Reflexology for Hands
Have you ever noticed how nice it can feel to stretch your hands a bit - bending and extending your fingers, rolling out your wrist, and perhaps simply tapping your fingers against a surface? Well, in a way you might have been experiencing some of the benefits of reflexology - a complementary healing modality with Eastern roots and careful consideration of the meridian lines.
Perhaps the most common method of reflexology relates to the feet, but hand-based reflexology offers unique benefits, too. If you are familiar with general reflexology, relating to the feet or ears, as well, then you might already have somewhat of an understanding of hand reflexology.
The basis remains the same - through the application of slight pressure or specific movements, a reflexologist can bring emotional, mental, and physical healing into your body.
The reflexologist takes a holistic approach, considering every aspect of your health so as to treat the entire picture and not just the most prominent symptom. With such inclusion, you can find long-term healing that remains potent over time.
Such is especially true if you continue to receive reflexology massages over time, and not only when you are ill or clearly expressing common symptoms.
The Potential Benefits
Hand reflexology offers an abundance of potential health benefits, some of which relate to the physical body, while others connect to the emotional, subtle body.
A few potential benefits are:
- Notable relaxation
- Stimulation of the central nervous system
- Improved cognitive functioning
- Increased blood circulation
- Elimination of toxins
- Boost of metabolism
- Increased energy levels
- Reduction of headaches and migraines
- Relief from physical pain, chronic or in relation to a condition
- Ease symptoms of pregnancy or menstruation
By considering the meridian lines and how they connect to specific regions of the body, reflexology allows for healing to occur beyond a reflex point. Simply massaging the space between your thumb and index finger can offer to heal deeper than you might imagine.
Depending upon your needs, and what you share with your reflexologist, they might treat your hands completely differently.
Typically, before a session begins a reflexologist will ask you to share your symptoms, recent experiences, state of mind, and any other necessary information with them. This information allows them to paint a picture of your overall state of being and see where imbalances, stagnant energy, or blockages might be resting within your varying levels of being. From there, they consider the meridian lines, invisible and energetic, of the body and decide how to treat your hands.
Eastern Roots
Reflexology bases its methods on Chinese medicine’s idea of qi, pronounced “chee,” which is an energetic life force flowing through all you are. If qi becomes stagnant, blocked, or off-balance, illness, ailments, and subtle symptoms might begin to appear in a physical sense. So, despite qi being entirely invisible, for the most part, it can show itself through anxious tendencies, digestive troubles, chronic pain, and more.
Similar to other realms of Eastern medicine, reflexology considers the aspects of your health which cannot be seen or directly proven. Thanks to such consideration, energetic shifts can occur that then ripple throughout your entire body and allow for more potent healing to take place.
The Main Reflex Points
There are a few main reflex points, sometimes called pressure points, in your hands that a reflexologist might focus on.
L14
Connected to your Large Intestine, the L14 pressure point between your thumb and index finger might benefit those experiencing general pain, anxiety, digestive troubles, and more. It offers to heal in a major way as the intestines, and your entire digestive tract, are potently linked to your overall health and wellness.
P6
The Pericardium point, just below your wrist crease between the two tendons, might be able to relieve headaches. Massage this point for a minute or two on both hands and see if you notice any difference.
The shifts might not be immediate, as they often occur subtly at first, so you might continue to massage this point over the course of a couple of days in order to really notice its effects.
HT7
The Heart 7 point, connected, of course, to the heart, is below your wrist on the outer edge of your hand/arm. It seems to soothe anxiety if massage for a minute or so on both hands. Again, it might take a bit for the effects to become noticeable.