What is reflexology?

Reflexology is a system of energy balancing that is based on the idea that by stimulating specific points throughout the body (mainly the hands, feet & head) you can aid the body in restoring balance and allow your body to engage its innate healing ability.  

 

4 Main Actions of Reflexology

1. Reduces Stress. Helps to stimulate the Parasympathetic nervous system.

2. Increases circulation. 

3. Assists the body in releasing tense muscles.

4. Increases awareness of hidden imbalances in the body. Allowing important symptoms to come to light.  

 

4 Common Misconceptions About Reflexology

1. Reflexology treats a specific area of imbalance.   The truth is reflexology always seeks to balance whatever needs balancing throughout the body.  Reflexology treats the whole not the  part. 

2. The feet are the only place reflexology is performed.  The truth is that there are hundreds of reflex points throughout the  entire body. 

3. Reflexology should hurt.   The truth is sometimes the lightest touch can have the most profound healing effect. Most of the time the pressure is firm but not painful. 

4. Reflexology treats disease.  The truth is reflexology doesn’t treat  any disease but it aids the body in restoring its innate energy balance. This in turn stimulates your body’s immune system in realizing perfect health.

 

4 ways Sobolance Reflexology is different

1.  The Sobolance method uses both the traditional thumb walking technique that Eunice Ingham taught and static touch like those used in other energy methods like Reiki or Ayurvedic marma therapy.

2.  The Sobolance method uses a special lotion that incorporates both aromatherapy and vibrational flower essences in the treatment to further enhance the experience. 

3. Sobolance Facial reflexology incorporates soft brushes to gently stimulate the reflexes and move the lymphatic fluids.

4. The Sobolance method is based on a meditative approach to healing

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A Brief History of Reflexology

Most cultures throughout the world have some form of healing work on the hands, feet and head as part of their indigenous healing systems. Unfortunately much of the true history of this work has been lost by time and the lack of written history. It has been replaced by myth and speculation.  We can trace origins of modern American reflexology to the work of three pioneering people, Dr. William Fitzgerald, Dr Joe Shelby Riley,and Eunice Ingham Stuffel, a physiotherapist.

While working in England, Dr. Fitzgerald, an American doctor was introduced to  Zone Therapy, a system of natural pain management and healing . His work was mainly aimed at controlling pain in the upper body by applying pressure to the hands, head and mouth.  Dr. Fitzgerald is also credited for introducing the idea of the 10 vertical zones used in today’s reflexology. It is said he learned this from native american tribes.

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Dr. Riley became associated with Dr. Fitzgerald after his return to the United States work and continued to refine it adding more zones and work on the feet.  Dr. Selby employed Eunice Ingham in his practice as a physiotherapist. Using the 10 zones as a guide she began to experiment and map the reflexes of the feet. A major focus of her work was to use this as a diagnostic tool for medical professionals to treat disease. ( This was before the advent of many of our modern imaging tools). Her patients also noticed a marked improvement in many of their symptoms. 

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When the medical profession didn’t embrace her findings she spent the rest of her life traveling and teaching lay people her technique. Due to her tireless efforts over time her method became the standard in America and most of the world. She originally called her work zone therapy but after some confusion between her work and the zone therapy practiced in other parts of the world she renamed her work reflexology.  The word reflexology was first coined by the Russian doctor, Vladimir Bekhterev. His work was not associated with the healing system we now call reflexology but instead was focused on learned vs innate reflexes of the body.   Reflexology is now practiced around the world and is accepted in many countries as a fully insured complementary treatment.