PADA BANDHA (Sanskrit for 'foot lock'): Spread the toes and press the entire foot on the mat to distribute the weight evenly amongst the 4 corners and 3 arches of the foot. (The three arches are located from the big toe to the little toe, the big toe to the ankle and the ankle to the little toe, creating a triangle).
The way the feet connect to the ground in combination with the use of the legs determines the entire state of the body. If the foundation is not firm the rest of the structure will be shaky. When Pada Bandha is engaged there is also an uplifting action in the feet: Try this when you are in Uttanasana ( standing forward bend): Looking at your inner ankles, press down with your outer feet and really focus on lifting your inner ankles away from the floor. Keeping that lift in your ankles, lift your inner knees. Feel the lift that runs all the way up your inner leg. For more intensity take your palms to the outsides of your calves and press in.
"No matter what standing pose you are in, think about constructing it in such a manner that nobody and nothing could knock you over" ( Laura Baumann)
Photograph by J. Giacone