Today was my second appointment with her to examine my right foot after my accident last December. The funny thing is, I hadn’t realized how awful my posture had gotten until she pointed out that the reason I was feeling pain was because I was unsatisfied in other aspects of my life. She said that people continually posed the question,  How can you work with feet everyday? And she replies, Well, it’s not as if I work with simply feet. There are people connected to those feet–complete with emotions and practicalities. To further explain her reasoning, she determined that I was probably unhappy or uncertain with my decision to study abroad, or perhaps another important decision in my life, and that I must choose a path and follow through with full force. Something within my mental and emotional health is or was affecting my physical health. She pointed out that a person is not made of merely emotions or mental capacities, a person is a complete being. When one of those parts is tense, other parts are stressed as well.

Numerous people feel pain, particularly in their feet, when they are discontented with their careers, families, romance. Feet are the parts of our body that touch the ground, that provide support. More than an appointment (which was gratuit, or as she said volontiers!), I received some handy life advice. It felt as if she was psychoanalyzing me in front of my eyes, but she is such an expert with feet, and was explaining their relevance to the body in a grander sense, that I was mystified. She inspired me enough that this may be the basis for my tattoo. I know nothing about reflexology, yet I know that it is traditionally a significant symbol to the oldest religions, such as Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism. One of the reasons we leave our shoes at the door of temples (and of course, Asian homes!). Impurity and materialism are stripped (along with the dirt and grime of the city…), as the home is also a symbol of centralism and comfort.

Thus, I was instructed by Barbara de Luze in Beaubourg, to walk with confidence, to take strides with purpose, and to internally think about what is troubling me, stressing me, causing me pain… and the rest is simple. The rest will fall into place.

“The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.” – Buddha