How I Got Addicted to Walking Barefoot

There's an old stable in my back yard. It has six stalls with tall, wooden Dutch doors. The ground is covered with soft, gray sand, and giant spider webs stretch from the ceiling. The roof is broken and rain comes in, giving the sand a constant fresh scent.

When we first moved into our house I gravitated to that old stable. I’m not sure what was pulling me there but I think it was a combination of the old wood scent, the softness of the sand, and the special aery energy, perhaps from the horses that once lived there.

I spent many hours in the stable during our first couple of months in Florida. I couldn't resist the pull to go there and once I was there, it felt like I couldn't leave. I wanted to walk barefoot on that soft sand, but I was afraid of snakes, spiders, and other unfamiliar crawlies back then, so I was looking for a solution.

Some online research brought me to an article about earthing. I also found a collection of earthing shoes and bought a pair I liked. For a couple of months I walked everywhere in them, enjoying the occasional sand that got in. Then, during a walk with a friend on the Indian Trail by my house, my friend asked me why I didn’t take off my shoes if I liked the feel of sand so much. I was already debating whether I should do that. Her question sealed the deal for me.

The earthing shoes are still the shoes I wear when I go to places that require them; the rest of the time, however, I walk barefoot. Luckily, in my town, most of the roads are still dirt roads, and the Indian Trail stretches for four miles just outside my house. It provides me with hours of daily walks and bike rides on the soft sand, which I like so much.

I won't tell you about the incredible health benefits of earthing here. There's a lot of reading material online (this article is one example). However, I'd like to tell you that the main thing for me is the feeling of profound calmness that I continually get from it. It's like the earth is pulling me into it, covering me with a blanket of compassion.

There are many ways to practice earthing. The easiest one, of course, is to simply take off your shoes and connect with the ground directly. If you can’t walk barefoot, earthing shoes and earthing mats still allow you to have that experience. Grass, sand, mud, water, rocks, and concrete (yes!) are all great for earthing. Even twenty minutes a day can have a positive effect on your health and mood. I'd encourage you to give it a try. Our society has lost its connection with the earth and with it, all the goodness it provides.