Getting Grounded

With spring in the air and the seed having been planted that a trip to Australia with it's pristine beaches is on the horizon makes me want to kick off my shoes.

Yes...get the soles roughed up and feel the earth...move...under my feet!

My husband, Ed, and I were raised in two very different environments. He was raised in the Bronx, a borough of New York City and surrounded by a concrete jungle. I was raised in Southern California where we do have miles of concrete, but we also have warm weather, big yards and beaches. I asked Ed one day how much time he spent barefoot growing up. He said he couldn't really remember spending virtually any time without shoes on his feet. Much to my amazement, I recounted a summer of stubbed toes...I barely remember being IN shoes as soon as the weather warmed up.

My yoga thought for the week is how desensitized our feet have become as we house them in shoes and socks without our little piggies ever getting much of a breather. When people come to practice yoga with me with socked feet, I ask if they would be comfortable removing them and going au naturale. Why?

When we feel our feet on our mats, lift and spread our toes and transfer our weight from one to the other when balancing, we not only strengthen our foot structure, but we connect energetically to Mother Earth. As a species, we spent years running around with bare feet. We have evolved to sense the uneven surfaces, feel the varying textures of the soil, detect warmth and coolness and get sand between our toes.

I love offering the visual of standing on your favorite sandy beach, with the waves gently lapping at your toes and allowing yourself to sink deeper into the sand. If you simply close your eyes, you can go there right now....ahhhhhh....just like Mother Nature intended!

I have also come to notice that the healthier and stronger one's feet, the better their balance. So no matter what your age, or how unsightly your feet are...kick off your peds and give your feet some fresh air. Good for the sole. Great for the soul. And your spirit with give you a silent thank you!