ROOTED: feet on the ground
Our feet have an impact on our posture. Indeed, many back problems originate from how we stand on our feet. We often forget the importance of our feet and submit them to extra stress with inappropriate shoes compress them and change our stance (high heals are an example!), which impacts our posture.
Having strong and flexible feet, as well as having a balanced, aligned and rooted stance will be highly beneficial for our posture.
In yoga, the feet are the foundation of all the standing poses and are active in many other poses. Yoga helps to create strong, flexible feet and improves our posture from the bottom up. We learn to stand feet parallel and rooted (pressing down on the four corners of the foot: the big toe mound, little toe mound and both sides of the heel).
Moreover, learning to be rooted helps us to feel more connected to the Earth and to life. It stabilises and gives us courage.
Little exercise
Stand with your feet parallel and firmly rooted on the ground. Imagine that you have roots growing from your feet. With each inhale your roots bring you energy from the Earth. With each exhale your roots anchor and connect you deeper with the Earth.
Image: © 56breizh
Version française - voir /lancrage-nos-pieds-sur-la-terre/
