A very warm welcome to my website and the therapy of Zu Qigong – Foot Energy Work.
Hello! - If you have previously been familiar with my work and therapy practice here at Footpath Therapies, you are probably wondering why things have changed and I am no longer offering hands on therapies to clients?
Life rarely goes as planned, and over the last year or two my life, as for so many people, has certainly taken more than one unexpected turn. Back in the winter of 2019, I announced my planned semi-retirement for the summer of 2020. Call it fate, coincidence or a 6th sense, but the plan was to continue with my NHS work in palliative care, while slowly winding down my private practice, giving me a better work life balance - the opportunity to make space in my life for other projects, including the continued expansion and development of Zu Qigong, allowing more time for writing, researching and teaching as well as factoring in that all important "me time". I could never have envisaged then the dramatic changes that the pandemic was about to bring into our lives and the realisation that it was time to make some bigger changes at Footpath Therapies than I had previously envisaged.
Fast forward to April 2021 and just as I was beginning to adjust to my “new normal”, life had another little “surprise” in store for me……a genetic heart condition finally caught up with me (See Blog). So once again a recalibration of my working life has been necessary. This swift reminder from the Universe has made me realise, that like it or not, it is time for more self-care and a gentler pace of life. Whilst I am happy to take things a bit easier, sitting around doing nothing is simply not an option for me. Facing this crossroads in life, I have taken the time to meditate on and ponder the question as to which direction my life path is nudging me towards, looking at the different options, including walking away completely from the world of therapies, which on reflection I realised would have been a step too far!
With over 40 years work experience under my belt, in a range of different environments - science, nursing, and therapies, including opening my practice - Footpath Therapies in 2001; it would be fair to say that I have frequently, often out of necessity, adjusted my direction of travel along life’s path to overcome various obstacles or adapting to changes in perspective as I studied and expanded my knowledge base, every twist in the road has brought a new adventure, enriching and adding another layer of understanding and experience to my life. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than sharing with and learning from, other likeminded people, so inevitably teaching is something I feel drawn towards and greatly enjoy. However, setting aside the current Covid imposed travel limitations, travelling around to offer Zu Qigong training workshops, heaving carloads of books and equipment into village halls and front rooms is perhaps, from a health perspective, not so ideal for me anymore. So where to from here? Well fortunately, with the wonders of modern technology I have found that it is possible to teach, share, learn and connect on a global scale from the comfort of my home, something that was confirmed in May 2021 when, thanks to the help and support of my reflexology colleagues in Auckland, I was able to offer an introductory Zu Qigong workshop at the Reflexology New Zealand Conference, using pre-recorded videos. This workshop proved to be highly successful and has given me the confidence to now take Zu Qigong training on-line, a project that will take time to be fully birthed but one that I hope will have a positive impact on those who choose to participate.
Additionally, as humanity navigates the tumultuous transition into a new paradigm, I have felt driven towards promoting greater public awareness of energy medicine - a desire to develop an acceptance and knowledge of the wide range of techniques and immense benefits available when we connect to "source", the energy that surrounds and flows through each of us. As the old structures of society slowly crumble, and in particular from my viewpoint - the now apparent collapse of our health care systems, few can argue that we need to regain our sovereignty and take responsibility for our own minds and bodies, our health and wellbeing, cut the ties of total dependence on the pharmaceutical industry and those who currently control and direct institutional health care - regain balance between physician and patient, working in partnership. I strongly believe that energy medicine is destined to be a significant part of our future but firstly a change in perspective will be required and this is unlikely to happen quickly - so my question is, how do we spark that initial interest in the benefits of energy medicine? Not an easy question to answer but I offer up my own small contribution in the form of Qi-Laxation. I have made this technique freely available to therapist and non-therapist alike, in the hope of igniting the embers, and capturing some interest. Those who try this technique and feel the benefits are encouraged to share with other interested people, thereby creating a ripple effect, spreading inner peace and physical relaxation far beyond the reach of Footpath Therapies..... the butterfly effect flowing out to the collective. If we choose to set aside our differences and work together, sharing ideas, knowledge and skills we can create a bright, healthy and happy future for all.
I look forward to sharing with you.
Elspeth