F O O T R E F L E X O L O G Y
Foot Reflexology
Reflexology, also called zone therapy or foot reflexology, is a way of working on the body or massage and is based on the observation that acting on certain parts of the body through pressure and stroking has a therapeutic effect which causes certain other parts of the body to function normally again.
In reflexology, the body is divided into ten zones and mapped, very similar to acupuncture. It focuses on foot massage because the foot is considered a microcosm of the whole body.
Reflexology was developed in the early 1920s by William H. Fitzgerald (died in 1925). He was a physician and practiced in Hartford, Connecticut. He also worked at the London Ear, Nose and Throat Central Hospital. By pure accident, he discovered that when he applied direct pressure on certain parts of a patient's body, he could perform minor surgeries without cocaine (the then common substance used for anaesthesia). He started to research additional anaesthetic points and mark them on a map of the body.
Like acupuncture and other alternative therapies, reflexology is based on a system of body connections (meridians). Through these meridians, parts of the body which are normally inaccessible (without opening the body) are connected to areas of the body's surface in ways that are generally not recognised by conventional medicine. It is further based on the fact that these meridians can be used to influence physical well-being and functional disorders.
Fitzgerald first shared his discovery with various dentists who discovered that they could use his techniques to avoid painkilling injections during dental treatment. At that time he also made the acquaintance of the specialised author Edwin B. Bowers. Together they wrote the book “Zone Therapy“ in 1917. Fitzgerald worked by applying pressure, not to the whole body, but to the hands and the feet; thereby he concentrated on the fingers and toes. This applied pressure supposedly does not impact the whole "zone".
The reaction of the majority of his colleagues ranged from indifference to hostility. So it happened that when Riley, a naturopath, finally showed interest, Fitzgerald partnered with him. Riley wrote his own book, "Zone Therapy Simple" in 1919.
Reflexology also received interest - and was further developed - by B. Just and Eunice Ingham, who themselves were not doctors either. Eunice Ingham, a masseuse, wrote two books: "Stories Feet Can Tell" (1938) and "Stories Feet Have Told" (1951). These books contributed tremendously to popularising reflexology.
The foot reflexology system, as developed by Eunice D. Ingham and applied today, focuses on zones in the feet. The feet have been mapped so that the soles of the feet appear as a microcosm of the whole body. By applying pressure to the foot, certain diseases can be treated; also, by massaging the whole foot, the whole body can be brought into good condition. Ingham's work is carried on by the National Institute of Reflexology in Rochester, NY. Today, reflexology is considered a variation of the various forms of body medicine grouped under the general title of " Acupuncture".
The spread of reflexology was greatly promoted by the holistic, naturopathic health movement. It is often used to treat ailments related to stress.
Criticism
Like acupuncture and other related therapies, reflexology is based on the assumption that there are ten energy channels. Each of these ten channels supplies all the organs present in an area of the body. By palpating the feet, the practitioner can find out which channel is blocked and try to reactivate the energy flow through massage. The energy flow should restore the affected organ in its normal function.
It seems that knowledge gained through experience was retroactively established with the help of philosophical concepts related to Taoism. There is no doubt that massaging hands and feet is extremely relaxing and restorative; it could also have a stimulating effect on the healing of various parts of the body. But this would most likely be due to the stimulation of blood circulation, just as walking or barefoot walking or hot and cold foot baths do.
What reflexology is being offered as is a danger, as is the case with almost all alternative therapies. All Christians and Catholics must be aware that none of the therapies infused with Far Eastern philosophical thought have ever been scientifically proven. They are, however, led to the erroneous assumption that anything offered by "that ancient knowledge" is well tolerated and may be superior to orthodox medical teaching. What would be even worse is the assumption that the philosophical system, namely Taoism, used to explain the functioning of reflexology, is equivalent to Christian teaching. One is easily seduced to believe that eventually all religions and philosophies amount to the same thing, since their common goal is to explain experiences that all human beings have. But this is an essential fallacy, since the Judeo-Christian knowledge of the relationship between God and man is a revealed knowledge. The Trinitarian aspect of this knowledge is beyond human comprehension.
The other world religions, especially Taoism, have developed systems of thought that embrace opposing manifestations of nature, e.g. male - female, hard - soft, dark - light, good - evil. From this, in turn, the way of thinking about the alleged exchange of energy in the universe as well as in the human body has developed. The balance of negative and positive energy is pursued and supposedly regulated by pressure. The human being is understood as a mini-cosmos, which again is a reflection of the macro-cosmos, as which the universe is seen.
To be explicit once again about the use of reflexology: by all means massage your feet, walk barefoot and do any kind of healthy exercise, but don't be fooled into thinking that any alternative therapy is a panacea. Do not be captured by the hidden philosophical aspect without examining the therapy for its true content and recognising where the respective system deviates from the Christian understanding of God's creation.