Feet Foot
Your basic psychological support system, therefore the attitudes and ideals you use to get around in the world. Feet are also your ability to balance. Where you place your feet in the dream can also indicate whether you feel secure in your present life situation, or whether you are finding conditions, ‘footholds’, to advance or make changes.
In the bible it says, “The feet are symbols of desire. They must be bare: drawn out of everything temporal and mortal.” This suggests that our feet can represent our desire or motivation, and to take our shoes off means we are willing to drop our own purpose and follow the urge from our core instead of desires for things that pass away. The feet may therefore indicate your involvement in all things physical, and all the beliefs and viewpoints that are dependent upon it. (The Bible can be seen as collected folk wisdom that is venerated, and so can be disconnected with any religious organisation).
To dream of feet might also suggest your sensitivity to your present life situation, whether it is rough going or not.
Our feet can sometimes be linked with roots, in that we stand upon the earth with them. As such they are the way the lowest or most primitive in us is transformed, just as roots lift up earth in the process of transforming it into living cells.
As the idioms below suggest, we mention feet a lot in our everyday language to indicate attitudes, motivation or lack of it, and how well or badly we are coping in life and relationships.
Barefooted; To be in contact with reality, your real life situation. Might also suggest rough going if walking is hard. Of course, in some cultures it could mean poverty.
Loss of foot or feet: Incapacitated in making moves, or in being independent or self-motivated; in the Oneirocritica, c.AD 350, it says that to lose ones feet points to a barrier in regard to a planned journey.
Muddy feet: This suggests that you are mired in attitudes that are very material or very practical and have lost sight of your other dimension of being.
Washing feet: Is not only a sign of caring for yourself or being cared for, but is also a statement offering you a new life that is free of the worries and fears of the everyday physical world.
Example: When I asked how it could be possible that such love could be a part of my life I wept as I received the response. It was that we must learn to wash somebody’s feet. I felt this very deeply. I saw that it wasn’t simply a case of taking a flannel, a piece of soap and washing off the dirt from someone’s feet. That is not what it is about. That is not what it’s supposed to be.
To touch such love is painful and I was weeping as if in agony. What is it to wash somebody’s feet? I don’t understand. I am listening but I don’t understand. I feel it but I cannot grasp clearly what is meant.
Then I was told that the person who washes somebody’s feet is the servant. You have to realise, first of all, that you are a servant. You are nothing more. You are not proud, you are not above somebody else. You are a simple servant of life. And yet you are life – that grand mystery of life. Like the grass, life can be trodden under foot. You have to realise that before you can really touch anybody with that great love.
Idioms: back on your feet; caught flatfooted; cold feet; drag your feet; fancy footwork; feet of clay; footloose; grass grow under; itchy feet; jump in with both feet; heavy foot; land on your feet; put my foot down; put your foot in it; pussy-foot around; put your best foot forward; put your foot in your mouth; set foot in; shoot yourself in the foot; sweep you off your feet; take a load of your feet; two left feet.
Useful Questions and Hints:
Do any of the idioms suit the situation in the dream – if so what does it suggest?
If my foot or feet are damaged, in what way is my ability to progress or ‘stand’ in waking life difficult?
Am I in good or difficult ‘standing’ in my life – if difficult can I imagine changing it?
See Associations Working With; Inner World; Techniques for Exploring your Dreams
Comments
I dreamt that someone was washing my feet, and there were others around us. I could not recognised faces although the room in the dream was bright.
Dear Alison – As this article explained too, having your feet washed is not only a sign of caring for yourself or being cared for, but is also a statement offering you a new life that is freer of the worries and fears of the everyday physical world.
I think it will be helpful to you to become more aware of what is going on in your inner world too, so please read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/self-observation/
Anna 🙂
I dreamt that my feet were cut off by myself using scissors. Each foot cut off had two different scenes and I did not feel pain cutting it.
Joebert – Walking usually depicts personal effort, making your own way at your own pace. The conditions or surroundings where you are walking suggest what you feel about that, and the situation of your personal life.
