Step On It - Ice Cream for the Soul by Joy Koenig, MD - Personal Growth, Wellness, Healthy Lifestyle, Meditation, Inspiration

STEP ON IT!
CATEGORY

        Mindful Meditation

DESCRIPTION

        Relax your whole body by relaxing your feet.

INSTRUCTIONS

        Remove your shoes and walk around in your socks for a minute or two. Now sit down, take off your socks, wriggle your toes around, and stretch your feet in all directions. While you are doing this, take some slow, deep breaths. Next, put some lotion or oil on your hands to reduce skin friction, and slowly and gently apply the lotion to your ankles and feet. You can work on one foot at a time, or one hand on each foot.

        Now, work from your ankles toward the toes, and massage and loosen any tight places you find. Use your fingers to trace between all the tendons from your ankle to the places between your toes. Now focus on the soles of your feet. Run your fingers or thumb up and down the length of the sole. Notice any places that feel like crispy rice cereal, and spend some extra time there. Notice but don't dwell on any thoughts, feelings or sensations you experience. After you've massaged both feet, notice how the rest of your body feels.

         If you want, find a foot reflexology book and look up the places you felt discomfort or crunchiness. Is the tension just in your foot (entirely possible!) or does it reflect problems elsewhere -- symbolically or physically?

        Before putting your socks back on, use your fingers to spell fun words on the bottom of your feet. If you have ticklish feet, try using firmer pressure, or leave your socks on to reduce skin friction instead of using lotion.

RELATED IDEAS

        Treat yourself to a professional pedicure or reflexology session.

JOY'S JOURNEY

       It is easy -- and appropriate -- to dismiss other people's personal experience with an unproven modality. After all, science has shown that our power of belief has a tremendous impact on something being effective. However, it's difficult to ignore our own experience with something, especially when we approach it with a skeptical attitude.

        I was giving a foot massage to someone, and stumbled across a crunchy place. I smiled and said, "Hmm. According to ancient tradition this area represents the heart -- but you're too young to have heart disease already!" She laughed and told me that she indeed was on medication for her heart.

       Another time, someone was lying face down with their eyes closed, and as I pulled strings of energy from the bottoms of his feet, I thought "This feels so stupid. It has to be nonsense. I can't believe I'm doing this!" Seconds later, and much to my surprise, he said, "Wow! What are you doing? It feels like you're pulling strings of black spaghetti out of my feet." At best, all he could have felt was an occasional light touch on the bottom of his feet. He had never done a Reiki session before, and couldn't know I was visualizing the energy as strings.

       Perhaps only coincidences, but these unsolicited comments always surprise me, and remind me to keep my mind open to new possibilities. Far from proving anything, this feedback simply helps me keep an open mind, and fuels my desire to conduct scientific research on this type of health technique. There is no reliable and objective way to measure our "chi" or "energy" yet, and I'm hoping someday there will be a way.
QUOTES

If you haven't changed your mind lately,
are you sure you still have one?
Unknown

One who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints.
Proverb

A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Unknown

I can't be funny if my feet don't feel right.
Billy Crystal

Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.

This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.