27/02/2017
MY START ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
In 1975 I was introduced to something that would make a huge difference to my and many others lives. There was always an interest in others and their well being. This meant that I often was in the company of older ones who were not well. The family believed that one must always care and where possible help to make a difference. During 1975 our family went through a number of challenging experiences. A brain tumour removed from behind my Grandfather’s ear. My Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and an Uncle went in for open heart surgery for a Mitral valve replacement.
My first introduction to a fantastic therapy was through the Uncle who had the heart surgery. He was an avid reader of anything that may or may not have been of interest to him or others. A genuine bookworm. One of the books that he read while he was getting ready for his operation was on a therapy that he would use extensively until he passed away in 1983.
Reflexology was the subject and the book was written by Mildred Carter. She was a subject expert at that point and had written a number of books on Reflexology. Her books were designed to be used by anybody to assist themselves in their health and ill health. Well, one of the things he loved was her advice to work the heels, especially of the left foot, to get the colon to empty. Many old ladies would be told by him to use the back of a spoon, work the heel and all constipation would be gone. They loved such simple practical advice.
He told me to look at Reflexology as a way to assist those I came across. This led to me doing many pairs of feet and seeing exactly what the body was capable of in healing and restoring itself. In 1986, after the birth of my son, this became my passion more than ever and I’ll explain why.
The human body remains an interesting organism. The more we work and learn, the more we appreciate just how amazing it truly is. This fascinated me, but more importantly I was fascinated by the concept of placing the body on the feet. This has over time proved to be accurate and when I miss something, it is me who is at fault, never the body. My lack of knowledge or understanding would drive me to study and investigate more, ensuring that this did not happen again.
Now that we have set the scene of my history, let us look at some of the reasons why this therapy called Therapeutic Reflexology is so valuable. From the beginning, the real interest was in people who had ill health. How can this therapy help them to achieve better or improved health? I would have loved to say this is the only therapy needed but a panacea has not been found yet. This therapy works along with any other therapy or treatment, be it Allopathic, Alternative or Complementary.
Once one has the map of the body in one’s mind, then the treatment starts. Here is where the exciting things start to happen. This is a way to find any problems that may be lurking in the wings leading to the starts of ill health. The more regular one has treatment, the better it is for the management of the body and to ensure that the patient remains healthy. With the amount of stress we all have and the speed we can go from being healthy to fighting for one’s life, it is vital to keep the body at peak performance.
Some of the health issues we have dealt with over the years include:
Fertility
Asthma
Spinal injuries
Cancer treatment support
Renal problems
Bowel problems
These are just a smattering of what has walked through our doors.
In the next few articles there will be a discussion on the difference between Reflexology and Therapeutic Reflexology and why this is so in South Africa.
Experiences in various health related problems that have been managed and results that have been achieved.
Written by
Sharon du Raan
011 615 2070
Sharon du Raan
Experienced Therapeutic Reflexologist
