I'm going to get really vulnerable here for a minute. I want to illustrate the power of the feet and their ability to hold on to the pain of our traumas and the miracle of transformation and healing that takes place when someone creates a safe space for us to be heard. This story alone is why I'm so passionate about the work I do. In January of 2018 I called a friend of mine that I've known for several years for a ride home from a pub. My usual 2 glasses of wine were hitting me harder than normal and it felt safer than calling an Uber. It wasn't. He raped me. The top picture are my toes 3 days after that incident. They were inflamed, hot to the touch, they literally looked like they were boiling with rage, seething. Most of the toes are not even touching the ground. This is a woman who desperately wants off from this earth. When being in the body feels too painful, the toes will literally lift off the ground, a physical manifestation of a spirit trying to leave the body. There's only 8 days between the pictures. It was during those 8 days that I attended several reflexology classes. During one class in particular, (Auriculotherapy, reflexology of the ear) I was asked to contribute my experience about something completely unrelated to this and I just kept saying how angry I felt but couldn't understand why. My teacher/mentor Cheryl came over to me and somewhat like a playground bully, she began poking me in the shoulder, egging me on, "Come on Erin, you want to hit me?" Now, Cheryl and I had developed a beautiful, supportive rapport over the course of my program so I knew I could trust her fully, even though I had no idea what she was up to. But this woman holds mad, magical space for healing, so I just stood there letting her get under my skin. She grabs a bolster pillow to her midsection and keeps bullying me...the next thing I know I'm up out of my chair punching her with everything I've got, and then I'm kicking at her, screaming, a classroom of students looking on. At this moment I leave my body and am looking on in awe at the situation unfolding around me. I feel so much love and support. I suddenly am aware that I absolutely do not want to hurt this beautiful soul standing strong in my corner. I turn away from her and with my bare feet start kicking the wall. This experience lasts maybe 5 minutes, I don't know. The bottom picture speaks for itself. This is the very nature of toe reading. Put simply, our toes hold the stories and traumas of our life. If I hadn’t been given the safety and support to move this experience out of my body, that trauma would start to grow. It would infiltrate my cells, my organs, my entire being. Something like this left unattended has the capacity to birth cancer in a person. This is the healing power of the human body. This is the power you hold inside of you, every minute of every day. Yes, YOU are that powerful! Not all shifts are this extreme, but they are all equally profound and powerful. A simple change in thinking has the power to move your life in a completely different direction. All it takes is one question to get you wondering, remembering, curious about that one thing you thought was over. The body remembers. When it is time to look at it again, nothing can stop the energy from moving. Your spirit longs for peace and freedom. You are always on the path towards that. Trust yourself. Trust your body. Trust your feet. They are not ugly or deformed, they are showing you something that is ready to heal. Give them grace. Love them as much as you can. After all, they carry you through each day. All my gratitude friends, Erin Christine Ps…how have you loved your feet today? Please share in the comments.