The divine secret hidden in washing your feet

khush raho with sangeeta

Have you heard the story of Lord Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama? The latter was poor, and had not seen Krishna for years. Encouraged by his wife, he made the long and reluctant trip to meet his now-famous friend — arriving at his doorstep with nothing but a small fistful of grain and a heart full of embarrassment. There was hesitation on how he would be received by the childhood friend who achieved great success.

But Krishna received Sudama with boundless joy. He sat his dear friend down, knelt before him, and washed his feet with his own hands. He even drank the water in which those tired, dusty feet had been washed.

A similar story is told of Jesus, who washed the feet of his disciples. We are often struck with wonder — how could such elevated, exalted beings perform what we consider a humble, menial task?

I used to think it was simply a beautiful demonstration of love, compassion and humility. And it is. But over time, as I have come to understand health and healing through the lens of energy, I have arrived at a deeper understanding.

Here is the key: thoughts and emotions are not just abstract concepts. They have form. They have frequency. Higher frequency emotions — love, joy, gratitude — tend to reside in the upper body, around the heart, mind and crown. Lower frequency emotions — anger, grief, frustration, jealousy — are heavier. Over time, they sink and accumulate in the lower parts of our energy body. Including our feet.

So when Krishna washed Sudama's feet, he was doing far more than a physical act of service. He was energetically cleansing his dear friend's aura — lifting away the accumulated weight of difficult emotions and low-frequency energies. And when he drank that water? For an enlightened being of Krishna's stature, it was an act of transmutation — taking in what no longer served Sudama and dissolving it completely.

This is the divine secret hidden in a simple act of washing feet.

And here is my invitation to you: tonight (and every night), before you get into bed, wash your feet with soap and water. In India especially, where we often go barefoot or in open footwear, our feet carry the energetic imprint of everywhere we have been and everyone we have encountered.

To take this practice a step further — something I do at least once a week — try a warm foot soak with salt and a few drops of essential oils. The feet are connected via energy channels to every part of the body, and the right blend can gently cleanse your entire energy system, leaving you feeling lighter, calmer and more at peace.

Small rituals. Profound healing. That is what Khush Raho is all about.