Reflexology, part one

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reflexology

Reflexology has been around for many, many years. Its origins can be traced back to China around 2300 BC. Over the years it was shared across cultures and eventually made its way to Europe and North America.

Reflexology is a healing modality that deals with, in the simplest of terms, applying pressure to areas of your feet, hands, and ears. These reflex areas relate to other areas of the body. By applying pressure to an area on your foot you can stimulate a corresponding area in the body and help the body provide relief from pain or discomfort.

Reflexology can help stimulate your circulatory system. All of our cells require oxygen and nutrients to function properly. They receive both of those from our blood as it is circulated through out our body. Without good circulation and an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, cells die or become damaged.

More to come on reflexology in the coming weeks!

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A look back at the past year

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Big On Bloor Festival, cosmetics, essential oil, health, Jan Benham, Music Toronto, reflexology

A year ago I was getting ready for my first outdoor street festival! It was a great success and a turning point for me – a chance to step things up with my own business, knowing that I was about to leave my full time job and start a new path with another job but only part time. I’m getting ready to take part in Big On Bloor (http://bigonbloorfestival.com) once again and thought this was a good to look back at what has happened over the past year and what lies ahead!

At the end of last August, we went on a lovely vacation to California. Saw lots of places and would love to go back in the future and see some more! Returning from vacation saw me being back to self employed and very part time employed in a new job. My new job is with Music Toronto, a chamber music presenting company (www.music-toronto.com). Initially the plan was to only be working for them one day a week to start and to increase my time and my role over the next several years. Well that timetable has moved up considerably and as of this month I’m now working for them 4 days a week! It has been a great experience and I’m loving the work I’m doing with them.

I’ve been doing lots of reading and studying and moving more towards the treatment side with essential oils. I’ve been working away at my thesis and hope to finish off all of those related courses by the end of the summer. I took some more classes with my teacher, Jan Benham (www.makeyourowncosmetics.org), last October. I spent 5 days learning how to do facials and haven’t looked back! In November, I started booking some room time at a clinic near me and I’m giving facials on a regular basis now. I’m building my clientele slowly as I don’t have that many hours in a day. I’m loving it and the response has been great! Jan will be back again this October and I’m signed up for a chair massage class and a week long course in reflexology. So looking forward to both of those!

I have continued to launch a few more products this past year, adding in some more makeup items in the past few months. Next weekend I’ll be back at Big On Bloor and I’ll have my usual favourites and some of my new items available for purchase. The festival takes place over 2 days – Saturday and Sunday – so come on by and say hi if you are in Toronto! I’m hoping to be close to the Lansdowne end of the festival. Watch my LCO Facebook feed (https://www.facebook.com/LazyCatOils) for updates as we get closer to the end of the week.

BIG On Bloor Festival – July 19, 2014 – noon to 9pm; July 20, 2014 – noon to 6pm. http://bigonbloorfestival.com

Reflexology and Reiki Swap

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reflexology, Reiki

This past Thursday I swapped some treatments with a fellow student, something several of us do whenever we can! She is trained in reflexology and was curious about the Reiki treatments I do. And we both do Qi Drop. So we decided to combine some treatments and swap. I gave her a Qi Drop treatment and followed it with a Reiki session. And then she gave me a Qi Drop treatment and followed it with Reflexology session.

What a great way to spend a couple of hours! I love giving treatments almost as much as I love receiving them. And for me there is nothing better than sharing treatments with a fellow student. Not only do I get the benefit of the actual treatment, but I get the opportunity to discuss the various impacts of those treatments and get ideas on ways to improve the entire experience for other clients.

This was the first time I was able to experience a full reflexology treatment. My fellow student had done a mini foot reflexology treatment on me a few weeks back but we hadn’t had time for the full session. I was pretty sure it was something I would enjoy and I was right. It was amazing! I could feel a difference immediately as the treatment progressed – a release of tension, a lightness in my feet and legs. Most of us think of treating the feet when we think of reflexology. In fact, reflexology covers much more than that and uses pressure points on the head, face, hands, and feet. And the benefit can be felt through out the entire body. I am so looking forward to learning how to give reflexology treatments this fall!

Reflexology

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Jan Benham, reflexology

My path to find my current teacher, Jan Benham, started in 2011 with an internet search on reflexology courses. I wanted to find a class that did not involve me taking an entire year or two year long massage therapy course. My search led me to Jan’s website and my path shifted slightly as I decided to actively pursue the aromatherapy side of things.

This past week Jan announced her course schedule for 2014 and she’ll be teaching reflexology in Toronto in October 2014! You can find a full list of Jan’s classes here: http://www.aromashoppe.com/course-schedule-52-c.asp

What is reflexology? It is the application of pressure on specific areas of the feet and hands (generally). The areas correspond with zones in the rest of the body and the stimulation of the area helps the zone rebalance.

Personally I have long believed that taking care of your feet helps your entire body. There are over 7,000 nerve endings in the feet and they do quite a lot of work everyday. And most times we don’t even think about them. Even when our feet are tired and sore, we are generally apt to just sit for a while to rest and not do anything directly to assist our feet.

While it is several months away, I’m looking forward with great anticipation to taking the reflexology course next October!