Since I’ve been doing Reiki practice, I have much more appreciation for feet. My now famous dog, Toby, looks in puzzlement as I try to negotiate slippery stairs and sidewalks on two feet. He cocks his head wondering why in Heaven’s name I am a biped. I can empathize with his puzzlement. It seems to make so much more sense to be cornered, like a table or chair. We would never think to sit on a two legged chair.
The obvious advantage of the biped is having hands that do things. But that places a tremendous responsibility on our feet as our only points of contact with the Earth. I find myself spending a lot of time on people’s feet when they are on my table. Their feet seem really grateful for the acknowledgement.
Not only are we bipeds limited in our contact with the Earth, we then insulate our feet in strange shoe configurations. I’m amazed observing my female students sporting their incredibly acrobatic boots and shoes. I picture their feet wedged in at precarious angles and the even less contact the contraptions afford the feet with the ground. . I’ve commented that walking on those shoes should be an Olympic event. They laugh, but it’s true.
Back in the day when I pitched for the Budweiser Belles Women’s Major Fast Pitch Softball Team (yes, it was another lifetime), I wore spiked shoes on my feet, pounded away running and training, and my feet were of amazing service. They performed better than I deserved, having paid little attention to them. As time has gone on, I’m much more appreciative of their service.
When I was in Florida I made a point of walking barefoot on the living Earth. Of course, I was vigilant of the resident fire ants. They have six feet. Maybe that’s why they dominate the environment!
I wonder how many steps the average person makes in a lifetime? We’ll never know the actual number, but my guess is that it’s multiples of millions. When I finish writing this, I’m going to put some wonderful Young Living Essential Oils on my tootsies. They deserve that and more.
May your feet carry you away from harm and into many sweet places. May they move the negative energy we accumulate back into the Earth where it will be transformed into harmless neutrality. And may we appreciate their service of mobility and connection to the sweet Earth from which we are born.
With love and appreciation (of feet and many other things),
Rosanne