Find your foundations

Trees are the silent giants all around us, with beautiful trunks, branches, leaves, twiglets, birds perching, wind rustling. The roots are the invisible foundation, the part of the tree that is unseen, and often unconsidered. Even when you trip over a tree root when walking next to a big tree, it feels separate, not like an integral part.
 
Of course the roots are essential, and often overlooked.
 
Our feet are in a similar position. They are our foundation, our support and yet they are wrapped up and perhaps neglected somewhat.
 
The encumbrances we overlay on our feet are physical and mental. We bundle them up in socks and shoes and are surprised when don’t thrive and develop problems. We think about our feet but don't fully and vibrantly feel them and embrace them as an integral part of ourselves. They are often an after thought. And of course we can do very well without them, but if we are lucky enough to have them, then they are part of our whole. 
 
Yoga is a wonderful chance to set the feet free and invite them to do what they do best - support us unencumbered and fully integrated.
 
I know some like to wear socks to yoga, and there are many reasons why this can be a good idea, skin conditions etc. Yet bare feet has a vibrancy to it. Feet are designed to feel texture and temperature, to spread out and connect to the ground, and to be responsive to all that they encounter.
 
My teacher used to joke that doing yoga in socks was a bit like taking a shower with your pants on. Fine, but not quite as effective and refreshing :-)
 
My feet were the butt of many a joke when I was a kid. They are short and wide, with toes the same length - not really optimum. But we all have what we’ve got, and we make the best of it. The orthotics I was prescribed didn’t help and were uncomfortable. The orthopaedic surgeon suggested breaking a bone or two and resetting my foot at a better angle (no thank you).  But actually, the thing that made the difference in the end was barefoot yoga. Using my feet unconstrained and given them the chance to do what they were designed to do.
 
I’m sure yoga is also why I didn’t get the predicted bunions until my 50s. And now a couple of compensatory exercises help keep my feet pain-free.
 
We are working with Tree Pose  in my classes this term which is a very feet-centred pose. It has has something to offer everyone, no matter how steady or wobbly your balance is at the moment and there are many stages to the pose to support and develop stability. 
 
Being foot-centred doesn’t mean we need to ‘do’ anything extra with the feet intentionally. Gripping or bracing the foot may even be counterproductive. Let the feet relax. Feel your feet from within, rather than thinking about them from your head down. Invite them to connect to the sensations of the ground pressing in to them, and feel them spread out rather than grip in.
 
Enter the initial stages of the pose with a sense of curiosity, shifting our weight over, whether or not balance is available. The foot over time will figure out what to do. To wake up and do what it is designed for, without the shoes and socks. Invite rather than ‘will’ the foot to support the pose and openly notice what happens. Do you tense up? In the foot? In your neck? Are you holding your breath? All these habits that show up in our practice are often helpful to notice and explore further. 
 
It is true, practice will help our balance. Just like when we were toddlers, and it took practice to balance on two feet.
 
If your new to balancing or find it hard or intimidating, consider yourself the toddler that will figure it out given the opportunity. Practice standing more on one foot than the other daily with bare feet and notice the change that happens. If your more experienced and enjoy the challenge of feeling rooted and extended at the same time, experiment at the different heights available in Tree Pose as they all offer different explorations.
 
And any frustration you find in your balance is simply an optional extra that we can choose not to invite along.