👐 Hands and Feet 👣– the Often Forgotten Foundations of Our Practice
In yoga, we often focus on the breath, alignment, or inner awareness.
But what about our hands and feet?
They carry, support, balance, and connect — quietly doing their work in the background.
But what about our hands and feet?
They carry, support, balance, and connect — quietly doing their work in the background.
Our feet are our foundation.
They root us in standing poses, give us stability and strength — both on the mat and in life.
Yet they spend most of the day hidden in shoes, barely moving, rarely noticed.
They root us in standing poses, give us stability and strength — both on the mat and in life.
Yet they spend most of the day hidden in shoes, barely moving, rarely noticed.
Our hands reach, hold, carry, and touch — connecting us to the world around us.
In yoga, they become expressions of energy, intention, and grounding.
And still, we rarely give them the care or awareness they deserve.
In yoga, they become expressions of energy, intention, and grounding.
And still, we rarely give them the care or awareness they deserve.
In this practice, we invite you to bring awareness to your hands and feet.
To feel them, activate them, mobilize them —
and finally honor them for all they have quietly supported.
To feel them, activate them, mobilize them —
and finally honor them for all they have quietly supported.
Because: What we feel, we can align. And what we honor, grows stronger.
Yoga and Kneipp:
Stimulating your feet 👣 by walking on different surfaces is beneficial for your whole body and strengthens your immune system.
In this way, your brain also reconnects with your often-forgotten feet and gives them some much-needed nourishing attention.
Stimulating your feet 👣 by walking on different surfaces is beneficial for your whole body and strengthens your immune system.
In this way, your brain also reconnects with your often-forgotten feet and gives them some much-needed nourishing attention.
Clapping with hands and fingers activates our muscles and fascia;
the vibration travels through the arms all the way to the shoulders — can you feel it?
the vibration travels through the arms all the way to the shoulders — can you feel it?
In summer, in front of beautiful lavender fields. 💜 🎵 (Music: Les Cigales de Provence)
Gentle, effortless movement of the hands, wrists, and fingers keeps them fit and flexible. Move them softly and freely. Just make sure your whole body stays relaxed and upright.
How do your arms and shoulders feel? Has your breathing changed? Close your eyes for a moment, consciously relax each finger, and let your breath flow.
A summer night beneath majestic, evergreen pine trees.
How do your arms and shoulders feel? Has your breathing changed? Close your eyes for a moment, consciously relax each finger, and let your breath flow.
A summer night beneath majestic, evergreen pine trees.
Chin Mudra – A Gesture of Presence 👌🏼
Chin Mudra is a hand mudra – a symbolic gesture.
By gently touching the tips of your index finger and thumb,
a small circle is formed.
By gently touching the tips of your index finger and thumb,
a small circle is formed.
Energy flows within this circle,
supporting focus, clarity, and presence in the here and now.
It can act as a symbolic anchor – steady and grounding.
supporting focus, clarity, and presence in the here and now.
It can act as a symbolic anchor – steady and grounding.
The index finger represents the individual self, the ego.
The thumb stands for the greater whole, the universal.
Touching both can gently reconnect ego and unity,
The thumb stands for the greater whole, the universal.
Touching both can gently reconnect ego and unity,
bringing a sense of harmony, calm, and centeredness —
not only in meditation🧘♀️
Breathe gently in through your nose and softly press the backs of your hands together.
As you exhale gently through your nose, roll your hand backs so that the nails of your four fingers touch, and the insides of your thumbs meet, forming a beautiful heart.
Feel the warmth of your heart and share a delightful smile with yourself and others. 😊
As you exhale gently through your nose, roll your hand backs so that the nails of your four fingers touch, and the insides of your thumbs meet, forming a beautiful heart.
Feel the warmth of your heart and share a delightful smile with yourself and others. 😊
Relaxation Principle:
Actively tense a muscle for 5-10 seconds,
then relax it for 10–20 seconds and notice the relaxation.
Example: muscle relaxation in the toes.
Actively tense a muscle for 5-10 seconds,
then relax it for 10–20 seconds and notice the relaxation.
Example: muscle relaxation in the toes.
🦶✨ Exercise: Foot Pump and Foot Circles
Lie comfortably on your back, perhaps with a pillow under your head, hips, or/and knees. Feel your breath flowing. You may place a hand on your belly and notice how it rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
Lift your legs gently, as high as is comfortable for you, keeping your knees relaxed. Your jaw is relaxed. Close your eyes if you like and notice how you feel. Feet above the heart relieve the heart, as this activates venous return.
If it feels good, move your feet up and down at your own rhythm. This foot pump supports venous return and mobilizes the foot joints and toes if you move them consciously.
You can also make circles with your feet — both in the same direction, inward or outward, in a figure 8, or simply waving them.
Can you rotate one foot clockwise and the other counterclockwise?
Can you rotate one foot clockwise and the other counterclockwise?