Okay, maybe not just the feet, but the feet are a powerful step
toward finding the personal strength to overcome the status quo I
mentioned in my last
post! Standing tall and firmly on the feet is not simply a
metaphor. When we work our feet, open them up to more energy, use them
more efficiently, we can stand taller and in doing so, feel stronger.
Here’s
an experiment for you. Right now, slump in your seat (or
continue slumping if you already are! ☺) Take a breath. Think about
something you want to do in your life that might take some work. How
do you feel about it? Are you ready to leap up and take even one
action step? Now, sit up tall. Feel the length in the spine, the
openness in your heart. Take a deep breath and again think about what
you want? More ready, aren’t you? It might be subtle in this small
example. Think of the profound effects your posture would have if you
stood tall all day, day after day. Your feet are the basis of that
strong alignment. As I already mentioned, when we use our feet well,
we stand taller and stronger.
To start the process, let’s just do a very easy exercise. First,
let’s get a “before feeling”. Stand in Tadasana
(Mountain Pose). Take a breath and again feel how you feel about
whatever you want in your life. Done? Remember that feeling.
Now sit back down and we are going to do a quick massage for the
feet. Hold your right foot. Lace the 
fingers of your left hand
through your toes. If your toes are very tight, you might just get
your fingertips through. If you are more flexible, take your fingers
to the root. This exercise can be intense so be sure you are
breathing! Now hold the right foot firmly with your right hand at the
arch to keep from moving at the ankle. Slowly rotate your toes around
without moving the ankle. Breathe. Do a few circles and then go the
other way. When you are done, stroke down the sole of your foot with
your thumbs a few times. Move from the heal to the toes. When you are
done, feel the difference between your feet. It can be dramatic. Now
switch feet and repeat the series on your other foot.
Now let’s redo Tadasana
(Mountain Pose). This time we will also activate the feet. Stand with
your feet parallel. Lift your toes up and ever so slightly, walk the
balls of your feet away from your heals. You might move a millimeter.
It isn’t meant to be a big movement. With your toes still lifted, find
the inner edge of the ball of your big toe and “stick” it to your mat.
Broaden across the balls of your feet to widen your feet. Now set the
toes down, lengthening them out.
Do your feet feel different than in your “before” pose? Let’s make
it even stronger. From the feet, “lift” the muscles in the legs. (If
this action challenges you, use a block between your upper inner thighs
and hold it firmly without gripping.) Keep drawing up through the core
so the heart opens more effortlessly. Now what do you think about what
you want in your life?
The gift of yoga is we can manipulate our energy so we can create
the type of energy we need or want in our life. With this series, we
created energy for personal strength. We can then use that energy to
forge forward to the life of our dreams…Next post I will talk about
creating energy for opening ourselves up to even more wonderful!
Here is a podcast in which I talk you through this process. Enjoy!
Related Posts:
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