Feeling the world with our feet

The Memories and Instinct:

                There is some sort of inherent need to move our bodies. It is most natural in all of us especially when we are children. To run, to play, to dance, to climb, to jump, frolic and leap. As children we can’t sit still, and then slowly our spirits and bodies get tamed.

                We grow up and put on shoes. All sorts of shoes, flip flops, sandals, sneakers, boots, high heels… it is then that we stop exercising our feet the way. They are just there, as an appendage. We use them day to day but do we ever think of them? The toes, the in-between the toes, the ball of the foot, the arch, the heel, the ankle…

                As a child I remember running through the jungles in India, cautious yet very care free. Running fast, wind in my hair, sand flying up behind me… Remember the time you walked barefoot on the beach, and the sand scrubs against the bottom of your feet, gently so. The waves wash over your feet, and you can wiggle your toes into the sand, and it slightly tickles.

                Climbing a tree, we can feel all the different textures of the bark. Using our feet to grasp, hug and cling to the tree limbs, almost monkey like. To dangle our feet from the tree and feel the breeze caress our bare soles. Climbing rocks, feeling the marble of the Taj Mahal under your feet, the hot desert sand, the furry dog. Go ahead take your shoes off, wiggle your toes, and stretch the feet!

                Now by habit we put on shoes before going out, we even wear them indoors. We wear shoes so often that wearing fresh socks is such an exhilarating sensation for our feet! Our shoes do protect us from getting our toes stubbed, protects our feet from all sorts of damages, apart from surviving many other functions. What is missing, however, in this foot-shoe relationship, is the connection between us and the environment. The shoe creates a gap between that. We stop feeling the world with our feet.

The Science:

                I read an article in Cleveland Fitness magazine about barefoot running, and how more people are doing it. It actually helps the feet grow stronger, more muscles are used in the entire body. There is less impact, because instead of striking the ground with the heel each time, you land on the mid to upper parts of the sole (excuse me for I do not know the exact terminology for parts of the foot). Of course barefoot running maybe painful; after so many years of wearing shoes our feet are so tender, soft and sensitive, that most rough and hard surfaces hurt our feet. So I would say start little at a time. However after reading the article I began running, with the thought in my head - heck I did this as a child, I should be able to run miles barefoot. Alas, my thinking was wrong, and to just run 3 miles barefoot on a trail is a bad idea, and can lead to injuries especially when those muscles have not been used in a while. So start by walking short distance, and then increasing slowly. Then jog, and then run, over a longer period of time. There are many videos online, and websites which talk about this, and studies have been done.

                After much research I also found anti-barefoot websites. Seemed like Shoes were the major religion, and barefoot was the anti-religion, it was rather odd to see such hatred against people who just choose not to wear shoes. On a tangent... aren't there tonnes of guys who work outdoors in the summer with no t-shirts on? How is not wearing shoes SUCH A BAD THING? Seems a little extreme. However I think we have done it before, we can try it again.

(for more reading: "Born to Run" - Christopher McDougall;
http://www.chrismcdougall.com/
http://www.barefootrunningbook.com/ ;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_running#Prominent_barefooters ;
http://therunningbarefoot.com/ ;
http://www.barefootrunner.com/ ;
http://www.barefoot-running.com/ ;
http://www.runbare.com/ ;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127134241.htm ;
http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm ;
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319--6728-0,00.html ;
http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/training/alternative/barefoot.asp ;
http://zenhabits.net/barefoot-running/ ;
http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/technology/4314401 ;
http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2010/01/28/shoeless_running_may_spare_feet/ ; http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/ ;
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-01/barefoot-running-study-finds-your-sneakers-are-unnatural ; http://ezinearticles.com/?Research-on-Barefoot-Running&id=4343746 ;
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-footstrike.html ;
http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-05/running-barefoot ;

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20100127/barefoot-running-laced-with-health-benefits ;
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runningworkouts/a/Barefoot-Running.htm ;
http://www.therunningfront.com/natural-running/beware-of-barefoot-running-injuries/ ;
http://www.foot-health-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17587

        

The Non-Shoe Shoe:

               The Vibram FiveFingers, a little over priced, but an awesome shoe with technology that makes being barefoot fun yet reduces the stress and pain of running barefoot for the first time. There are different types, with different amounts of support, and thickness of the sole. I tried them on and loved it, I was looking for new hiking/running shoes and settled for this. Although I should have started slowly, I kinda jumped into it, and now I'm taking it slowly, after reading about it a lot.

