Feet Treat: Thai Bodywork
OK, so Thai bodywork isn't just for the feet, but fancy footwork starts with the body, maintains John Augustine, a nationally certified Massage Therapist at The Solebury Club in Buckingham, Penn. He suggests Thai massage, which he calls the martial arts of healing, as a "good way to get centered and unblock energy." As a sometime dancer himself--"I often take classes at the Mill Ballet School to stay flexible and limber"-- he's noticed that dancers tend to keep going even when there's an impediment to the flow. "But you wouldn't keep using a garden hose if it was tangled and no water was coming out," he notes, "you can't use a vacuum if it's clogged." His dance teacher, Michelle Roxey, cofounder of the Roxey Ballet and the Mill Ballet School in Lambertville, New Jersey, admits she rarely treats herself to bodywork, but recognizes its importance in keeping the body fluid and preventing injury.
John begins by cleansing the feet with essential oils as a slow, safe way to introduce his touch and help Michelle feel comfortable. The foot has 72,000 sen, or energy, lines, he explains, so it makes sense to start there--opening up and relaxing the foot causes a chain reaction of balance throughout the body. Conversely, working on the body in other areas helps the energy flow to the legs and feet. Both Michelle and John recommend self-massage between professional visits. Michelle often rolls a tennis ball under foot to work out any kinks. "Your body is your instrument," she says, "Obviously the better you treat it, the better it will work for you."
John often uses Starflower products in his massage practice because "I like their scent and the purity of their products." Because essential oils are lipid-soluble, they penetrate deep into skin layers to enhance the whole system. Although primarily for the face, John uses the Rose Petalets cleansing pads ($16) on the feet as well as the Rose Water AromaMist, for its refreshing and healing properties ($24). At high-end spas like the Solebury Club or online, www.starflower.com