The Benefits of Going Barefoot
Ever notice how you feel so energized and vibrant while walking on the beach? You probably attributed that to being on a beach vacation where your stress literally evaporated upon sinking your toes in the silky sand, inhaling that salty ocean air and soaking up some vitamin D elixir from the sun’s healing rays, right? Well that’s partially true. But there’s something else going on that’s creating this optimal state of health. What’s the magical ingredient? Electrons.
Our feet contain a rich, intricate network of nerves and acupuncture points and are especially adept at picking up free electrons from the earth’s surface. It’s called barefoot or caveman medicine, and walking barefoot – aka earthing or grounding – may be the easiest, simplest and cheapest way of shifting your body back to an optimal state of homeostasis and health.
Electrons: The Missing Link
The gist of the earthing theory is simply this: the earth is negatively charged, so when you ground, you’re connecting your body to a negatively charged supply of energy. And since the earth has a greater negative charge than your body, you end up absorbing electrons from it. These free electrons intercept the firestorm of free radicals (that create oxidative damage and inflammation) in our body and extinguish this fire. When you walk barefoot, you’re literally soaking up millions of electrons that decoagulate and detoxify your blood. So instead of your blood being all viscous and thick, like ketchup, it becomes free flowing, like red wine. Earthing also shifts the sympathetic nervous system back to the point where it has more tranquility, and clinical studies have shown that earthing helps with everything from inflammation to insomnia, and from autoimmune to heart disease.
Benefits
You may find that walking barefoot on either moist grass or the beach immediately produces a warm, tingling sensation or a sense of well-being. This contact can trigger health benefits, often within minutes. These benefits include relieving muscle tension, headaches and menstrual symptoms. Earthing can also boost the immune system, combat inflammation, reduce stress hormones and improve blood pressure. For people who are ill – and therefore have the most free radicals – the benefits can be dramatic. Those who are healthy usually report sleeping better and having more energy.
A report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine confirmed these benefits:
“It is well established, though not widely known, that the surface of the earth possesses a limitless and continuously renewed supply of free or mobile electrons as a consequence of a global atmospheric electron circuit. Wearing shoes with insulating soles and/or sleeping in beds that are isolated from the electrical ground plane of the earth have disconnected most people from the earth’s electrical rhythms and free electrons.”
“A previous study demonstrated that connecting the human body to the earth during sleep (earthing) normalizes the daily cortisol rhythm and improves sleep. A variety of other benefits were reported, including reductions in pain and inflammation. Subsequent studies have confirmed these earlier findings and documented virtually immediate physiologic and clinical effects of grounding or earthing the body.”
The concept of earthing is gaining momentum today because of the efforts of Stephen Sinatra, MD, a holistic cardiologist, and Clinton Ober and Martin Zucker, coauthors of Earthing, a new book about the health benefits of grounding.
For Dr. Sinatra, earthing is the most important health discovery made in his 40 years of practicing medicine. He believes that modern life has disconnected us from the earth in many ways. We live and work in multistory buildings high off the ground and spend our nights on thick mattresses far from the earth. This separation from the surface of the earth reduces our connection to its charge, which has resulted in our bodies being deficient in electrons, says Dr. Sinatra.
At the same time, modern life has brought with it a host of medical conditions associated with chronic inflammation, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and cancer. As Dr. Sinatra and his colleagues see it, inflammation in the body is out of control, mainly because we have lost contact with the earth. What a fascinating concept!
How to Get Grounded
Simply slip off your shoes and plant your bare feet in the ground for thirty minutes. When you first start adopting a barefoot lifestyle, it’s best to initiate on naturally softer grounds like grass, dirt paths and sand (instead of cement, asphalt or hardwood). When the muscles and joints of your foot become more stable, and the skin on the bottom of your feet thickens, you’ll be able to handle progressively more time barefoot, and on a wider variety of surfaces. Although walking, wading or swimming in mineral-rich ocean water is ideal (oceans are highly conductive, more so than lakes), the key is to have direct, sustained skin contact (any part of your body will do) with the surface of the earth. This is why gardening, where you put your hands in and out of the earth, does not provide quite the same benefit.
Some Dos & Don’ts:
- Do walk on grass that is slightly moist, as the water helps conduct the electrons; dry grass won’t be as effective
- Don’t walk on grass or soil that is littered with dirt, dog/bird droppings etc. Because the soles of our feet are very effective at absorbing the earth’s energy, they can also absorb toxins — use commons sense before you ditch your shoes. Pristine forest or beach soil is ideal
- Do ground, especially after flying, as our bodies bioelectrical rhythms are thrown out of balance in flight and grounding restores that electrical equilibrium
- Do wash your feet with soap and water, after grounding, to get rid of soil detritus that you may have picked up
- Don’t go barefoot if you have any open cuts/sores on your soles, as that can be an entry point for parasites/fungi
Grounding: Radical Discovery or Hippie Hoax?
