Thumb Walk from the Inside Edge
Use the left hand to support the foot, either by holding the toes or holding the foot firmly. The right hand is the working hand. Return to the heart reflex and prepare to thumb walk. Look at the foot for a moment, visualizing what you are getting ready to do. Imagine the two guidelines you are working between, the shoulder line and the diaphragm line.
Notice how this section of the foot is shaped, almost rectangular. The two edges of the foot would be the sides, and the guidelines are the top and bottom, creating a rectangle. The heart reflex is located in the bottom right of this rectangular box.
Thumb walk along the diaphragm line from the heart reflex. Stop just over the central tendon line, which is right in the reflex point for the bronchioles. Quickly and smoothly bring the thumb back to the heart reflex. Move the thumb up just a bit above the heart reflex point and thumb walk in again just beyond the tendon line. The reflexes for the bronchioles and bronchi begin to overlap.
Breath: The Vital Life Force
Take a moment now to think about breathing. Breathing is vital to our existence, and proper breathing allows dynamic living. Often people have not incorporated the importance of deep, calm, nurturing breath. The connection between breath and wellness is profound.
Breathing affects the body, mind, and spirit. The more rhythmic and deep your breathing, the cleaner your systems are. The entire respiratory system works to exchange gases between the cells, blood, and atmosphere. The many organs of this system work to keep the body toxin free, utilizing breath as the cleanser.
Continuing On
As you continue to move up this section of the foot, you are working on the lungs and bronchioles. Always thumb walk slowly to the center and bring the thumb back to the inner edge of the foot to follow the next line up. Each line up this side of the ball is working toward the shoulder line. Imagine that this process is like stacking sheets of paper in one side of a rectangular box, continuing to stack until this side is full.
Just before the shoulder line, at the very top edge of the first metatarsal, close to the inner side, is the thymus reflex. Begin by thumb walking the line to the center and bring the thumb back, to rest on the reflex point for the thymus. Place the thumb directly under the shoulder line, just below the neck and thyroid reflex, along that inner edge.
Fact
The thymus plays an important role in the development of our immune system. It is most active up through puberty; however, it is functional throughout the lifespan. The thymus hormones promote the production of T cells. T cells establish immunity on a cellular level, improving our resistance to disease.
The reflex may feel a bit bony or bumpy under the thumb, but whether it does or not, this is the thymus reflex. Rotate the thumb on this point. Feel the reflex relax under the thumb as you rotate in small circles. Stop and hold on this point, pressing down gently on the reflex.
Once you have completed thumb walking up this portion of the rectangle, you will thumb walk down in the same fashion. Starting from the thymus reflex, thumb walk in to the center and bring the thumb back to the edge, just under the thymus point. Continue to walk down this side of the ball of the foot, until the last swipe across comes from the diaphragm line. You will now move over to the left side of this section of the foot.
