Winter 2014 Newsletter

Reflexology Roundup Newsletter

Winter 2014

Letter from RAC's President

Dear RAC members,

I hope you had a great holiday season and remembered to take good care of yourself. This California winter has felt more like spring, with beautiful blue skies and warmer temperatures. However, true spring is fast approaching, and hopefully will bring the rain that we very much need.

The RAC board is springing into action to begin planning the next RAC conference, which will be a great opportunity to come together as a community and learn valuable information to grow your practice. The conference, to be held in March of 2015, will host knowledgeable and much-loved presenters who are respected leaders in our field. It promises to be a great event. Stay tuned for updates!

Would you like to network with local reflexologists, trade sessions and have fun? Host a RENEW event! Just provide the space, and we'll do the coordinating. For Northern California, contact Susan Mix at 408-829-6249. For Southern California, contact Stefanie Sabounchian at 909-896-3610.

Get involved with RAC! This is YOUR organization. There are multiple volunteer opportunities. We are still looking for a newsletter editor as well as newsletter committee members to assist with sponsorships and article submissions. Remember that you can always contribute an article as well - email articles to racreflexology@yahoo.com. Other opportunities include managing the Facebook page, updating the website, assisting with membership recruitment and outreach, and of course, assisting with conference preparations! To volunteer, call 323-379-9722 or email racreflexology@yahoo.com.

The Maternity Reflexology Training Program, hosted by RAC and led by Mauricio "Moshe" Kruchik, has proved to be a very informative, insightful and delightful course. Participants have learned how reflexology can support fertility, conception and pregnancy, helping to prevent and alleviate many common problems. We are excited about practicing the techniques at the upcoming hands-on portion. Thank you to Susan Mix and Karen Ross for coordinating this course.

May you have a wonderful and refreshing spring season filled with nourishment, growth, and new opportunities.

Best,

Johanna Thaxter

RAC President

Homage to Henk Homberg

By Wil ten Ham

Knowing some of you had some connection with Henk Homberg I am sharing with you the sad news that Henk Homberg, the great Dutch pioneer in the world of reflexology, passed away at the age of 84 on January 17th after a short disease.

With his beautiful, great hands he created beautiful jewelry - his first profession - but with his great hands and his great warm heart he also embraced many many people and has been a support for so

many persons.

In the Netherlands Henk founded the Dutch reflexology organization together with his wife and sons in 1984. He educated reflexology in

his time to thousands of students.

Besides reflexology, he had other passions: music (he entertained all of us so many times), re-incarnation, body and mind, the source of illnesses and more. And he was active in writing (poetry and wisdom), in sport, a good swimmer, diver, sailor, horse-rider and baseball player.

You all know about his lectures and/or workshops. He has been a

speaker internationally several times. His first international lecture was in Vancouver, the ICR conference where a great audience was very enthusiastic. Many more invitations in several countries followed and I am very pround I have been a part of it and we could do so many

travels together and were able to exchange so much information.

Henk, with his great charisma, always young of mind and heart, was very curious to the invisible world. Henk, a happy man (never complaining) with a warm heart and enjoying life so much, is now in the (for us invisible) world of Light and Love.

another passion: painting, on this picture poppies

Once Henk sent me a nice text: "Those who we love and lost, are no longer where they used to be, but always where we are".

Please click on the link below to read about his first international lecture in Vancouver in 1995 and enjoy his words of Light and Love as this is what Henk wanted to bring - and brought - to the world, "Light and Love".

Henk Homberg Vancouver 1995 Lecture

Legislative News Updates

Prepared by Leslie Myers

California:

AB 1147

The latest revision to AB1147 passed by California Assembly in January 2014, revises the qualifications for a certified massage practitioner (CMP). Applicants for CMP must pass a massage and bodywork competency exam that meets generally recognized psychometric principles and standards approved by the CAMTC.

For more detailed information, please visit the link below:

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml.

Nevada

Clark County Nevada Ordinance

In Nevada, the Clark County Department of Business License has revised the Clark County code in regards to individuals practicing

reflexology and reflexology businesses. Under the new requirements, Reflexologists will have to be Licensed and Certified. The licensing process will include a criminal background check, 110 hours of instruction and 90 hours of practicum from a licensed reflexology school or receive a certification from an independent national reflexology testing entity. Certified Reflexologists must attend 6 hours of continuing education per year. Currently licensed Reflexologists and reflexology businesses will have 90 days to apply for the new certification, but will be exempt from the background check and educational requirements.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that while some Reflexologists are happy with the new requirements and feel that these changes raise the bar

of professional standards for practicing reflexology in Clark County,

others feel that their businesses will be hurt. The main reason for their concerns are the stricter limits on the hours of operation for

reflexology businesses, which must now operate between 8 AM to 12 AM. These businesses say many of their clients seek services after

their shifts at hotels and casinos end, between the hours of 12 AM and 8 AM. Representatives of the commission have stated that individual business may apply for exemptions to the limited hours of operation.

