Happy Earth Day! Somehow, one day only to celebrate the Earth doesn’t feel like enough. I always say the same thing about Mother’s Day; don’t we deserve more than one day of celebration a year?
So how about this time around we celebrate the Earth for a week? In that week, I’d like to share a few fun, nourishing practices that celebrate both the Earth and Mothers. After all, there’s a reason we call Her “Mother Earth;” she’s the Mama of mamas!
Today let’s start with a simple foot massage. Before you even hop on the yoga mat (or maybe before you jump out of bed!), give your feet a little love. A foot massage with or without oil can be done seated on the ground or on a chair or the couch.
It’s also nice to roll the sole of the foot around on a ball. We don’t have any tennis balls lying around, so I’ll just use this plastic one that the baby plays with. Maybe you’ll find another toy lying around that doubles as a good foot massage tool:)
Last, I like to stretch my toes wide apart, then scrunch them up. I alternate back and forth a few times. It can also be nice to interlace your fingers with your toes if it feels hard to stretch your toes apart.
When I stand up, I might shift my weight forward and backward, then side-to-side, and then come to stillness to see how my body weight comes down through my feet. Do I feel more weight towards the balls of my feet or my heels? What happens when I bend my knees slightly? Or when I alternate between tucking and untucking my pelvis?
Finally, I take a few deep breaths and imagine my exhale traveling down my body all the way into the soles of my feet as they rest on the ground. If I don’t feel that, I might sigh or breath out my mouth while dropping my jaw.
How’s that for a yogic way to say hello to the Earth? Years ago, when I was teaching yoga and doing massage I often talked about how I loved that I could be barefoot for my whole work day (hence all the foot pics I post on my Instagram, haha! I love my feet:). Now as a stay-at-home mom, I might say the same thing (did you notice in the pictures above, my feet are a little dirty? Hello, hardwood floors, crumbs, and messes!).
So, on Earth Day, I invite you to connect with Mother Earth by giving your feet some love and attention. Then, throughout the day, notice how your feet rest on the Earth and imagine that She is supporting you.
Jai Ma!