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One of the most popular mindful awareness practices (MAPs) that I teach is “Feet and Seat.” Leaders like it because it’s easy and instantly calming. I like sharing it not only because mindfulness teachers like Sharon Salzberg recommend it, but a research study confirmed that it works.

On a six-week mindfulness retreat I sat in 2001, Sharon said that it might sound simplistic, but the best thing to do when you’re upset is to feel your feet on the floor. I remember thinking, “That’s ridiculous. It’s too simple.” A few days later, I was taking a shower and feeling incredibly sad. I missed my life and my freedom. At certain points, a long retreat is sheer bliss. At other times, it feels like prison because you’ve got very little control over much of anything.

I was so upset and lonely in the shower, but at some point, I remembered Sharon’s suggestion. Leaving my sad thoughts behind, my awareness took the elevator to the bottom floor. Yep, there’s my feet. They were wet and slippery. The old tile floor was slippery and wet, too. Nothing profound. Just sensations of being alive.

My upsetting thoughts hadn’t stopped. But wet feet on wet tile won out. Simple sensations blandly filled the foreground of my mind and calmed me down while sadness brewed in the background. My choice was clear: being upset or being.

It wasn’t easy to stay focused on my feet. There’s not much excitement in cool, slippery pressure when the theater next door is playing heartache and terror. So, I had to gently return awareness to wet feet. It was an effective way to pull my mind out of overdrive and get calm.

The Instructions
Here’s how Feet and Seat works. Sit in a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Focus on one foot. Move your awareness across the bottom of the foot for a few seconds while sensing the pressure, temperature, and vibration in it. Repeat the scan on your other foot. Notice how one foot feels different from the other. Now, focus your awareness on both feet simultaneously. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, let your feet be heavy and sink into the floor.

Next, notice that you’re sitting in a chair. Move the awareness into the back of your legs where they contact the chair. Move your awareness up the backs of your legs, across your seat, and up your back to the point where it no longer contacts the chair. Sense the pressure, temperature, and vibration in the back side of your body, your seat. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, let your seat be heavy and sink into the chair.

If possible, expand your awareness to hold your feet and seat simultaneously, or if you prefer, you can hold awareness of just one. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, let your feet and seat be heavy and sink down.

The Research
Nirbhay Singh and colleagues conducted a study on the effects of feet awareness (Individuals with Mental Illness Can Control their Aggressive Behavior Through Mindfulness Training, Behavior Modification, Vol. 31, No. 3, 313-328, 2007). They selected three people who were frequently readmitted to a psychiatric hospital because of anger management problems. They taught the individuals to shift their attention and awareness from any anger-producing situation to the soles of their feet, a neutral point on their body. After learning the feet mindfulness technique, the three individuals showed no physical aggression and very low rates of verbal aggression over four years of follow-up.

The Application
Here are some ideas about when you could use Feet and Seat:

• Throughout the work day for five to ten seconds to calm yourself.
• During a difficult conversation with a direct report or your boss to help you stay neutral.
• For longer periods of silent mindfulness practice, for example 10 minutes at the beginning of your day or during your lunch break.

I’d love to hear your questions or comments about this technique. Email me here.

If you want to learn more about training you mind to lead, consider attending a one-day retreat or sponsoring a retreat in your organization. The October 17th retreat in Albuquerque has four spaces left; click here for retreat information.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, you can listen to or download a 10-minute guided exercise on breath awareness here.

Thanks so much for subscribing to the ezine.

Best wishes,
Suzanne

Suzanne Kryder, Ph.D.
P.O. Box 35429
Albuquerque, NM 87176 USA
505.232.8433

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