Feel the Earth Under Your Bare Feet

The following is part of  a series of posts detailing the information in my free download: 26 Ways to Prepare Your Heart for Birth.

If you are anything like me, you are ready for winter to be over!  Thank goodness, Spring is right is around the corner.  It is time to get out of your shoes and let your feet breathe.  Get them out in the sunshine and wiggle them around. They have spent too much time bundled up in boots, and covered in shoes and socks.

 "Wait a minute, Meggan, What in the world does this have to do with preparing for labor?"  you ask. 

Hang in there with me, you'll see.

Our feet are the unsung heroes of pregnancy.  They carry us around all day long. We stuff them into shoes, boots, high heels and rarely give them time to stretch out.  They get swollen and ache with the extra weight of your precious baby.  They are the forgotten soldiers. Forgotten, that is until they hurt and cry out for relief! 

So with the first day of Spring later on this week, let's celebrate by honoring your feet!  Give them some extra love and tlc this week. Take off your shoes. Stretch out your toes.  Roll them on a tennis ball.  Splurge, and get a pedicure.

Once you've liberated your feet and shown them your appreciation for all their hard work. Get outside.  Walk around in your yard. Feel as many different surfaces as you can: cement, grass, gravel, smooth rocks etc.  As you are walking around, let your feet sink into the earth.  Close your eyes and feel this connection to the ground.  So often our experience of the Earth is with a thin (or thick) sole between our skin and the ground.  Allow your body to be connected fully to the Earth, and feel the strength and grounding that this brings. 

Rest here. 

Breathe.

Quiet your mind.

Notice the different sensations your feet are feeling (sharp, cold, prickly, tickling, soft, etc.).  Do not judge them, just notice them.
Let it be.
Let the ground support you. 

Offer up a prayer of gratitude for the strong body that you have and for the baby you are growing.

And thank your feet for everything they do!

If you want more information about how to care for your beloved feet, check out Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief,  or Whole Body Barefoot by Katy Bowman.  (Even if your feet don't hurt, this is a great book for preventative foot care!)

What is your favorite barefoot activity?

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photo credit: jjay69 via photopin cc