Tuesday, February 26, 2008

meet my feet.


"What would it be like to know, in the deepest part of you, that every part of your anatomy and each process of your female body contained wisdom and power?"
- Christiane Northrup, M.D.

(For those of you who don't know what I am doing, here is the explanation.)

I'm not sure what I expected. I think I expected that it would take a long time to have a connection with my feet. You need to know that there is a deeply practical side to me that I have had to tell that this is an experiment to get it to be brave enough to put this stuff on a a blog. That side of me expected to sit there and have nothing really happen. The other part of me thought that I would get these profound messages from my body, and that I would end up writing something deep and eternal on my feet that would change everything.

Well I washed my feet and changed into some comfortable clothes. I sat down, smudged the area around me and lit a candle. Then I sat and held my feet. I talked to them. I thanked them for all of the adventures that we had been on together. I apologized to them for wearing the mean shoes that caused me to have awful ingrown toenails when I was younger. I apologized to them for hating them for being so big. I told them about all of the adventures we were going to go on in the future and about some of the not-so-fun things that we were going to do. I rubbed them and stroked them and held them until I was done talking.

Then I sat very still and asked them if they had anything that they wanted to tell me. I honestly thought I would sit there for ages waiting for something to happen. I got a message IMMEDIATELY: "Put us up." I thought I was just thinking that myself, but the message came through loud and clear a second and a third time: "UP!" So I moved around and lay on my back with my feet propped up against the chest of drawers.

After a few moments, I quietly asked them what words I should give them. Again, the answer came immediately. "Ready? Set! Go!" Came my answer. I remember shaking my head a little. I had been hoping for something a little deeper. I waited again, but the answer was the same. I asked what other words I could given them. That answer also came out loud and clear. "Be still."

I lay still for a little while longer, but my my feet did not. My toes would not stop wriggling. When I sat up I rubbed my hands over them again. Usually there is a place on the inside of my instep that is excruciating when it is rubbed. I instinctively moved my thumbs to that place. Nothing. No pain. For the first time I can remember, that spot didn't hurt at all. (I'm embarrassed to say that I even pushed really hard just to make sure!) Amazing. So I wrote their messages on my feet and then tucked them into cozy socks (because they asked me to.)

So what have I learned? I've learned that my feet are a whole lot more exuberant than I have given them credit for. They want to move. They want to wriggle. They want to race. They want to dance.

I'm listening. Today we are going to dance!!

So far it's been a very interesting experiment! I am going to keep working up. Tomorrow I am going to introduce myself to my legs. I wonder if they will have as much to say.

xo

"What would it be like if you reclaimed the wisdom of your body and learned how to trust its messages?" - Christiane Northrup, M.D.

18 comments:

boho girl said...

what an amazing way to connect to your body. i have chills...and tears at the thought of this.

i've only done this exercise with my womb but you are inspiring me to pay attention to all parts.

i want to kiss your feet.

loving you, meggie.
xoxo

daisies said...

how absolutely fabulous!! your feet are super cute and quite playful :) xo

Frankie said...

This is so gorgeous and magical. I love what you told your feet and I love what they told you in return. Their words are priceless and timeless and so utterly true. I love that you are listening. This made me think of a post I wrote over a year ago about my own feet and I thought I would share it with you: Ode to Feet.
Over this past summer I got the words "write your life, live your writing" tatooed on my foot in french. I think there's something lovely about these things that walk you through your life. I think there's something so beautiful about connecting with them. Can't wait to hear what comes next! xoxo

pERiWinKle said...

this is beautiful...and makes me excited!

Self care...that is all we have to do, hey? Don't you think...are you excited to know what the rest of your body is going to tell you? I am for sure.!

You inspire me! xx

Vivienne said...

wow! what a wonderful experiment meg! i love it.
and thank you for the grounding quotes!

bee said...

i have shivers....uncontrollable. this is just insanely powerful, what you're doing...my whole body is screaming me too....

i think i must fully clean my apartment (ie: sanctify it) and get to this as well...

meg, you ammmmmaaaaaaazzzze me.

xoxox

Moonroot said...

Just found your blog via Dancing Mermaid.
Glad I did. Wow - what a great idea! I am inspired to start dialoguing with the neglected parts of my body (hi feet!). Thank you for this.

enchantedartist said...

Outstanding!! I absolutely love this...I might have to try it too.


And look at your tootsies...they look so happy!

xx

Chloe said...

I’m so glad that you are writing about this, Megg. As I mentioned to you before, I’ve been doing body awareness exercises as well, but I haven’t used this one for some time. The first time I did it my reaction was the same as what you described. I heard the message so clearly that my eyes shot open and I just sat there completely stunned.

It’s wonderful how you listened and trusted what you were given, even if it wasn’t “deep” or profound in the way you expected (although, I don’t think it gets much more profound than “be still”). What smart feet you have!

Jennifer/The Word Cellar said...

This is a fascinating "experiment." I can't wait to hear what you learn next. Maybe I should start listening to all the parts of my body, as well.

Silvia said...

i wonder what it would be like if i reclaimed the wisdom of my body and learned how to trust its messages

you inspire me to listen more carefully to what my body needs, wants, knows.

thanks hon.
xox

tiny noises said...

Excellent!

I can't wait to hear what your legs say!

Colorsonmymind said...

Ok so first I was in awe of you and your bravery. I have a strange fear to sit sill and to connect to my body.

I thought maybe I should try this-then-no I can't do this....

Then by the end of the post I was giggling.

Now I am curiously ready to maybe talk to my feet tomorrow am. hee hee

You are wonderful and beautiful and so special.

Love you darling

mccabe said...

"put us up..."

WOW.
love this.
LOVE.

:)

mccabe x

Unknown said...

This is wonderful.
I too have tattoos on both of my feet. I have never taken the time to really listen to my body. For someone that feels connected, I am actually quite disconnected from what my body is saying.

caroline : my pocket said...

Oh! I can't tell you how relevant this is to me right now, just exactly what I needed to read. Thank you! Wonderful, wonderful post and I'm so happy you are reconnecting with your body. Love to you xoxo

Marilyn said...

My ankles often scream at me at night when I'm falling asleep. I lay there and think how wonderful it would feel to have them massaged. I *think* it...but don't do it...even though I learned long ago that I hold a lot of 'stuff' there. Louise Hay says (in "Heal Your Body") that ankles represent the ability to receive pleasure. I need say no more. ;) Megg, this 'exercise' you're doing with your body is very moving and quite inspiring. xoxo

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