Barefoot:

             Finally, let's say you have urge to go hiking after work and you just don't have your shoes for some reason, go barefoot run on the grassy portions. Just go barefoot!

Mallika

Dearest Mallika,

They say, 'all things happen for a reason'; And 'tis under these circumstances that I finally get to tell you

how special you are to me, and how much of an impact you have had on my life.

As we now understand that human relationships are fickle, I also understand how they can be, in fact, timeless.

For although we are not connected by blood, I have always considered you closer than that, and and dearer than those who are connected by blood.

I remember when we first heard you were going to marry our beloved uncle; We made room for you in our hearts, which was challenging to do for we only had room for our Uncle. The little room we had for you however, grew and grew. 

You were not only my aunt, you were my role model, some one I looked up to, you were inspiring. You were like a mother at times, others a good friend, a mentor, a guide, and a teacher.

I remember I always wanted to be as beautiful as you, as strong as you, independent, like you I wanted to have the same haircut as you. You are a very powerful woman.

I want to be like you, in my own way however, but I will be just like you!

You always talked about how to be a strong woman, and that we must break away from stereotyped roles of women. You made us think, analyze and open our eyes to the world.

I remember you taught me and my sister about sexual intercourse, something NO ONE had dared to tell us about. I was an adolescent, and Piyali was a little younger. Ma couldn't find the strength within her to tell us before, and they don't teach us about it until 10th grade in school. You said that hiding such information at this day and age was ridiculous, with all the violence against women, rape and what not going on. You took us to the park as ma cried. You taught us about love, marriage, boys, sex, rape, and dating. THANK YOU SO MUCH for that very important life lesson.

You taught us how to be strong women. I remember your stance when in argument, and always sought your clarity in though and strength of voice when in an argument.You taught me, through your toughness, how to be stronger and to get things done. TO DO IT. 

You have helped me WANT TO prove myself... to be a stronger woman. To NOT SETTLE for anything less that what I want. To seek the best, always.

Over the years I saw how I could be girlie and feminine while being a tomboy!

How to guard ourselves, our hearts. How to be passionate about what we do. You were always so passionate, and enthusiastic about your work. You work very hard, always.

You taught me so many things; thank you.

I am glad the last time I was there we shared such a close moment. I realized that underneath my aunt's tough outer shell, she has the most tender, caring and loving heart. Our connection ran deeper, close to spiritual bond. I learned about how you are deeply spiritual, and have faith in love.

I love you so much Mallika. and I hope a small hiccup in such silly relationships humans create, that ours wont be broken.

To me you will always be my most beloved aunt in my heart and mind. Always.

You will always be my friend.

My mentor, my role model.

Your loving niece

Priyanka

Subha-Shaam

Longing for change
Longing for India


Longing for where the Earth is true
The sky is pure
Where the trees can talk
and the grass sings

Hoping for a place
Where we can be still
and quiet
where possessing is naught

Let's run barefoot
Through the jungle
Meeting all species of bird, beast, and flower
From dawn to dusk

Tango with the Tiger
Shimmy with the Saap
Leaping with the Cheetal
and gliding with the Garudas
Subha se shaam...

Waka waka

do u ever have a broken tape recorder in your head?

it just keeps playing the same song over and over again?

sometimes its a undesireable song, but it gets stuck.

maybe because u don't like it and then you are conscious of it and then you hear it for the whole day, sometimes a week - in your head.

even if you play your favorite song 50 times, the tape recorder in your head does not get the message and still plays the annoying song.

today i had this wierd shakira - fifa 2010 song stuck in my head- it is called "waka waka". i am not too much of a shakira fanatic, but she has some good songs, but i do like her less "pop" counterparts.

but she has a good fusion of latin america and middle eastern culture.... representative of immigration and history.

so waka waka eh eh... tsamina mina eh eh waka waka eh eh

tsamina mina a zangalewa (or something) were the lyrics...

so i googled and found out that the song was actually popular in the '80s (not sung by her) but by a cameroonian group.

