Cairo, the 14th March, 2010

The feet

The feet were such a huge thing on my treap to India for many reasons.
Mostly because I spent almost the whole time bare footed. Temple access - hindus, sikhs, muslims - have a very strict NO SHOES policy and I love walking with my feet on the ground, anyway...

In India, the feet have a strong symbolic charge.
For one side, they represent humbleness and everybody seems to kiss the feet of the elders or the ones one consider superior age wise or sageness wise.
For other side, feet are associated with the lowest of the caste indian system. Different parts of the body are associated with a specific caste (like, for instance, the head is associated with the highest caste which is composed by the religious Brahmans)and the feet are really the lowest of the lowest also due to their closeness to the ground-material as opposed to the more spiritual colour indians give to human upperbody.

In fact, this is all a very complex mythological system full of meanings and subtle nuances but, for me, the feet remain the most important part of my body.
They remind me of my material existence, my fragile human condition and my constant need for simplicity.
They also connect me directly to Mother Earth and there's no real spirit without the awareness of that connection.