Connecticut - The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund

Reflexology — Yogaexperience an expanded,magnified sensibility of previouslysubmerged feelings andsensations. The significanceof the use of the breath in thisprocess lies in its profoundconnection to thoughts, feelings,and memories.Reexperiencing the birth traumaoften occurs duringrebirthing because it isbelieved that our resistance,negativity, and feelings ofrejection carried into adult lifehave their origins in the birthprocess. Rebirthing allowsone to fully surrender to oneselfso that a natural, smoothrestructuring may occur, leadingto an overall sense ofacceptance, renewal, andgratitude for life.SUGGESTED READINGRebirthing in the New Age—Leonard Orr & Sondra RayReflexology is the study,science, and art that workswith the theory of pressuremaps—resembling a shape ofthe human body—found onthe feet, hands, and outerears. As stress builds, thebody works less effectively,eventually leading to ill health.Using specific, relaxing touchtechniques, gentle nurturingpressure is applied to thepressure points, which, whenrepeated over time, has oftenbeen reported to dramaticallyhelp the self-healing process.As a result, a wide range ofhealth benefits have beenexperienced through reflexology—fromthe relief of pain inthe neck, shoulder, and lowerback, to relief of allergic reactions,headaches, upset stomach,and colon discomforts.SUGGESTED READINGFeet First—Laura NormanReiki means universal lifeforceenergy. Reiki is a scientificmethod of activating andbalancing the life-force energy(also known as qi, ki, prana, orchi) present in all living things.Light hand-placement techniquesare used on the bodyin order to channel energy toorgans and glands and alignthe chakras (energy centers).There are techniques for emotionaland mental distress,chronic and acute physicalproblems, and for achievingspiritual focus and clarity. Thismethod is used as a healthmaintenance, disease prevention,and healing art, and canbe applied to oneself and toothers. Reiki is a valuableaddition to the work of chiropractors,massage therapists,nurses, and others for whomthe use of touch is essentialor appropriate.SUGGESTED READINGThe Reiki Touch—Judy-Carol StewartSpiritual Counseling isbased on intuitive insight andknowledge of universal lawsalong with use of basic psychologicalprecepts. Karmicties and belief systems canexplain how and why we findourselves in difficult situations.Tarot uses cards that form aseries of archetypal imageswhose origins are often rootedin Kabbalistic Europeanmystic traditions. Throughthese images one may drawforth information from theunconscious, illuminating, andclarifying the profound meaningof the situation in question.The cards can be consideredas archetypes of experienceand character traits thatstimulate thought, leading torevelation and change.SUGGESTED READINGThe Tarot—Paul Foster CaseMotherpeace—Vicki NobleThermography also knownas DITI (Digital InfraredThermal Imaging), is the useof infrared imaging to see andmeasure thermal energy emittedfrom our bodies. Thermalenergy, which we perceive asheat, is part of the electromagneticspectrum invisible tothe human eye, but can berecorded using special cameras.Used in everything fromsports medicine to pain management,thermography hasalso become a popularmethod of early breast cancerdetection.SUGGESTED READINGDr. Love’s Breast Book—Susan M. Love, MDThought Field TherapyCallahan Techniques is apowerful and rapidly effectivebody–mind therapy, which canelicit immediate and lastingresults to those suffering fromemotional and physical pain. TFTis natural and works the body’sown energy system. It can eliminatenegative and often debilitatingemotions and physicalresponses, resulting from fear,traumas, PTSD, depression, eatingdisorders, and stress.SUGGESTED READINGWhy Do I Eat If I’m NotHungry?—Roger CallahanVision Therapy is an individualizedtreatment program usinglenses, prisms, occlusion, andcolored filters to improve visualfunction and performance. It isused to improve such skills asperception, vision-body coordination,and visual informationprocessing. Vision therapypatients range from infantswhose eyes cross to retiredadults whose visual fatigueinterferes with reading, drivingor hobbies. Many conditionsrespond to therapy: video displayterminal discomfort, visualtension headaches, learningrelated vision problems, strabismus(crossed eyes), and amblyopia(lazy eye).Yoga The word yoga denotes aconcept of discipline leading tounion. The body and the mindform a continuum of consciousnessand life that, achieving astate of focus and clarity, mayunite with the Universal Spirit.Of two general yoga forms, oneconcentrates on posture andalignment, and the other focuseson mental control and a consciousnessdiffering from waking,sleeping, or dreaming. Eachmethod utilizes stretching postures,breathing, and meditationtechniques to calm the mindand emotions, and tone thebody. This integration may createan internal atmosphere ofpeacefulness and integration,and bring the individual from astate of separation and divisivenessto a unity-of-self that isflexible, accepting, affirming,and whole.SUGGESTED READINGLight on Yoga—B.K.S. IyengarNATURAL LIVING MARKETPLACE76 THE NATURAL PAGES® 0 MARCH-AUGUST 20085 TELL THEM YOU FOUND THEM IN THE CONNECTICUT NATURAL PAGES!77