This is an exercise in distinguishing the states of doing and being.
We are so used these days to just being in doing mode,
Do,
Do,
Do all the time and sometimes we lose sight of what just being feels like.
Just being,
Just existing without needing to do anything.
Without needing to be anywhere,
Be anything to anyone.
Just being.
So this exercise will help to point out a distinction and help us to transition from doing into being.
I'd like you to start by thinking about your feet.
Without looking at your feet,
Just think about your feet.
What thoughts come to mind?
It might be things like,
Ooh these shoes shouldn't have worn these.
It might be judgement about your feet.
I've got chubby feet,
I've got skinny feet.
It might be judgement about the shape of your feet.
You might like your feet,
You might not like your feet.
You might have bunions,
You might be thinking about your bunions,
Thinking,
Oh I shouldn't wear heels today or I wish I hadn't worn heels the other day.
What thoughts do you have about your feet?
Any problems with them maybe?
Or maybe even how useful they are?
Just spend a minute thinking about your feet.
I know this is strange but I promise it will make sense.
Thank you.
And now allow your awareness to go into the feet and actually be inside your feet.
What do you notice?
You can start by noticing the contact with the floor.
Your feet touching the floor.
It could be through the shoes or through the socks.
But notice that contact.
And what it feels like.
You could try moving your feet from back to front,
From side to side and change that sensation.
See how the sensation moves?
See how the pressure changes?
And in the same way you could notice your heel,
Your toes,
The sides and the tops of your feet.
What sensations are there?
Are they warm,
Are they cold?
Can you feel your shoes around them?
Or can you feel the air if you're barefoot?
Do you notice anything on the skin?
Any itching?
Tingling?
And what about tension in the muscles?
Can you go inside your feet with your awareness and become aware of all the tiny little bones?
And now I'd like you to scrunch up your feet.
Just clench them really tight and feel how the sensations have changed.
Feel the tension in the muscles,
Feel the tension in the toes.
Feel the tightness,
Feel the pressure and how maybe the sensations are travelling up your legs as well into the ankles,
Into the calves.
Just spend a few moments clenching your feet and being aware of what that feels like,
Being aware of all the sensations.
And now release and what has changed?
Is the temperature changing?
What do you feel in your muscles?
What do your toes feel like?
What do your feet as a whole feel like?
How are the sensations moving?
And finally from your feet expand your awareness to the whole of your body.
The contacts with the chair,
The movement of breathing and all of the sensations in your body including areas of warmth,
Cold,
Areas of tension and areas of relaxation.
How your face feels,
How your hands feel,
How your back feels and your head,
Your neck,
Your arms,
The pace of your breathing.
And just what it feels like to be you right now.
What it feels like to be alive in this body,
In this space,
Inhabiting this body and this space.
This is you being.
Anytime you want you can just come back to pure being.
It's always available to you.
Thank you for being with me.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
