boat is perfect, unlike the canoe,  it does not capsize when Mowgli moves around too much - we learned the hard way, by the way at the beginning of the summer).
The L side of my neck and L shoulder were bothering me throughout the weekend.

the PA lake

Stress Relief – Week 2

Week 2 was all about slowing down although not for the reasons I’d expected or hoped. I was throwing up Friday night and woke up the next day with pain in my lower back. I can’t figure out what would have caused it except maybe a build up of lactic acid from the bike riding. The nausea subsided by Saturday morning but my back was out of commission through Monday. Since points for the lower back are already included in my daily protocols, I did not work any additional points to deal with the pain. I did take ibuprofen though. Despite the throwing up and back pain, the weekend was oddly relaxing. I don’t think I’ve ever spent as much time on my couch. It was strangely effective stress relief. I didn’t leave the apartment for 3 days and didn’t stress about meals or anything else. And my son had many unopened birthday presents to keep him entertained. I know with foot reflexology they talk about “healing crises” where your body has an adverse reaction to a session as it starts to rebalance itself. I thought of my weekend as a healing crisis and just kept hoping to maintain some of the ‘relief’ it brought.
We didn’t ride the bike at all during week 2 and I actually made it to work on time. I also looked into getting a new bike that would be easier and maybe faster to ride.
I tried a few different tools this week – my knuckles, a bobby pin, and a pen. The most effective, as Marie-France suggests, was the pen. I realized some of the issues I was having with awkward points during Week 1 were attributable to the tool I was using. It’s glass and slides easily; I didn’t have the same problem with the pen. But I experimented with working points according to Marie-France’s direction chart in the book anyway.
Point 124 on the left side of my face continued to be painful during the first half of Week 2. The pain diminished during the second half.
I now carry a print out of the frog on the face image. I am armed if any new ailments approach!
Goal for the week: continue with my second read through of Marie-France’s book.

Stiff Neck Week 2

This was a week of challenges and solutions, sometimes. Thought about whether the massage is affected by wearing contacts or my glasses. The glasses I have to keep removing or they fall and in the am I don't have contacts in, but have now started leaving them in for the pm massage.
I enjoy doing the toner in the am and relaxation at night. However, when reading some of the book I read that if you have high blood pressure ( I don't, but sometimes have borderline high) you shouldn't stimulate point 8. Of course, two of my massages for stiff neck use point 8. One night I decided to see what happens if point 8 is stimulated. My heart started racing and I could really feel it. Now it was at the end of the day and yes I do stim. point 8 during my stiff neck massages, but I held the point longer. Immediately I stimulated point 0 which is what Muller says to do if you over-stim. All was fine, but I'm a believer.
I also one night tried doing all my massages as one and saw/felt no difference.
If I don't respond right away to any comments its cuz I'm on the computer all day without internet, but I will try this week.
One other experiment: I keep trying to do the massages for hot flashes, but I really only get them now between 3 and 5 am. In order to do the massage I have to wake up (haven't memorized the points like I have HA) I did try one am cuz I was up with a HA. Still not sure about results. Wondered if I did it before bed if it would make a diff. Will try this week.
Hope I answered the questions .