Reflexology is a technique of healing by means of massaging the reflection spots on the foot sole of the ailing part of the body. The reflection spot of an ailing part is usually tender when right pressure is applied on it, and is normally not feeling that tenderness if its corresponding part of the body is just fine.
I learned this technique from an elderly, Lee Ching Zheng, in Taiwan. Mr. Lee was an enthusiast of reflexology. He learned it from self-taught by carefully studying books published by a catholic priest, Fr. Joseph Wu, in 1980’s. He claimed that his mother-in-law had had spinal stenosis for a long time and required injection from the pharmacy almost daily. But since he started applying reflexology on her, she stopped going to the pharmacy for injection.
In 1985, Mr. Lee was keen to teach me this technique when he knew that my wife had been infertile since our marriage 8 years ago. Besides the free one-on-one lesson, he presented free tool, the massager made of wood for applying strength on the reflection spots on the foot sole.
Through consistent practice of this technique for sometime, I became quite experienced, and I extended my service to cover all of my family members. Sore tooth, headache from cold, stomach ache, sore knee and etc were treated and the feedback were encouraging. Two years later, my wife was pregnant. Although we had tried other alternative remedies such as herb, acupuncture and Fensui at the same period of time, we believed reflexology had played a big part in my wife’s pregnancy.
Then in 1992, we emmigrated to New Zealand. One day in April 1992, I came across a piece of advertisement about tuition for reflexology on the newspaper. I thought reflexology is a thing only believed in the Oriental, but why it appeared in the newspaper of a western country. I was also surprised to know from the advertisement that the tutor was called Suzanne, a German nurse. Being curious to see if it is the same technique I had learned from Mr. Lee, I enrolled on this 3 day course to be held in Mt Eden Intermediate School.
On the day the course started, I entered the classroom and found that I was one of the only two Asians in the class, the rest of the class of 15 were Europeans. Then I realized natural healing technique is also believed by westners.
In the three day class, we were asked to practice hands-on to each other. When Suzanne asked us to find our own partner, I found that I seemed to be the most popular in the class because many of them came to ask me to be their partner. Once I was working with Shirley who was president of a speech club in Ponsonby. Her enthusiasm in learning this technique impressed me very much. The stuff we learned from the course was the same as I had learned from Mr. Lee in Taiwan.
Life of an immigrant is busy and stressful. And it is especially so if you are from non-English speaking country. During this time, I had made acquaint with a Korean whom I called Ajoxi. He lived in the same suburb where I lived, so from time to time he walked to my place after dinner, and we usually had chat in the garden. From our talk, I could tell he was worrying something. Finally he told me he worried about his health because he constantly felt soreness somewhere in his abdomen. He did even grab my hand to touch that spot. I encouraged him to consult with his family doctor but he seemed to be reluctant to do so. Then I told him that I had learned a technique called reflexology. I also told him how it worked and if it did not work on him it at least harmed him nothing. So we did a few sessions. And one day I received his call, “hi, Dr. Chen, the problem in my abdomen is gone. From now on I should call you doctor Chen.”
Dr. Chen!? I felt being flattered yet there was a feeling of joy inside me upon hearing Ajoxi’s remark in the phone. A feeling of being helpful that was all because of my reflexology teachers – Mr. Lee and Suzanne.
I learned this technique from an elderly, Lee Ching Zheng, in Taiwan. Mr. Lee was an enthusiast of reflexology. He learned it from self-taught by carefully studying books published by a catholic priest, Fr. Joseph Wu, in 1980’s. He claimed that his mother-in-law had had spinal stenosis for a long time and required injection from the pharmacy almost daily. But since he started applying reflexology on her, she stopped going to the pharmacy for injection.
In 1985, Mr. Lee was keen to teach me this technique when he knew that my wife had been infertile since our marriage 8 years ago. Besides the free one-on-one lesson, he presented free tool, the massager made of wood for applying strength on the reflection spots on the foot sole.Through consistent practice of this technique for sometime, I became quite experienced, and I extended my service to cover all of my family members. Sore tooth, headache from cold, stomach ache, sore knee and etc were treated and the feedback were encouraging. Two years later, my wife was pregnant. Although we had tried other alternative remedies such as herb, acupuncture and Fensui at the same period of time, we believed reflexology had played a big part in my wife’s pregnancy.
Then in 1992, we emmigrated to New Zealand. One day in April 1992, I came across a piece of advertisement about tuition for reflexology on the newspaper. I thought reflexology is a thing only believed in the Oriental, but why it appeared in the newspaper of a western country. I was also surprised to know from the advertisement that the tutor was called Suzanne, a German nurse. Being curious to see if it is the same technique I had learned from Mr. Lee, I enrolled on this 3 day course to be held in Mt Eden Intermediate School.
On the day the course started, I entered the classroom and found that I was one of the only two Asians in the class, the rest of the class of 15 were Europeans. Then I realized natural healing technique is also believed by westners.
In the three day class, we were asked to practice hands-on to each other. When Suzanne asked us to find our own partner, I found that I seemed to be the most popular in the class because many of them came to ask me to be their partner. Once I was working with Shirley who was president of a speech club in Ponsonby. Her enthusiasm in learning this technique impressed me very much. The stuff we learned from the course was the same as I had learned from Mr. Lee in Taiwan.Life of an immigrant is busy and stressful. And it is especially so if you are from non-English speaking country. During this time, I had made acquaint with a Korean whom I called Ajoxi. He lived in the same suburb where I lived, so from time to time he walked to my place after dinner, and we usually had chat in the garden. From our talk, I could tell he was worrying something. Finally he told me he worried about his health because he constantly felt soreness somewhere in his abdomen. He did even grab my hand to touch that spot. I encouraged him to consult with his family doctor but he seemed to be reluctant to do so. Then I told him that I had learned a technique called reflexology. I also told him how it worked and if it did not work on him it at least harmed him nothing. So we did a few sessions. And one day I received his call, “hi, Dr. Chen, the problem in my abdomen is gone. From now on I should call you doctor Chen.”
Dr. Chen!? I felt being flattered yet there was a feeling of joy inside me upon hearing Ajoxi’s remark in the phone. A feeling of being helpful that was all because of my reflexology teachers – Mr. Lee and Suzanne.
