Foot Dysmorphic Disorder

[AUnloaphappone]

Hi ya

Why do people hate their feet so much?

Of course some people love their feet including myself.

I'm oftem amazed as soon as I say I practice reflexology, I bombarded by neurosis about feet, some of which are:

Disgusting
Smelly
Dirty
Ugly
I couldn't possibly have anyone touch my feet
How could you possibly touch feet
Or the classic: "I hate my feet so much I wish I could have them cut off!!!"

In the summer I work at festivals providing bodywork therapies. I tell potential clients that we wash their feet in a footbath with fresh lemons and limes before a foot massage or reflexology. But the client says they couldn't possibly as they have dirty feet, so I repeat the idea of the footbath again and sometimes even again, and then they decide to go for it.

With much thought I have decided that the feet in footwear relates to the deep, dank, humid, fungal underworld of human consciousness. The psychological shadow not to be entered into, and not see a beam of sunlight.

So what are your thoeries on why some people hate, dislike and even neurotic about feet?

The title "foot dysmorphic disorder" is something I put together. I may not be an accurate term, but it sounds good .

Best Wishes

Reiki Pixie

 

[Arvid Boome]

Ooohh, interesting post RP. I have come to focus more on my feet since spending a lot of time in India where it was customary to be barefoot a lot of the time, nearly always when indoors and often outdoors too in temples etc. I can remember rejoicing in being barefoot, really exulting in it - was I thereby able to absorb more of the earth's energy? And even if you trod in something unpleasant, you just washed it off.
So I reckon that this dysmorphic foot disorder which you posit is purely Western and goes along with our negation of all body parts that are not perfect ('how I hate my body' etc) and with our distaste for uncleanliness, which is fed and promoted by ads for antiseptic wipes etc. People are very namby pamby now (IMHO), it's as though we deny the foibles of the human body (wind etc).

Another thing to do with feet is that, in India again, one touches a superior's feet, whether guru or grandmother. The gurus feet especially (often described as lotus feet) are venerated. I was once told to focus on my guru's feet....Another teacher I know has the most beautiful little feet...oops, sounds as though I'm a foot fetishist!

Anyway, let's hear it for feet. We wouldn't get far without them!

Love
Sunanda x

 

[Johanna Curtisman]

That's an interesting question.
I've never really thought about it, but I suppose that as far as feet go, I don't mind mine - however, for someone to touch them (especially a stranger), my initial reaction is "Eeeew why would you want to do that??" & I wouldn't feel comfortable with it but I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it's a social/cultural norm that we picked up without realising it. My young neice thinks it's hysterical to tell you you've got "stinky feet!" (even though I don't lol) so maybe from a young age we subconsciously pick up that feet are smelly & dirty. Or maybe it's a natural, instinctual reaction as our feet (if we lived butt-naked in the woods as nature intended lol) would be the only thing that touched the ground & everything on it & therefore it's a survival instinct to think that feet are an unclean, no-go area.

Those are just my suggestions, but I really have no idea!

SS
x

 

[HFN]

Hi ya

Some great replies.

Culture has a lot to do with it. In Cornwall most people wear sandals and laugh at people with shoes on in the heat of the summer. Go to London people are still wearing shoes. I was asked this year on a course near London because I was wearing sandals, was I a "Guardian" reader?

In Thailand feet are considered dirty and earthy, and the head to be heavenly and divine. But yet foot massage is a big thing out there. You can go to a night market in Chiang Mai and sit amongst 30 people having there feet washed and massaged.

Best Wishes

Reiki Pixie

 

[Lucy C]

My girlfriend has lovely feet... and the toes taste fantastic!

 

[eric idle fan]

I've found that even people with the loveliest, smoothest feet are apprehensive as to what you will 'think' about their feet. They seem surprised when you tell them (truthfully) that you see a nicely kept, standard pair of feet. On the other hand (sorry!), there'll be people who plonk a pair of heavily calloused, battered, neglected tootsies in front of you and seem oblivious as to how they 'compare' with others. Men generally tend to be more relaxed about the appearance of their feet, though I haven't treated as many male clients yet. An interesting thread. Just wondering what others have noticed.

Best wishes,
Always Trying
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