The feet are our foundation. The connection to the earth. We can explore the feet and thier function in a myriad of ways. As we move through life on our feet we find that the older we become, the more important the care of our feet impacts our health with the subtle body systems.
Using a map of the foot to explore the Traditional Chinese Medicine wisdom offers insight to the incredible landscape of the bottom and top of the foot. The beautiful image above is contributed by the amazing artist, Enorasis. They have amazing images of the body in this style here. I loved it so much I purchased the download!
As you admire this beautiful art of the right foot, take note that this the mirror image is applicable to the left foot, as well. Allow this to guide you toward a foot massage that can bring relief to other parts of the body. No kidding! Massaging the big toe and just under the big toe is regularly stimulated in the holistic medicine world to facilitate hormone balance. This is an exciting map to add to your holistic practices at home. Especially for those of us who do self-massage.
Additions of oiling the feet and connecting the dots on this foot map with stimulating the organs of the body, allow this to bring awareness to other ways we move with our feet:
Walking/Dancing/Movement: What kind of shoes do you wear? Do they fit well? Are they comfortable?
Massage: Do you use a ball, pilates roller, or the bottom of the foot to facilitate a “rolling” massage of the ball, arch, and toes? The heel of the foot benefits from this kind of massage, as well!
Broken bones in feet: Have you ever broken a toe or parts of your foot? This can create stagnant energy in this area of the foot and can prevent or also create stagnant energy to the corresponding organs that the nerve endings connect with in the nervous system.
The Feet & The Nervous System
Consider the ways we receive information, this is how the nervous system works: synthesizing the sensory awareness of our body with hormone release and so many somatic responses that keep the symphony of our internal landscape well. With this in mind, the extremities of the body are the final parts that receive and send messages through the nerve endings that are here.
The feet (and the hands) are the parts of the body that first begin to feel cold. They are farther away from the heart and head than the trunk of the body. Considering this, add a little appreciation and nurturance to your thoughts about the hands and feet. They are are hard workers in accomplishing all that we are, do, and become as a human. Taking us places with ambulatory action and making, communicating, and energizing our energy with their work… we find that the feet and hands offer greatness to being human and we miss them if they aren’t working, don’t we?
Learn More About Care of the Feet & Hands in this Seasonal Class
With all of this in mind, I invite you to explore the foot map above and also join me for a class about the feet and hands. Learn the wisdom of nurturance and explore recipes of oils that can benefit the blood flow to these areas. This is a virtual class and it would be a pleasure to have you drop in! If you can’t make it, you will receive the replay. You will also receive downloadable art such as this one, and also a recipe book of seasonal recipes to nurture the hands and feet over the coming months! I am so excited about this workshop and hope to see you there!