They say the most radical ideas are the most simple ones but, I must confess, after perusing through all this grounding literature, it seemed too good to be true. Does grounding really work or is it something dreamed up by barefoot radical hippies?
I decided to toss my inhibitions about parasites and calloused feet (along with my trusted flip flops), and give this barefoot medicine a real try. The truth is that I’ve been going through an egregious period of stress with my mom’s lung cancer diagnosis, and have been on an insatiable quest to discover new stress relieving strategies that I can add to my go-to stress toolbox when I’m practically ready to tear out my hair! And I figured, why not give this a try for a month?
A yoga teacher suggested this barefoot medicine, attesting to the sense of grounding it has provided her, “We need to feel the earth – to contact it, to connect to it directly. It brings us back into ourselves and reminds us of our place.”
Impelled, I went home, kicked off my sandals, and set afoot. I took each step slowly, consciously, deliberately. I’ll admit that at first it was because I was afraid of stepping on something sharp or prickly, but then it was because it felt so good to be aware of my feet – and most of all, to be aware of the earth underneath them. There were a million sensations – blades of grass, dried leaves, mud, dew, dandelion flowers – tingling my feet as the over 200,000 nerve endings were actively responding to the ground. It was living reflexology.
I’ve since been walking barefoot in the park across my home every day (keeping an eye out for errant dog poop), and over the past weeks, I must admit, my vague sense of anxiety has all but disappeared and my stress is definitely down from a level eight to a manageable four or five. I’ve also been sleeping better.
Walking barefoot upon the earth is like a silent prayer. Every blade of grass and every dew drop invites you into the present; invites you to be conscious and connected to your world. There is a secret language spoken between the bottoms of your feet and the ground below it – a direct communication between spirit and earth that the mind can barely fathom.
As it turns out, the benefits of barefooting it are not simply of the esoteric spiritual kind either. Walking barefoot, our most natural state of footwear, has been found to cause less impact stress on the body – reducing collision force by promoting a more natural gait. Indeed, studies show that those who run in padded running shoes suffer far more impact stress and are significantly more prone to injuries than those who run either barefoot or in non-padded shoes. Imagine that. Yes, for you shoe addicts out there, I have grim news: shoes are bad. And I don’t just mean those four-inch stiletto heels, or cowboy boots, or any of the other fairly obvious foot-torture devices into which we jam our feet for the sake of fashion.
“’Natural gait is bio-mechanically impossible for any shoe-wearing person,” wrote Dr. William A. Rossi in a 1999 article in Podiatry Management. “It took 4 million years to develop our unique human foot and our consequent distinctive form of gait, a remarkable feat of bioengineering. Yet, in only a few thousand years, with one carelessly designed instrument, our shoes, we have warped the pure anatomical form of human gait, obstructing its engineering efficiency, afflicting it with strains and stresses and denying it its natural grace of form and ease of movement head to foot.’ In other words: Feet good. Shoes bad.”
So ditch those rubber-soled shoes (that insulate you from the earth’s healing energy) the next time you walk out the door. Your feet certainly won’t miss them, and I doubt you will either. And remember, barefooting doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision. Simply incorporate a few minutes here and there and you’ll naturally find yourself kicking off your shoes whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Now, I’d love to hear from you regarding your barefoot experience. What positive changes have you noticed?
May you enjoy the ripe abundance of a barefoot summer and revel in the bliss of this sultry season!
About the Author
How to Protect Yourself from Psychic Attacks?
Psychic attacks may manifest in the dream world or through energetic impacts on the body in the waking world. They are mental intrusions, efforts from free-floating energies or specific people, to enter your psyche and make some kind of detrimental impact or extract information.
Try not to fear since 1) the greatest defense tool is the power of love and light; 2) negative energies thrive in the presence of negative thoughts or emotions. And 3) we will provide psychic protection using the principles of love and positivity. Some psychic attacks require embodied warrior energy, the assistance of professional healers and shamans, or both. Before getting into psychic self-defense, we need to explore and understand what psychic attacks are and how to identify them.
What is a Psychic Attack?
A psychic attack refers to a phenomenon in which negative or harmful energies, intentions, or influences are directed toward an individual’s energetic or psychic space. These attacks are often believed to be carried out by individuals who possess psychic or metaphysical abilities, intending to cause harm, discomfort, or disruption to the target’s well-being.
Signs of a Psychic Attack
The impact of a psychic attack on someone can be significant and varied, affecting them on multiple levels:
- Emotional distress: Psychic attacks can trigger intense and unexplained emotional turmoil, such as sudden mood swings, anxiety, fear, or depression. The victim may experience heightened emotional sensitivity and find it challenging to manage their feelings.
