this job, washing it in warm, soapy water every so often.
Do not touch the face. Make bold movements, passing only once over
each part of the body in a sweeping motion:
- Start by brushing the soles of the feet.
- Work up each leg, over the buttocks, avoiding the genitals, and up to
the middle of the back. - Start at the fi ngertips and brush up the arms, through the armpits,
across the shoulders, down the chest, and over the top of the back.
Brush down the chest toward the colon. - On reaching the area below the navel, use brush movements starting
on the right-hand side, going up, across, and down, following the shape
of the colon. - Women should brush their breasts (it helps guard against lumps) but
avoid the nipples, covering them with the fi ngertips. Basically, you
work toward the heart and then bring all toxins toward the colon.
The face should never be skin brushed in this way, as this treatment is
too harsh for it. Wet exfoliation, especially in grimy towns and cities, is a
good alternative that should be done as part of your daily washing routine.
Use a lotion containing oatmeal and abrasive particles like sand, adzuki
beans, silica, or pumice. One treatment a day is quite enough for the face,
preferably at the end of the day to remove grime, grease, and other resi-
dues.
massage
Think for a minute: what is massage? It is being in contact with our body.
When we experience physical pain, our natural reaction is to touch the
painful part of our body. This instinctive reaction forms the basis of
massage. It is one of the oldest methods of healing: massage was used as
long ago as 3000 b.c.e. in the Far East, where the positive benefi ts of
applying oils and rubbing the body to prevent or relieve pain and illness
were widely appreciated. In ancient civilizations, scented oils were almost
always used — heralding the birth of aromath erapy massage.
Massage is commonly used as a tool to relax and release tension from
the body and can be very effective when both the body and the mind are
taken into consideration. It can be used to relieve many common
ailments, including sinusitis, headaches, insomnia, and hyperactivity. The
physical act of massage helps the body to eliminate waste materials and to
process and use food in the most effective way. It also stimulates the
muscular and nervous systems and improves blood circulation.
natural healing methods 75