My First Time—Sole Survivor

By Renee Hagar

I could easily be in any upscale spa in America. Water flows soothingly from stone fountains, lush foliage surrounds me, and the delicate taste of jasmine tea fills my mouth. But as my feet soak in hot, whirling water—and my therapist applies just the right amount of pressure to my shoulders—the sound of an unfamiliar language and the aroma of exotic scents remind me I’m not in America anymore.

I’m at a foot reflexology spa in Taipei, Taiwan. I had passed by the busy-looking spa all week and finally stopped in to investigate what all the hoopla was about.

Upon finishing the preliminary shoulder massage, my Chinese-speaking therapist gestures for me to climb the stairs to the second floor. The entire upstairs room is filled with people sitting in plush recliners, their feet and calves being massaged, manipulated, and, in some cases, pounded on. Businessmen wearing ties and dress slacks, teenagers with funky hairstyles, and a grandma who walks with a slight hump in her back—they’ve all come to feel the magic of the therapists’ fingers.

I’m excited but a little nervous as I settle into the chair—especially when I see the reflexologists’ heavy-handed touch on the men seated around me. But as my therapist takes off my slipper and works his fingers into the sole of my foot, I begin to understand what foot reflexology—the practice of stimulating areas on the feet to promote good health and invigorate certain areas of the body—is all about. It’s widely practiced in Asia, where many believe it bestows health and energy, and its popularity is growing in the US as well. In my case, I’m hoping it’ll clear my sinuses.

The whole session takes about 45 minutes. Televisions sit at each station, but I can’t concentrate on the screen. All I feel is the intense, powerful, and hypnotic pressure of the therapist’s hands on my feet. I thought it would tickle. I thought I’d feel uncomfortable with someone touching my oversized, cracked-skinned, bent-toed, feet.

But all I feel is bliss. After one treatment, I’m sold. I don’t know if I will breathe more easily or if my migraine headaches will abate. What I do know is that I’m walking with a little more pep. And I no longer feel the shin pain I’ve struggled with for weeks. I also know that if I’m ever in Taipei again, that spa will be my first destination.

PQs:

All I feel is the intense, powerful, and hypnotic pressure of the therapist’s hands.

All I feel is bliss.