| Barefoot freedom the joys of living barefoot
They separate us from Mother Earth: Shoes! A surprising thought 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 thats 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 cant flow freely
And soon, deformation starts! The alternative? Living barefoot! Im doing it for many years now, 365 days a year, and its 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 didnt 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 didnt 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! Ive 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 its obvious that living barefoot isnt 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 isnt that bad, after all
Right? Plus: Its very refreshing and stimulating (ever heard about the reflex zones in our feet?)! Join me for a rather longish hike, preferably in the mountains, and lets see who gets tired first! Walking barefoot is stimulating: In every sense! Theres more: The ecological impact is far less dramatic (erosion!) if youre hiking in a natural environment (ever thought about what your heavy hiking boots do to the ecosystem?). Its also communicative to a degree you wouldnt expect: Travelling a lot Ive made more than one friend explaining WHY Im roaming around barefoot! Somehow youre more defensive, less aggressive if barefoot
There are many aspects, but what really counts is the sensual factor: The barefoot feeling! Its 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 dont know what I mean: Leave your shoes at home and experience the freedom, the freshness, the air touching every inch of your feet
Try it once and youll never want to wear those little prisons again!
Keep em bare!
Barefoot Traveller
barefootingindia@yahoo.co.in
Please visit my Yahoo-Group Barefoot Travelling!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/barefoottravelling/ |
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