Reflexology: The Art and Science of It

Reflexology is a holistic modality of body, mind, and spirit, aimed at treating the whole person.  It does not isolate a disease and treat is symptomatically, nor work specifically on one body system; its approach is intended to induce a state of total balance and intersystemic harmony.  The basic tenet of reflexology is that the body, mind, and spirit are interconnected and what affects one, affects them all.   And as a holistic therapy, reflexology aims to get to the root cause of the disease, treat it, and return the body to a state of homeostasis: a state of natural balance.  Unlike common foot massage, reflexology is geared to specific reflex points located on the feet that correspond to particular body parts or systems.  Reflexology does not involve the manipulation of the entire foot, and is not intended to bring about pleasure–though that is often the result.  Read more . . .

Acupuncture: The Science Behind the Needle

Acupuncture is a modality of Chinese traditional medicine known to have been in practice for at least 2500 years.  Hieroglyphs and pictographs from the Shang Dynasty suggest that acupuncture was practiced as early as the 12th century BCE.  While its specific origins in China are uncertain, one theory suggests that the effects of acupuncture were realized when it was observed that some soldiers who had been wounded by arrows in battle were mysteriously cured although left untreated.  Scholars also suggest that the healing principles behind acupuncture may be traced as far back as the Stone Age, when Bian shi, or sharpened stones were employed at keys points on the body.   Read more . . .