Barefoot Magic

Feeling stressed? Restless? Anxious? Have a headache? Can’t seem to focus? Try going barefoot for at least 30 minutes and see what happens. When it comes to Reiki or energy healing, grounding / earthing is an fundamental component in restoring balance to your system before delving into deeper restorative healing such as chakra attunement.

Let’s look at the scientific side of things first. Due to the composition of our bodies, our bioelectric field generated by the electrical impulses within the cells carries a natural positive charge. These impulses ensure the proper functioning of our nervous system. Excess bioelectric energy in the body needs to be released or else it may lead to symptoms such as pain, high blood pressure, fatigue, and bad mood. In some cases, it may even delay the healing process of illnesses.

The earth on the other hand, has a negative charge, so when we connect directly with it, we release some of the excess charge that has accumulated within our bodies, thereby lowering the white blood cells and increasing the red blood cells. In addition, antioxidants will decrease while inflammation will decrease. In short, there is a lot more to grounding that meets the eye. Not only does walking barefoot strengthen muscle groups, but our feet, for example, are vessels of nerve endings that affect every part of the body, and often hold the key to numerous blockages elsewhere in the body. Take a closer look at reflexology or acupressure and you will notice that they pay special attention to the feet, as this is the diagnostic centre of the entire complex system that we call home.

By walking barefoot, sitting or lying on the ground, you will leave an energetic imprint on the earth while simultaneously absorbing the beneficial and healing energies that emerge from the ground. You may be asking, so why can’t I just go for a walk or hit the gym to get rid of the excess energy? Well, you could, but you would just be releasing energy but not re-charging your body. Materials such wood and rubber block the flow of energy from the earth, thereby preventing the unencumbered flow of energies.

You don’t need the fancy reflexology slippers or expensive grounding blankets they try to promote these days, not even the cortisol detox that keeps popping up on your social media. Simply take off your shoes, go for a walk in the park, your garden, the beach or a field and feel the difference. During summers, you can take advantage of the hot weather to walk barefoot indoors and you will find that it lowers your body temperature much faster as well. There are many who claim that they think better if standing barefoot somewhere, because the earthing helps declutter the mind and allows you to focus better.

If you practice meditation, every once in a while you will find it very beneficial and effective to meditate outdoors and sitting directly on the ground without a cushion or blanket. It will be a much more effective session than your regular one indoors. Walking meditations are also transformed into more powerful experiences when done barefoot due to the direct connection to the earth and anchoring into mindfulness.