If you have never experienced a reflexology therapy you don't know what you are missing. Reflexology relaxes you right from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. However, it is more than that. Working on the energy channels running through the body a reflexology massage is able to relieve and address blockages and even pain. To put your feet into the trusted hands of a reflexologist is an out of this world experience. However, if you cannot manage it you can always do it for yourself it's not as relaxing but can still ease painful areas and address conditions in the body.

 

Here's how.

 

All you need is a little oil or cream That can be simply a good quality body cream or even hand cream.

 

First massage a little of the cream into your hands.

 

Hand Massage

 

With left palm facing up, place the the thumb of your right hand on the top of your right hand near the write below the little finger. Support your left hand with the fingers of your right hand. Press your thumb down and forward, lifting up and coming back again (a bit like rolling pin movements over pastry). Continue with this movement until your progress forward to the base knuckle of your little finger. Repeat starting at the base and moving up to the knuckle of each finger in turn including the thumb. Finally make circular movements with the right thumb over the left palm.. Press thumb into palm, one inch below the middle finger of the left hand and hold for a moment. Repeat this entire procedure on the right hand.

 

With back of hand facing up:- Slide right thumb between each knuckle on left hand, down to wrist and stop. Repeat on the right hand, using the left thumb.

 

Keeping the back uppermost over and working from below the nail on each finger in turn, use the same movement as you push and progress down the fingers to the base of the fingers and thums on each hand in turn

 

Press right thumb into side of left thumb, starting from the end of the thumb, moving down to the wrist, pressing again after each advance. Stop at wrist and then work on side of right thumb in the same way, using the left thumb.

 

Foot Massage

 

Using a similar action to the hand massage technique you will need to lift your foot up on to your thigh bending the knee, so make sure you are sitting comfortably. First give the foot a good all over massage then with the movement described above work on each individual toe manipulating the neck of the toe also. Then start working across the bottom of the foot from the toes to the heel. Work around the ankles and manipulate your ankle to give some movement, on the top of the foot run between the toes with the gradual pushing movement all the way up to the ankle and finish with an massage of the entire foot. Make sure you get to every part of the foot and particularly the sides of the foot and ankle. As you are in a crouched position you will need to time each foot and don't plan to spend to long as you may end up needing a body massage to compensate for your awkward posture. Little and often is the key to self reflexolgy whereas going to a reflexologist you can just relax and spend 45 mins in their hands.

 

 

Follow this link for a free reflexology foot and hand chart that will tell you which part of your feet and hand relate to the various parts of your body. Or try this link for an interactive funky map of the feet and hands