The loss of your feet symbolises that you are feeling incapacitated in making moves, or in being independent or self-motivated; in the Oneirocritica, c.AD 350, it says that to lose ones feet points to a barrier in regard to a planned journey.
Perhaps you can ask yourself the question why you do not want to move on in your (inner) life?
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/personal-growth/
Anna 🙂
I had dream last night that my left foot felt a little funny so I played with it a bit on top of it, I then found I had opened it a bit and pulled something out of it…..then for the rest of the dream I kept pulling layers of bark, wooden things etc out of it till it was completely open and just a layer of muscles meat and skin were lining the inside of my foot..I was showing ppl but continued to walk on it which felt odd as I was aware it was loose and mostly empty/rubbery….odd..
Natalie – I feel your dream is about the process of letting go or releasing ideas/beliefs which no longer serve you in your (inner) life.
In general, wood represents ideas, opinions, habits, that have become a fixed part of your nature – symbolised by your left foot in your dream. See also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/left/
Just as the tree is originally green and supple but becomes hard and fixed as solid wood, so our opinions and attitudes, as they develop, are first pliable, then often become rigid. In which case, unless these habits and ideas allow for further growth, the life principle which ever seeks further development, is either repressed, or leaves the old wood to rot.
It is good to be aware that these dreams arise from your unconscious mind, which is “beyond time and space” and so while this process only needs one dream while you are sleeping, the process of releasing in your waking life will often need some more linear time.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/beliefs/
When we let go of whatever became a fixed part of our inner nature, we meet ourselves anew; sometimes it makes us feel uncertain at first. It is important then that before moving on and showing this new you to the world – “I was showing ppl but continued to walk on it”- that you be patient with yourself; give yourself time to heal, to meet and get to know this new part of you yourself.
Opening your foot – “till it was completely open” – is a symbol of accepting it as a part of yourself – just as the blood and guts and faeces are a part of you. The release and with that the opening up will allow you to grow emotionally and become strong.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/personal-growth/
Anna 🙂
I had a dream that someone (a co-workers husband) rested his feet on my lap while we were watching a show. He did it without asking, but I didn’t really mind although I thought it was strange. Keep in mind that I am not close to either of those people so it was strange that I dreamt about them. What does that mean?
I had a dream that I was in a tower, like a watch tower. And I sat in middle. In every corner were holes. And under me was a hole. A baby would come out middle hole and slash my wrist and/or ankle with a short jagged knife.anywhere I moved someone from the holes would slash my wrist and/or ankle.
I saw a pair of amputed feet, but they were covered with cloth and no blood. These were my own feet .. But then I saw at my feet, they were there…like they were reproduced after amputation !
With this dream, simultaneously I was seeing many other things.. Like I was wearing some weird clothes, mismatched ones, something white(cream) was visible on my face. I took help from someone to clean myself up and get dressed properly.. Please tell what does it all mean?
I dreamt that my feet were cut off at the ankles and then reattached, but they weren’t secure. Like my skin was attached but I feared if I moved the wrong way my bone would slip and I would have to adjust it. I don’t remember what I was doing in the dream. I didn’t feel any pain but I was always conscious of my ankles/feet.
Hope I’m not too late to comment! But I just woke up from a dream that involved me talking with another lady whose foot was like a hollow piece skin halfway, and if you looked inside the large gash, you could see the separation where there was meat and then the bottom half was completely missing of any tissue. It’s very morbid I know. But I dreamed she had some sort of injury. And it was her right foot I believe. But I’m just very curious as to what this might mean, of a foot which is injured and upon looking inside the open wound, literally the top half had meat and the bottom half was barren with only the shell of the foot keeping it’s shape. Thank you for your time!
