Elysia

Elysia

I said my good-byes to Elysia, the woman who got me started and taught me reflexology, on March 5th. That was the day I attended a workshop with her to learn how to use the wooden dowel during a reflexology session. This was to be her last workshop before she retired. I was so excited to learn this technique, especially from her!

Just a quick backstory of my experience with the wooden dowel. When my reflexology training began, back in 2019, I was having shoulder issues and was told I would need surgery. I was concerned as my end goal was to become a reflexologist and start my own business. Kind of hard to do that if you have shoulder issues. I explained this to Elysia, afraid I wouldn’t be able to practice. Well, during several of our classes she had me hop on a table and she worked on the shoulder reflex point on my foot with a wooden dowel. It. Was. Painful. At times I would practically jump off the table. “Breathe through it,” Elysia would say as she kept digging. Guess what? I never had surgery. I have full range of motion in my shoulder. I was, and still am, amazed by the power of reflexology 

Fast forward 3 years. I knew Elysia had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a little over a year ago. But I had not heard anything and thought she was doing well. I was wrong. A few days before the workshop, a friend reached out to me and told me that Elysia was very sick. She wanted me to be prepared, she did not want me to be blindsided. I remain forever thankful for that heads up.

I made the two hour trek to Connecticut, arriving early as she hated for anyone to be late. As soon as I saw her, I knew. She was so thin and frail. Her once long hair was now cropped short. Just as she once told me, I had to remind myself to breathe through it. There were 12 of us in attendance that day. Her former students. All of us already in tears, we gathered around her and she began to speak. You could tell she was struggling, trying to find strength and the right words. She explained that she was on hospice. They were still trying to adjust her medication, figuring out how much she could take for relief from the pain and yet still be able to function. Of course she joked about it and said we may have to just roll her under a table at some point. She told us everything that had happened and was happening to her, how pissed off she was. She was not ready and still had so much she wanted to do. How if she’d known that her last class was to be her very last class, she would have put a little more umph into it (this made us smile through our tears). My heart broke into a thousand pieces. Elysia worked for hospice. She worked with breast cancer patients. She knew what was coming. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like for her.

But then she got down to business. She sat on a stool and showed us how to use the wooden dowel on the digestive system and the sciatic nerve reflexes on the foot. I watched her as she worked. It seemed she began to draw strength from the energy around her. At one point, she looked up and asked “Am I doing ok?” All the love in that room for this woman lit her up from within, there was such bright light beaming from her. I have never seen anything like it. It was so beautiful. 

This class with Elysia was not what I expected. This class was a way for her to connect with us one last time. She wanted this to be a celebration of life. Of her life. She spoke with such grace. It was a beautiful but heartbreaking morning. Unsurprisingly, she once again taught us so much more than reflexology. She inspired me three years ago and she has inspired me yet again. 

After the workshop, my friend and I made plans to visit Elysia in April. On March 30th I had a dream about her. She was walking through a door and I wanted her to wait, I was trying to get to her before she left. She was smiling and waving at me. When I woke up I knew I would not see her in this life again. The next day she posted these words on Facebook:

“May I first please thank you for all the love, prayers, blessings, and support during my days on hospice. I feel at this point I would rather remember those I have not seen as you are and please let me remember the rest of you in that same light. I’m really not up for company. Smile as you think of me and I will do the same for you.

In loving kindness,
Elysia”

 She left this life on Friday May 13, 2022. So many people have been touched by Elysia. By her training, her wisdom, her love, her laughter and joy. There are so many stories I could share. I hope this gives you a glimpse of who this beautiful soul was. I will think of her each and every time I touch a pair of feet.

I am sure she was welcomed with arms as open and loving as hers and I have no doubt she is soaring high with the angels in Heaven, watching over me as I practice kindness.

I love you Dear Teacher.