Barefoot freedom - the joys of living barefoot
barefoot...@yahoo.co.in
maybe! But true: Which part of our body would be in DIRECT touch with
our environment throughout the day, 95% of the time we spend awake? Of
course: Our feet! If things were normal, they would provide us with
incredible sensual experiences wherever we go. IF... But most of us opt
for a rather cruel alternative: Confining our feet to little - and
almost always somehow ill-fitting - prisons made of the skin of dead
animals or questionable synthetic materials. Wearing gloves
all-year-round, even in the midst of summer, never being able to
actually feel what we touch - how horrible would that be! But
that's exactly what we do with our feet, thus separating our soles
from the surface of the planet which happens to be our home! How cruel,
indeed! Energy can't flow freely... And soon, deformation starts! The
alternative? Living barefoot! I'm doing it for many years now, 365
days a year, and it's truly a joyful experience!
It was a winter morning back in 2000, just after Christmas: I was ready
to board my flight to India. My feet were already bare while I was
waiting for the train which would take me to the airport. The air was a
bit chilly, and I noticed a couple of people, staring at my feet,
obviously unable to believe what they saw: A pair of bare feet,
decorated with a leather-anklet and a shiny little toering... I
didn't know that I was about to leave Europe for good, returning only
occasionally for short visits. But I was ready for the big adventure:
Spending many month on the road, exploring almost every nook and corner
of India on my bare soles - from Kanyakumari to Gangtok and from
Gujarat to West Bengal... It was SO much fun! I didn't even carry any
shoes in my backpack, and soon, my soles were tough as leather!
Finally, the unexpected happened: I managed to settle down in India!
I've been able to live my life barefoot ever since...
I soon realized: India is a place where I hardly need shoes at all. I
was surprised how many people are barefoot all the time, not only in
rural areas and villages but also in town! And it's obvious that
living barefoot isn't a privileged of the poor, especially in the
South.
Walking barefoot is AMAZING!!! Why? Well, first of all: You can FEEL
the ground! Would you wear gloves all-year-round? Nopes! So: Why shoes?
Being in touch with Mother Earth, letting the energy flow freely
isn't that bad, after all... Right? Plus: It's very refreshing and
stimulating: Being barefoot all the time provides a continuous
stimulation of the reflex zones on
the soles of our feet FOR FREE! Recently, I came across an
advertisement:
"Reflex zone massage: Foot reflex zone massage is very popular; it is
one type of the acupressure treatments, and also an important treatment
method in Chinese medicine. According to this therapy, different body
parts have special connections to some areas on the bottom of the foot.
With the stimulation of these areas on the sole, the function of
certain body parts can be influenced. It is generally used for migraine
and rheumatic problems. 30 min EUR 10, 60 min EUR 18."
What a waste! As in most things, nature provides what we need far
better than we can! Join me for a rather longish hike, preferably in
the mountains, and let's see who gets tired first...
Walking barefoot is stimulating: In every sense! One author writes:
"A reason why the '60s movement became so powerful, sexually, was
that we went barefoot all the time, which allowed energy to enter."
There's more: The ecological impact is far less dramatic (erosion!)
if you're hiking in a natural environment (ever thought about what
your heavy hiking boots do to the ecosystem?). It's also
communicative to a degree you wouldn't expect: Travelling a lot
I've made more than one friend explaining WHY I'm roaming around
barefoot! Somehow you're more defensive, less aggressive if
barefoot... There are many aspects, but what really counts is the
sensual factor: The "barefoot feeling"! It's not only about
feeling the ground beneath our soles, every change in texture or
temperature, the difference between lawn and concrete, tar and marble,
but also about feeling free - in many ways! If you don't know what
I mean: Leave your shoes at home and experience the freedom, the
freshness, the air touching every inch of your bare feet... Try it once
and you'll never want to wear those "little prisons" again!
Keep 'em bare!
Barefoot Traveller
Living barefoot isn't a "spleen" of a "bunch of freaks": Many
share our passion, all over the world! If you want to know more: Visit
my Yahoo-Group, the "Barefoot Traveller's Tepee" and go straight
away to the Link-section!!! You'll find almost 70 links (so far),
opening you the door to a new world, a whole universe of barefoot
activities! You'll be surprised to read about barefoot teachers and
workers, parents and children, about fellow barefooter from Australia,
UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, Malta,
Canada, the US and China, about barefoot hiker and biker, a famous
pianist performing barefoot, the bare-pawed furry community, travelling
barefoot, running barefoot, barefoot sport... Have fun - and get
inspired! And: PLEASE leave your comments!