‘Self care’ is for many a term which conjures images of everything from white robes, face masks and bubble baths to nail-polishes, grooming and shopping. It’s a conflictive term because a) its often used to induce frivolous spending and b) the media tends to portray it as an elitist luxury or one to be earned.
Meanwhile, in professional circles it’s taken very seriously indeed: progressive medics involved with Integrative Medicine place it at the centre stage of their envisioned healthcare for the future with a definition that lies somewhere between ‘mindful awareness’ and ‘professional intervention’ and infers repossession of our own responsibility in order to elevate our wellbeing.
So how can we discern effective, sustainable, genuine self care which will improve our health in the present and prevent illness in the future? My response would be to interpret how your mind, body and spirit respond to your chosen action (and not just in the immediate aftermath). Do your habits and commitments improve your mood? Do they leave you energised or depleted? Do you they help you sleep? Do they reduce anxiety or depression? Do the minor symptoms you experience improve or intensify in the long term?
Essentially engaging in self care is about building an arsenal of tools which equate to one’s own personal medicine. There is no ‘one size fits all’ but instead a gentle, liberating sense that those foods/ behaviours/ people/ discussions/ places which make us feel good should be prioritised.
Acts of self care can be as simple as taking 3 deep breaths before a meeting, ecstatically savoring good a meal, sitting for daily meditation, smelling essential oils or plugging your feet into the ground. If you choose to work with me however, self care can look a lot more like a strange facial massage as you sit on the train to work, but don’t worry pioneers always get funny looks in the beginning.
Empowering introspection
Tools which shift our perspective on the wisdom of our bodies and our notion of healing are vital to us now. As neuroscience and quantum physics continue to unveil the ‘oneness’ and interconnection of all Life, it is increasingly necessary that we elevate not only our perspectives of our bodies, but that we find a more appropriate way to care for them, to prevent illness, to recover from disease and to do so unaided.
As our ancestors once did, we must come to see ourselves as an important part of the whole and capable of healing naturally. Therein, a potent practice of self care also suggests a deepening understanding of the self (and with it all that is), a commitment to observe ourselves with more kindness, to treat our bodies with respect and to cultivate a state of wellbeing which enhances the decisions we make and the life that we live.
I imagine that society will blossom when it upholds holistic and natural methods of treatment which are simple, accessible and don’t cost the Earth; when each of us takes responsibility for our own health so that we know before the scans do, that something is in need of our attention; and when we address each individual (and each symptom) at the physical, mental, emotional and (dare I say it) spiritual level. Our tools will be as natural as possible, taking little or nothing from the Earth, producing fast results and being shared easily and quickly across borders and in the domain of the masses .
An invitation
Perhaps the only methodology which meets all of these requirements is Italian Facial Reflexology (Dien Chan Zone) a technique as unique as it is accessible. It blends all areas of the integrative medicine map and reduces the need for ‘professional’ care, therefore representing an ever greater scope for the role of self care .
Reflexology interacts with the nervous system so by working in proximity to the brain and sense organs this facial technique offers much faster results than others in the genre. Moreover, results are amplified by re-stimulation so, at the end of each treatment, every receiver is given a personalised map with instructions for self stimulation of the relevant reflex zones to work with at home.
With no counter-indications, the Italian technique can now be safely and effectively applied by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Furthermore, the use of tools is optional meaning that sore backs, muscle tension, migraines, digestive issues and nausea can all be treated in the moment using nothing more than our fingertips… And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
It also offers great results for overcoming allergies and intolerances, urinary disorders, circulatory issues, nervous dysfunction, blocked emotions, all kinds of hormone imbalance and respiratory illnesses, and so much more. The list of its applications is endless and unlimited by terms of clinical diagnosis – almost any symptom can be targeted, including conditions as rare and unexplained as loss of smell.
It is the only natural holistic method I know which can be performed in complete autonomy (without a therapist/ doctor/ operator/ chemical/ herb/ supplement/ specific training). Meaning that with your own hands, massaging your face for just a few minutes a day can resolve even chronic issues in your body. Moreover, the potential to prevent illness is incomparable.
To those in the know it presents unparalleled freedom: no more waiting for appointments, opening hours or re-stocking of products. It can even be used in the case of emergency to aid women in labour, diners chocking in restaurants as well as those in extreme states of panic or suffering with severe pain in the street.
I haven’t mentioned yet that to provide treatments is almost as relaxing as to receive them. For both therapist and receiver, the average session is akin to deep meditation bringing deep rest to the nervous system and allowing for the vital digest-rest-healing mode to engage. Needless to say, this is also a practice in mindfulness for all involved as attention is brought to all senses and the reflex responses are monitored throughout.
Cultivating agency
When you choose to work with a Reflexologist, whether conscious or unconscious, you place some level of trust in your ability to heal from within; you take a chance – not on some fancy diet, expensive vitamins, or exclusive ointments and certainly not on your chosen therapist – but on yourself. And when you work with myself or another practitioner of Dien Chan Zone you become a participant, actively seeking answers and always progressing faster than if someone else were selecting and directing on your behalf.
Your therapist is an aid and support who will do all they can to assist you but it should be noted that this is not the path for everyone. There are no short-cuts and no magic tricks. It takes courage to see yourself this way, to re-write your understandings and to trust in something you can’t fully comprehend. But I can promise that if you are consistent, the reward will exceed all expectations.
A gift to us all
Unlike other modalities, this therapy does not require any kind of lifestyle change, though it is often a prelude to one. Simply set an alarm on your phone or add it to your skincare regime, follow the simple gestures for as little as one minute each day and watch as the cumulative effects take hold.
By cultivating a daily practice we come closer to ourselves and are more able to interpret the message in each symptom we experience. Illness is not longer some external threat, but an internal experience and a call for attention. In time the technique becomes a part of us and we use it liberally on the train, at work, in bed, on holiday and even in survival situations. We instruct friends over coffee and treat our children before bed, soothe parents in hospital and advise gym class peers in need.
And as our own results accumulate, we begin to marvel at the power of our bodies. Over time the unavoidable result of this experience is internal revolution: a sense of widened possibilities and empowerment beyond description.
When we move ourselves from a state of illness to wellness, no matter how small the transition) our shift reverberates. And because – as reflexology teaches us – we are each a microcosm within the macrocosm of this universe, as we feel better, as we feel powerful, as we feel more connected we start to think more clearly, we make improved decisions and the butterfly effect takes hold. By activating our own sense of agency, we progress in new and unexpected ways. And with us, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, the world changes.
To me, Dien Chan Zone presents an unprecedented opportunity for a mass movement of self care which will bring more balance to our bodies, peace to our minds, wisdom to our emotions and remembering of our soul.
Now is the perfect time to share it as we collectively upgrade our understandings of self care, as we attempt to see ourselves as part of the whole and as we realise that this ‘inner work’ far from selfish or indulgent is the most generous action we can take. Our medicine is literally medicine for all: as we heal ourselves we heal the world.
“Where there is vision, the people live. They are made rich in the things of the spirit; and then, as the logical next step, they are rich in human life.” – Native American saying.
I’m honoured to work with you in the treatment room and to teach you more in small groups. I honour your courage as I warmly offer my services and I’m thrilled to walk together on this path of empowered wellness. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to email hello@helen.black.
Sending light,
Helen
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