Walking in your shoes
This is the time of year we all put on shoes. Summer has flown by. Sandals have all been reluctantly put away. Autumn is in its full splendor!
By now, we have gone into our closets and searched for last years’ shoes. We slip our feet into what we wore last year. And perhaps those shoes have been with us for several years.
I have question for you: How did your feet and the rest of your body feel when you put on last years’ shoes, or those that are 2 , 3 or more years old?
Were you even aware of how you felt physically as you slipped into your Fall Footwear?
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Let’s explore: Choose one pair of shoes. How old are they? Think back to that time. Tune in on the physical plane. How were you feeling then? Were you feeling strong and physically able? Were you recovering from an injury or nursing discomfort? In your memory, scan your whole body. This is about more than your feet! Our shoes carry our imprint and if you had been compensating due to any number of reasons, you may just be walking back into that pattern!
Don’t be surprised if some emotions come up as you scan back in time with those shoes. Here’s a reminder: Then was then. Now is now!
Moving in to the present moment, what is going on right now? How do you feel physically, right now?
Continuing this exploration about you and one pair of shoes, put them on. Reflecting upon the previous questions, scan your body once again as you walk around. Are you comfortable? How does your body feel? Are your feet happy?
If your answer to yourself is “Yes”, wonderful! An answer of “No” leaves a new space in your closet or gives you an excuse to freshen up your pedal wardrobe!
Awareness is the key. Try this with all your shoes. With winter around the corner, tune in to your boots as well!
I am NOT saying to get rid of all your shoes! I AM saying that it is an interesting exploration with which to spend a little time. Don’t hold on to shoes just because you think you can eke one more season out of them! Your feet and the rest of your body will thank you!
The intersection of awareness and the body
Few people are as aware of their bodies as professional dancers are.
Not necessarily aesthetics, but the ‘mechanics,’ the function and feedback. Their bodies are not only their source of vitality and expression, but their livelihoods, and therefore need to be respected, maintained, and healed. We can all take lessons from their awareness and rejuvenation.
BetsyAnn Baron has a unique view of body awareness, as a former soloist with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Her own experiences with injury and healing led her to the next phase of her life, that of a massage therapist and Structural Integrator. She also developed and teaches Structural Myofascial Therapy®
Quotes
“You know, you work through the injuries . . . you do it because you cannot NOT do it.”
“I just felt so in the “Is-ness” place. The place of “Is”. I just WAS. And isn’t that the goal – to kind of be in the Is place?”
“Positive attitude. Positive energy. Nobody likes to be around frowns and that negative heaviness – that energy’s thick.”
What You Will Learn
- Unlearn some of the things done to our body.
- Structural Integration as a way to reset your body to restore health, wellness, and vitality.
- Just because we get older, that does not mean that we have to deteriorate.
Connect with Daniel Christofferson
Holistic High Performance