"“Tsamina” or “Zangaléwa” is a 1986 hit song, originally sung by a makossa group from Cameroon called Golden Sounds who were beloved throughout the continent for their silly dances and costumes. The song was such a hit for Golden Sounds that they eventually changed their name to Zangaléwa, too.The song pays tribute to African skirmishers (a.k.a tirailleurs) during WW2. Most of the band members were in the Cameroonian Army themselves and used make up, fake belly and fake butt for comic relief. The song is still used today almost everywhere in Africa by soldiers, policemen, boy scouts, sportsmen and their supporters, usually during training or for rallying. It is also widely used in schools throughout the continent especially in Cameroon as a marching song and almost everyone in the country knows the chorus of the song by heart. The song was also popular in Colombia where it was known as “The Military” and brought to the contry by West African DJs.
The men in the group often dressed in military uniforms, wearing pith helmets and stuffing their clothes with pillows to appear like they had a swollen butts from riding the train and fat stomachs from eating too much. The song, music historians say, is a criticism of blackmilitary officers who were in league with whites to oppress their own people. Or at least, some of it was. The rest is Cameroonian slang and jargon from the soilders during the war."

(excerpt courtesy: http://buzzytimes.com/waka-waka-meaning-time-for-africa-the-original-version-video-waka-waka-tsamina/)

the words in the original song mean and in Shakira's song mean:

# Tsaminamina means Come.
# Waka waka means Do it – as in perform a task. Waka is pidgin language meaning walk while working.
# Tsaminamina zangalewa means where do you come from?.
# Wana means it is mine.
# Zambo means wait.

In the end i feel enlightened for having shakira's annoying waka waka song stuck in my head! Cameroon, Cote De Ivoire, sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana etc. they all seen hard times ...but this song is to better times.

Reflections in the River

I remember as a child there was a superstition, that one must never look at their reflection in water.
Yet it is lovely to sit and watch the images of life, and the world reflected in the river. Peaceful and flowing, showing us what we need to see. The green, the growth, the gifts of earth, and the glorious love that it all ignites within us. 

I was sitting on the banks of the East Branch of the Rocky River, with my friend Miles, we were actually looking for the Cerulean Warbler, but we wound up having a deep conversation about childhood, and the things we've been through in life, and how it has all shaped us. The river flowed, and the dragonflies dropped their eggs in the water, life was thriving... I was thriving... yet sometimes all of us feel dead. I looked back on my life, and looked at the world around me... history till now. Love and Hate, Joy and Pain, the Sunshine and the Rain... they have taught us so much over the ages, over time shaped us.


There have been hard times for us all, when we have faced something terrifying, something much larger than us. It humbles us, yet we can either choose to take that as a part of the learning process, or we can give up on ourselves, and be a victim. I do not know what your story is, but I survived, and I have learned. I grew strong; but I may not have the skin of an rhino, but my will is strong. Yet I know that others around me are fighting their own battles in life; some which maybe worse than the ones I have fought.



A new strategy, however, how about instead of fighting, but moving with the change. Let's go with it, of course it is situational, but the more resistance we put into something, the more energy we waste, so lets use these battles and turn them into something good... put positive energy into it and turn the bush into a rose bush. It will still have the thorns, but we will tend to them carefully.


Theoretical, Hypothetical, and Idealistic, yet we can hope. We can love. We can be happy. We can be. Life will then turn right-side-up and not left-side-down. For some reason I feel like I have read this before. However I write it now, from my heart.
I write it for me.
I write it because it is my reflection I saw in the river, without looking into it. I saw the green, I saw the water, I saw life, love, and nature... and in it, was me. I was calm and happy. I felt pain from my past, and the unknown adventures in the future, but in the now I saw me and I was happy just being Pree! 

hiking near the EBRR, Hinckley Reservation

Reflections: Perhaps the concept we know of from the beginning, for in everyone is a little bit of ourselves. However, sometimes we only become aware of it when someone points the very natural phenomenon out to us. Thank you for your reflections, river, mind, friends!






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