- Energy drain: Psychic attacks can lead to a sense of exhaustion and fatigue that isn’t easily explainable by physical reasons. This drain on energy can leave the victim feeling depleted and lacking vitality.
- Physical symptoms: Some people believe that psychic attacks can manifest as physical symptoms, such as headaches, body aches, and other discomforts that have no apparent medical cause.
- Disrupted thoughts: The victim might experience persistent negative thoughts, mental fog, or confusion. Their ability to focus, make decisions, or think clearly can be compromised.
- Sleep disturbances: Psychic attacks can also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insomnia, nightmares, or a general sense of restlessness during sleep.
- Relationship strain: The negative energies from psychic attacks can impact personal relationships, causing misunderstandings, conflicts, and an overall sense of disconnect from loved ones.
- Spiritual imbalance: For those who are spiritually inclined, psychic attacks can disrupt their connection to their inner selves, higher consciousness, or spiritual practices. This can lead to feelings of spiritual emptiness or detachment.
- Blockages and obstacles: Psychic attacks may create barriers in the victim’s life, hindering their progress in various areas such as career, relationships, and personal growth.
It’s important to note that while belief in psychic attacks varies widely, the psychological and emotional impact experienced by individuals who feel they are under such attacks is real.
Types of Psychic Attacks
The concept of psychic attacks encompasses a variety of negative energetic or psychic influences that can impact an individual. While views about them vary across cultures and belief systems, here are some common types often discussed:
- Thought form projection: This type involves someone intentionally directing negative thoughts, emotions, or intentions toward a target. These projected energies can create a sense of discomfort or distress for the recipient.
- Energy vampirism: Energy vampires are believed to draw and drain the life force or vital energy of others. These individuals may have a chronic need for attention, validation, or energy, leaving the victim feeling depleted and drained.
- Curses and hexes: Curses are believed to be intentional acts where negative energies or intentions are invoked to cause harm to the recipient. Hexes are similar, with the intent of causing misfortune, bad luck, or suffering.
- Psychic cording: Psychic cords are energetic connections between individuals, often formed through emotional interactions. Negative cords can drain a person’s energy and make them feel controlled or manipulated by another person.
- Evil eye: The evil eye is a belief that someone can cast a negative gaze upon another person, inadvertently causing harm or misfortune. The recipient might experience bad luck, illness, or emotional distress as a result.
- Black magic or dark rituals: These involve the use of occult practices to harness and direct negative energies toward a specific individual. The intention is often to harm or control the victim.
- Telepathic attacks: These attacks involve sending harmful or negative thoughts directly into a person’s mind through telepathic means, causing psychological distress.
- Spirit attachment: Some believe that negative entities or spirits can attach themselves to an individual, leading to emotional, mental, and physical disturbances.
- Environmental energy influences: Certain places or environments are believed to carry negative energies that can affect individuals who spend time there. This can lead to feelings of discomfort, unease, and negativity.
- Dream manipulation: Psychic attacks can also occur in dreams, where negative entities or energies disrupt sleep, cause nightmares, or create feelings of fear and anxiety upon waking.
Regardless of one’s beliefs, addressing these forms of psychic attack typically requires practicing self-care, emotional resilience, and these simple yet effective practices.
5 Practices to Protect Yourself From Psychic Attacks
1. Clearing Ceremony
Use plant medicine, like sage and crystal allies, to clear negative energy and spirits from your environment and energetic field. There are many variations of these ceremonies: try buying white sage and sweet grass. Burn the white sage and brush the smoke around your whole body, then continue to fan the smoke around your house and, particularly around your bed, if you have night terrors.
While you sage yourself and your environment, concentrate on banishing negative or dark energy by holding light and love in your third eye. Next, repeat the process with sweet grass. As you bless yourself and your space with sweet grass, invite in positive energy, guiding spirits, and love and speak the following affirmation:
I release negative energies so that I may serve my higher purpose.
2. Cord Cutting and Earth Cording
Try the powerful practice of cord-cutting at night and Earth cording during the day. Before you go to bed, imagine a cord between yourself and any person or thing that comes to mind originating from your belly. Using a pair of imaginary scissors, cut the cord between yourself and any external energy that you envision.
You can envision this as a series of cords or perform the exercise cord-by-cord. In the morning, just after you awake, envision a cord connecting you from your belly to the center of the Earth. The cord is strong, flexible, omnipresent, and nurturing. Before bed, as you cut the cords, say this intention aloud:
I release energetic attachments so that I may serve my higher purpose.
Saltwater can also be used for a more powerful ceremony. Begin by gathering all the energetic cords from your chakras into one handful. Using the other hand, slice the air between your body and the handful and then dump them into the saltwater. Repeat again with the cords coming out of your back chakras.
