What role do the anatomical features of our feet play in Tai Chi?
Our feet are such an integral part of our Tai Chi practice.
Their anatomy alone reveals 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons that link everything together to form each foot, the toes and the ankle joint. The Achilles tendon that anchors the ankle from behind is the strongest tendon in the entire body, allowing us to stand up, walk and push off from the forefoot and toes.
The soles of the feet also play a major role. They are the main sensory organ of the body, having over 200,000 nerve endings across them! Sensations such as pain, temperature, touch, pressure and proprioception are felt throughout our body as we move. In Tai Chi, our “active” feet engage a unique brain-foot connection through these sensations. Our spatial awareness, balance and co-ordination are enhanced and our parasympathetic nervous system is activated by the sensation of pressure or weightbearing. We push from the feet in almost every Tai Chi move we make! And as we have previously learned, this continued parasympathetic activation results in reduced pain, stress, improved focus, memory and even mood.
There are also over 250,000 sweat glands in our feet, allowing us to lose up to one cup of moisture a day as a result. A great way to release toxins when we generate good heat in Tai Chi!
The Bubbling Springs come alive in Tai Chi.
Many of us are already aware of the “Bubbling Springs” point of our feet located in the center of our sole just in front of the arch. This area is believed to be where we establish our “root” or connection to the earth. When this connection is made, the universal life force can then travel up to the lower dantian and move through the body’s meridians, improving our health.
How does this connection happen?
Our foot posture is what determines how effectively our body’s weight is distributed over the “Bubbling Springs”. When moving in Tai Chi, we need to be mindful of three points (“nails”) of balance in our feet; the ball of the foot, the heel and the big toe. By sinking our weight into the lower body over the full foot, we remain balanced over these points, activating this important connection. An upright, well aligned spine is necessary for this “root” foot posture to occur. The impact of proper footwear during practice should also be mentioned here. By ensuring we wear light, flat soled and wide enough shoes, we can ensure that our feet can feel these valuable pressure points available for improved energy and health.
We are grateful to Master Moy for sharing this wonderful Art that helps us to stay grounded and connect to the earth and life force!
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Translation by Jordi Awarita, Cathy Filion