This deceptively simple exercise helps us to cultivate a better connection to the earth.
For most of us, years and years of tightly binding our feet with shoes has limited their natural function of gripping or sticking to the ground. Consider the normal vs. natural photo I have included here.
Notice what a difference there is between feet that spend most of their time shod and feet that spend most of their time unshod. Clearly something is lost in the function of the toes when their range of motion is artificially limited by footwear.
Kneading the ground helps us to restore some of this function and increases our ability to cultivate a deeper ‘root’ which is required for more stability and power when using integrated strength.
Eckhart Tolle is quoted as saying that he has lived with several Zen Masters in his time - all of them cats! I think dogs have a similar habit - and can destroy a carpet if not controlled !
No active link to cats kneading compilation but I just typed it on YouTube and got the video I think you were thinking of. Brilliant visual:). I have been walking in barefoot shoes for years(barefoot shoes, there is a oxymoron for you). Among other things I have noted that my feet are more flexible.