Reflexology – It’s In the Feet

By Jeanne Jones

Reflexology is a natural healing therapy for the whole body, and it may be the answer to your health problems – whether they’re chronic, you wish relief from stress and tension, or you want to feel pampered and cared for. It is an excellent way to acquire optimal health.

Imagine you’re entering a cloud, which becomes an oasis of peace and harmony. You’re made comfortable on a table with a cover for warmth. Soft, soothing music and a gentle aroma help to calm and relax you. Think positively, as positive thoughts about your health and life cause positive changes to occur in your body.

The session begins by massaging and working reflex points on your head with a gentle but firm touch. You can experience various sensations here, such as tingling or shivers. You start to feel your body relax and find it difficult to keep your eyes open. The whole head is worked – the skull, the face, the ears, the neck. By the end of this, you are feeling just wonderful! A lavender eye pillow is placed on your eyes (if you wish) to help you relax and to soothe away the cares of the day.

Moving on to your feet, a natural cleansing lotion is used before warm-ups – a number of twisting, rubbing movements. The toes are massaged along with the reflex points located here. The body’s energy, known as "Ch’i," travels along twelve main meridian pathways in the body. Six of these meridians, which relate to major organs including the bladder, kidney, gall bladder, and stomach are located in the toes. Massaging the toes helps clear blockages and encourages vital body energy to flow unimpeded. The feet are completely massaged with all reflex points correlating to any health condition you may have.

During the session, several changes happen to your body. Circulation is improved. Pain is relieved. The body’s functions begin to normalize. You enter a deep, almost euphoric state of relaxation. Tension and stress are eliminated. Your immune system is boosted. Toxins are removed. The treatment encourages the healing process to begin. When the body is relaxed, healing is possible.

Upon completion of "dessert," you may be either fast asleep, in an altered state of euphoria, or just resting comfortably, unable to believe how well you feel and that you should have tried this years ago!

Jeanne Jones is a Certified Reflexologist and owner of JJ’s Wellness Centre, Reflexology of the Feet, Hands, and Head. (519) 453-7686

Published in Networking Today, October 2000.

Design Tips, Logos & Print Ads

By Jane Atkinson-White

Tidbits on Design

Both good design and bad design have an affect on your business image – and if you want to make a positive impression, you want a good design. First impressions are made within the first few minutes of meeting.

We DO judge a book by its cover.
We DO judge people by their appearance.
We DO judge a business by its promotional material.

At a meeting, the first promo piece you see is usually a business card and/or a brochure. You had better make sure that your business card visually represents you in the initial contact. Your promotional material represents the "face" of your business – it must attract the eye, hold attention, and be easily read.

Looking for a Logo?

Logo design is a lucrative business. You can easily spend thousands of dollars. If you’re a small business owner and don’t have a lot of resources, shop around. If you choose not to invest in a logo at start-up, you should still allow for a professionally designed stationery package as part of your promotion plan.

Points to remember:

1. Try to avoid "home-brew" logos because you run the risk of presenting your business unprofessionally and your customers won’t take you seriously.
2. Logos are not illustrations. Good design in a logo is apparent when the logo itself looks simple and clean.
3. No clip art please! Clip art images are familiar to many people. Using it in a logo is unprofessional.
   

What to Expect from Print Ads

Be realistic in your expectations. Statistics on the effectiveness of print ads aren’t encouraging, yet they can have "accumulative" results. If you expect six phone calls because you had a terrific looking ad designed to run once in a local newspaper, you’ll be disappointed. What you should think about is the fact that the ad gives your business a visual presence. The reader might see your ad and later hear your business name mentioned while networking and they’ll make a connection. Together, the ad and the conversation have impact. In that person’s mind, your business image is taking shape. So, repeat the ad but continue to network, too. The old saying, "outa’ sight, outa’ mind" holds true.

Jane Atkinson-White, is the owner of Atkinson Graphics Tel: (519) 644-2786 Fax: (519) 644-2785 E-mail: atkinsonj@claven.fanshawec.on.ca This is the first part of our three-part series.

Read part two: Choosing Your Design Source
Read part three: What to Expect When Working with a Graphic Designer

Published in Networking Today, October 2000.