These stricter regulations are intended to reduce the human trafficking that takes place under the guise of reflexology establishments.

The Clark County Commission voted these changes into law on February 4, 2014.

Break a Leg and Reflex it

By Michiyo Ando

I am teaching a flamenco class in Gardena, CA and gave my student show at an Italian restaurant in Torrance on Saturday, January 18, 2014.

There were two shows in one day. The day show started at 1 PM and the night show was at 5:30 PM. We had a break time of 2 hours between each show.

RAC Reflexologist, Lisa Chan, was one of the dancers in the show and she invited her reflexology friends to see her dance. After we finished the first show (duration of 2 hours), some of the dancers' feet were already tired. In fact, one male dancer had a serious knee problem with a lot of pain and he couldn't fully show his skills in the first show.

Lisa Chan called her reflexology friends whom she invited and asked them to come to the restaurant early to give reflexology to the dancers. Chris Linz and other Reflexologists arrived at the restaurant at 4:30pm. They opened the massage chairs and started giving sessions to dancers along with Lisa. The Reflexologists worked until the guests of the night show arrived. I didn't have time to give the sessions since I was working as an artistic director of the shows.

The recipients included the guitarist, singer and dancers who were so happy with the unexpected fantastic treatments. They learned how reflexology is beneficial before/after the performance. The male dancer received a 30 minute session from Lisa and said his pain was much lighter after that. He received a follow-up session one week later and he reported his knee improved a lot.

Thank you for the power of reflexology. We could get through our two sold out shows on the day and both the dancers and audience had a great time.

Michiyo Ando (Mikaela Kai)
310-874-3363

ARCB Certified Reflexologist

Flamenco Dancer/Instructor

http://mikaelakaiflamenco.blogspot.com/

Chris giving a session to the famous flamenco artist, Yolanda Arroyo while Lisa takes care of a male dancer's knee.

Wonderful supporters

Flamenco Show "Clavelitos del Corazon" on January 18, 2014

in Torrance, CA

Lisa Chan and Michiyo Ando with two other dancers at the night show

In This Issue

Homage to Henk Homberg

Legislative News Updates

Break a Leg and Reflex it

Job Analysis Survey

RAA Conference 2014

Host a RENEW Event in northern California!

Host a RENEW Event in southern California!

RAC Brochure Reminder

Newsletter Committee

Job Analysis Survey

Provided by Christine Issel

This year ARCB will be conducting the first Job Analysis Survey since 2007.The upcoming Job Analysis is an important step in the future of our profession. This survey is intrinsic for ARCB as we move into 2014 and beyond. It affords an accurate representation of practitioners, how they work and the extent of their education. The data gleaned from the Job Analysis helps ARCB set policy for future generations of certified practitioners. This will be the first time the survey will be administered online. Please keep a look out for it and have your voice heard! Check back with RAC if you don't receive the e-mail and we'll make sure you do.

RAA Conference 2014

May 2-4, 2014

The Reflexology Association of America (RAA) will be holding its 2014 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico on May 2-4, 2014. For more information,, please visit http://www.reflexology-usa.org/.

Host a RENEW Event in northern California!

Northern California Reflexologists! Are you interested in hosting a RENEW event? Let us know! Contact Susan Mix for details at mixreflexology@comcast.net.

Host a RENEW Event in southern California!

So. California Reflexologists! Are you interested in hosting a RENEW event? Let us know! Contact Stefanie Sabounchian at reflex2relax@yahoo.com for more details.

RAC Brochure Reminder

This is a friendly reminder on how to order these impressive four-color process brochures that are printed and tri-folded on 8.5 x 11 inch 100 lb gloss text by Copacabana USA! Don't forget these brochures are personalized with your photo and contact information and are an easy way to promote your business!

How to Order

Quantity & Pricing:

250 = $155.00
500 = $165.00
1,000 = $187.00

To place an order, please send Copa the following:

Your head shot photo (optional) in an electronic version - jpeg, gif or png type file
Your name and business address
10 digit phone number
Fax (optional)
Web site (optional)
Certified by (school, ARCB, etc.)
Have been practicing since
Specializing in information (optional)

E-mail the above information to:

Orders@copaprint.net

To make payment arrangements by phone or to find out how to order by mail, please call

856-415-2672 ext. 2.

RAC member brochure

Newsletter Committee

Volunteers Wanted!

The RAC newsletter committee is still looking for volunteers to help with advertising, writing articles and publishing the quarterly e-newsletter! Previous experience is not necessary; however a familiarity with or a desire to learn Constant Contact is a plus. For more information, please contact Karen Ross at 408-667-7965 or Sherrel Grabler at 562-233-7082.