Hate wearing shoes? Me too. We have come to think of footwear as a vital part of our lives, but only 20 percent of the world's population wears shoes. In our Western society, shoes are necessary for most public settings but we can start to create a practice that might pull us back a little closer to our roots.
Mostly, I like being barefoot because I enjoy the feeling of wet grass or gravely earth beneath my feet. If I am forced to wear shoes, it is usually a pair of flip-flops or mocassins. After a WillPower and Grace class (where you are barefoot and work on your connection to your feet and the earth) I began exploring the notion of more. There had to be more behind the simple want of sensation experienced through my feet. There was! Being barefoot allows me to feel connected to the earth, not just temporary vehicle for shit to happen to.
Turns out that going barefoot is exactly what your body needs. Sound less than desirable? Well let that go, because although you are turned off by the idea of dirt on your feet, or tracking it into your home, the reality is that we have been desensitized. We eat and drink chemical laden substitutions. We waste time in front of computers, on cell-phones or watching TV. We wonder why we get sick, have no energy and harbor depression. As you well know, human beings were created for much more than these sad realities. Majority of people do not take time to return back to the beginning, rooted in the earth.
We all need to continually recharge our delicate internal ecosystem. While sleep is one of the most beneficial means to recalibrating our hormones, it is not the only way to for your body to rebalance itself. The earth is a giant charging pad for our bodies. By connecting to the earth (literally standing barefoot in the dirt), we are able to ground our complex electrical system with the earth’s natural balance. When we do this it helps to optimize our own physiology, circulation and immune system. Scientists and researchers are making the case that earthing (direct contact with the ground outside), for 20 minutes per day creates a significant difference in blood thickness and hormonal balance, particularly in the adrenals. Theoretically, by going barefoot on the grass, we can lower inflammation in our bodies, improve our sleep and reduce chronic pain.
It is very easy to get quickly excited by these facts, but turn on the news and you are overwhelmed by the statistics about the current rate of destruction on our planet. By taking a stand for your personal health, well-being and preservation, you will influence others to begin. Your efforts and care, encourage others to do the same. Start by trying barefoot for a bit, it is the simplest way to re-connect to our earth. Consider it a humbling of oneself, gratitude.
There are some simple ways that you can start, try gardening without your clogs. Take time to make contact with earth. Take your lunch break outside and sit on the grass while you eat. Walk through the woods and touch (or hug!) a tree, go to the waters edge and walk the shore. Make a commitment to yourself and our earth, to optimize your health and our planet's health through practicing this at least one day per week.
People who regularly spend barefoot time outside report having more energy, feel better rested and less stressed. They are more likely to take positive action and act with environmental awareness. Take a walk with your family after dinner to the park, kick of your shoes and run around in the grass. This practice will teach you to slow down, to connect to your foundation and to feel grounded (literally).
“Going barefoot is the gentlest way of walking and can symbolise a way of living — being authentic, vulnerable, sensitive to our surroundings. It’s the feeling of enjoying warm sand beneath our toes, or carefully making our way over sharp rocks in the darkness. It’s a way of living that has the lightest impact, removing the barrier between us and nature.”
— Adele Coombs, “Barefoot Dreaming''
For more information and references visit: http://www.barefooters.org/key-works/KeyArticles.html
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