Take off your shoes. Go barefoot. Did you know your body has a slight positive electrical charge? And the earth has a mild negative charge. Putting the two together, by going barefooted, neutralizes these charges and may help us to relax.
Yep. This barefoot thing is controversial. Proponents say it reduces stress. Opponents say nonsense. Take your pick.
Grounding your body to the earth and you have what is called “earthing”.
I gave it a try recently walking the new labyrinth at United Church of Christ in Venice barefoote . The pavers were smooth, warming nicely to the morning sun. I stepped on leaves, twigs, fallen on the path, nothing alarming.
Then chimes rang out for the hour. Lovely. My feet were happy and so was I.
Just a caveat as anyone who has gone barefoot in their garden will attest to – be careful where you walk. I once stepped barefooted on a piece of jagged metal sticking up out of the ground unnoticed. At once I worried – when was my last tetanus shot? Was it more than ten years? Lockjaw. Legitimate concern.
But hey, if walking barefooted may help to relax, reduce stress and sleep better I’ll give it a try.
Speaking of labyrinths - The UCC labyrinth in Venice, Florida, was formally dedicated during a church service on Sunday, March 19, 2023. Then after a fellowship time (translation: coffee, cookies and catching up) and music by the church’s handbell choir, we put on jackets and went forth to walk the new labyrinth.
It was cold, windy. The original plan was for the handbell choir to play at the labyrinth, but no way in that weather. I do hope someday they will play outside – and we can dance the labyrinth circuits!
Walking a labyrinth is by its nature, taking the curves and turns, a way of slowing down. But I have to say we did rather speed along that Sunday, perhaps nudged by the wind!
This is a memorial labyrinth, dedicated to loved ones. Quite a few pavers have names inscribed. I believe in my heart that when you walk in memory of a loved one, with shoes or without, you carry their energy with you for the journey in and the journey out.
URLS
https://earthinginstitute.net/research