So, a few articles recently came out in major publications in which the authors (who have expertise in the health and fitness industry) argued that 1) the ability to get up and down from the floor independently is a marker of healthy aging and 2) absolutely everyone should spend some time sitting on the floor every single day.
Well, in my circle of friends and colleagues, this caused quite a buzz. Many people got defensive, as in "I have bad knees, I can't get down to the floor" or defiant, as in, "what do they mean, I am going to die if I don't get on the floor?!?"
The way I see it is this: at one point in a lifetime, every individual could easily and safely sit themselves down onto a floor, spend awhile there doing whatever, and had the ability to rise from the floor unassisted or with minimal effort on the body. Then, somewhere along the way, for probably unknown reasons, they never got on the floor again. Unless they fell.
Doesn't this seem sad? It makes me think of a quote I once read, and it wasn't written in this context but it sure is appropriate. It goes like this: "You always know when it is your first time doing something. You never know when it is your last."
So, I challenge those reading this now: if you stopped sitting on the floor, why? how long has it actually been since you did it? wouldn't you like to get that back, even if it seems hard/impossible/unimportant? wouldn't it feel good to be able to again do something that your body once was capable of?
Maybe you just set a goal for yourself to practice it a little each day. Start with a low ottoman. Start by using your hands or the support of a sturdy coffee table. Start by kneeling and not sitting. Whichever approach you take, just start. It may take a month. It may take a year. But doesn't every journey start with one single step?
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