I dreamt that a dear friend of mine from middle school had become an old man. I was still my current age (30). He did not have any feet, they had been cut off at the ankles. He would walk on the stumps of his legs. I was always near him in case he needed help. We were overjoyed at finding each other, even though I was a bit perplexed at how he had aged. I wore a black dress and white gloves in the dream. We were in the gym of the high school when he said that he needed to rest. I helped him sit on the floor. I kneeled next to him. A baby with black hair started crawling on his legs where his feet should have been. I looked at my friend and asked, “What do you remember about choir camp?” His eyes began to water up with tears. As he opened his mouth to speak, I woke up.
I dreamt my feet were misplaced, the left were on my right ‘n the right one at the end of my left leg.. I could feel them’n maybe sometimes change them back but they’ll go back to their position suddenly… I had panicked so bad ‘n crying ‘n asking for help from my father..
Farzi – This is merely an impression, but was your father a man who never gave you any praise of guidance? If so it would make understandable your confusion and not having confidence in yourself. See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/martial-art-of-the-mind/
Tony
I dreamt that both of my feet were cut vertically from my toes down to the heel. I dont remember well, but I think i allowed a close friend to cut them and stitch them up. There was no blood or mess. No gauze or bandaids. I was barefoot. Then I was alone, trying to get somewhere but I dont know were. I was trying to drive and i couldnt use my feet to press the pedals so I was using my hands. I eventually got out of the car and walked but only through smooth floors like tile and laminate and wood flooring but I wouldn’t go through gravel or cement. There was always someone there to cary me. There were also small children where I was walk that would try to run over my feet in their toy cars, not knowing about my injuries. I remember feeling pain in my feet as i took steps, but there was never any blood. I did end up dragging my body a few times just to avoid using my feet.
Hilary – Here are the clues to your dream.
I allowed a close friend to cut my feet – I was barefoot, suggesting life is rough going – I used my hands – only on smooth floors suggesting rough going is difficult – feeling pain – dragging my body.
So it seems that whatever was done to you made life difficult and even painful to stand up – even doing normal things are difficult. Leaves you feeling life is a drag.
Someone you trusted did this to you and it would be helpful to find out who and what it means. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Tony
I dreamt I was walking in a parking lot with my husband and father, and I stepped off my right foot. It felt like I stepped out of my shoe. When I went back, my foot was in my sandal and looked fake. My husband wouldn’t help me and I had to step back onto it so it would attach reattach. When the ambulance came my foot was on but it wasn’t and no one would help me.
I had a dream that a guy I work with & recently have been romantically involved with in waking life, told me if I love anyone here that I should go & touch this person on his heel to let him know who he is.
I dreamt I was massaging the feet of my dear friend. I was very happy and wanted to do a good job for him (he has helped me so much in waking life). His feet were smooth and well looked after so it was an absolute pleasure for me to offer love and gratitude in this way. I remember wanting to use a range of massage techniques but he was gently moving away after some time, I felt he was possibly overwhelmed or embarrassed by my gesture. He thanked me with his eyes and I smiled because I knew I would pick up this act another time. This person often makes appearances in my dreams and we always have lots of fun together. I feel he is deeply connected to magic.
Rachel – You obviously like physical contact and giving yourself pleasure by massaging your friend. But of course in a dream it is not your friend you are interacting with but your memories and desires about him. When we thing of a friend, even lovingly, it is our own thoughts we are meeting. Of course sometimes a message of love or even of other things get through, but like all senses, they are all interpreted as happens with our dreams.
You felt he was embarrassed by your gesture, but your interpretation of him gently withdrew. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Tony
I dreamt that both of my feet were being amputated. I sat and watched then sawing my foot off. A month or so ago, I dreamt that I was in the hospital to have my hands cut off, but never actually saw it happen
Kelly – What are you doing to yourself – or what are other people inducing you to do to yourself?
Losing your feet and hands are a sign of losing your motivation to do anything or create anything. Or else it can be through fearing what will happen if you open up to the wonderful person that you are – underneath all the things holding you back. I know my other said things to me that influenced me so powerfully it took me many years to crawl out from underneath their influence.
So please see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/example-15-life-changes/ and http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/lifes-little-secrets/ –
Tony