Awesome Feet

It was impossible! I'd made a four-foot-tall sculpture of a standing woman and was trying to get her to balance on her feet. Nope. It turns out that human balance is a miracle of structural engineering. I don't use the word 'miracle' lightly. The soles of the feet are roughly 3.5% of our surface area, yet they support our full weight. And the area that takes the weight - the heels, toes and balls of the feet - is even less than that. The sculpture is long gone. After varied attempts to prop her up, she eventually fell over and smashed.

Each human foot has twenty-six bones and twenty-nine associated muscles, enabling walking, running, dancing and all kinds of sport. Even if we no longer do some of these things, the chances are we once enjoyed them. How many places have our feet taken us to? They have been our hard-working supporters every day since toddler-hood. How often do we give these trusted bearers the appreciation they deserve?

It isn't only physical balance that our feet provide. Our feet connect to our states of mind. To say someone has their feet on the ground means they have good sense. The opposite would be 'head in the clouds' or 'pie in the sky': caught up in unrealistic, heady notions.

Feeling one's feet on the ground can be calming when experiencing strong emotions. I once had the honour of being the celebrant at my step daughter's wedding. I have been known to cry at a wedding, and during a practice run-through I began to well up. My step-daughter pointed out that my role was to stay cool and collected. I discovered that if I directed my attention to the ground beneath my feet, the emotions became manageable. It worked like magic.

The language of feet helps to express strength and capability:

Stand your ground

Put your foot down

Find your feet

Get on your feet

Get off on the right foot

Or, if you aren't sure, dip your toe in

Feeling one's feet on the ground establishes present-moment awareness. It offers an alternative to the sort of things that go on in our heads: planning, worrying and ruminating. Walking meditation is a core mindfulness practice. We rest attention on the contact between the soles of the feet and the ground as we stand or walk. We notice the responses in feet and body as our weight shifts from foot to foot, feeling the ground firm beneath us. Returning attention again and again to connecting with the earth. We can walk super-slow, sensing every nuance. (Note the 'interesting' quality of balance when moving at a snail's pace.) Or we can stroll at a slow-to-normal pace, allowing the body to move with more freedom. We can integrate walking meditation into our day, even in short bursts. We can 'nominate' a stretch of pavement, corridor or stair. It's a simple, available way of staying grounded in the midst of life's challenges.  

How about giving your feet a treat? Walk barefoot on grass or sun-warmed paving. Paddle at low tide or rest them in a cool tub of water. Put them up! Wear the shoes they like best - or none at all. Give them some love. Truly, they deserve it.