Spring fever has started really early this year. I for one have been spoiled by the 'global warming' winters. Winter seems to end earlier each year, but that doesn't mean spring comes early, it just means there is a space of a few weeks that are neither winter or spring. Snow or ice in the morning and flipflop weather in the afternoon, sometime the other way 'round.
Going barefooted is my preferred method of locomotion, otherwise flipflops or when needed my steel toed work boots. Don't have very many, Ok make that nearly any shoes per say. this can make certain social occasions where footwear is mandatory a major pain, in the feet. Where there is a will there is often a way, and for those who see worth in looking for it.
Even as a child I went barefoot and would sometimes tie strips of fabric around my feet and call the sandals, of course my sandals had no soles. and I learned to walk carefully, to pay attention to what i stepped on. Where you step when you are barefoot is really key. Learning t areas where there might be dangerous items like rusty nails and broken glass... good reasons to wear shoes.
I have found a certain secure feeling when I can feel the surface under my feet. Carpet, flooring , mud, sand, grass even the feel of the steps of a ladder, I feel more balanced, more secure.
Following is a brief passage I cut and pasted from Cody Lundin's site. it was nice to see someone who thinks in a similar manner, and also goes barefoot in the snow, honest you do get used to it after awhile, but i have never walked in snow for more than half a mile.... now he is the survivalist, teacher and expert, and i would listen to him.
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v
The following are frequent “Cody questions.” We’ll be adding to the list as need and time allows … enjoy!
Why do you go barefoot?
I like my feet tough. Prisoners of war were always stripped of their
shoes as without them they were less likely or able to run. Going
barefoot forces me to pay attention to my environment. I see more, I
have better focus, I feel a greater connection to the planet; all very
valuable survival traits. Due to the forced, free range of motion that
my feet and ankles are forced to deal with, they are both very strong.
On the “everyday life” side of things, the majority of the situations in
my life do not require footwear…so why would I consume a resource when
it’s not necessary? I also like the challenge.
Do you recommend that others go barefoot?
No. I have no agenda either way; do what feels natural. At times
people feel the need to ask me to wear shoes, or that native peoples
wore shoes, (some did, some didn't) so why don't I. I'm not asking that
anyone go barefoot, so I appreciate the same courtesy of folks letting
me do my thing without hassling. If people choose to travel in the world
beyond predictable, "modern" destinations, they will see how common
going barefoot is for millions of people. It really isn't that big of a
deal when thousands of grandmothers and little boys are doing it, right?
How long have you been going barefoot, and do you ever wear shoes?
I started going barefoot in the late 1980’s. I don't wear "shoes"
but i do wear sandals on pieces of some advanced cross country courses
due to ground temperatures, extreme mileage and/or student safety. I
keep flip flops in vehicles to allow me to enter certain stores,
restaurants, or to board airplanes.
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Going barefoot also makes me feel very free, secure and even younger. When you consider it carefully there is good reason for that.
Now to grounding, my own personal version of the world "grounding" is that I feel in sync, and a part of the environment. Let's toss in , my true self, also could call it focus on what is really in my surrounding environment, or even being present and in the moment.
If you get the feeling I think "be grounded" has a slightly different definition for each of us you are correct. he same runs true for the method one chooses.
My most often used method is to stand silently, palms facing the sun, eyes closed and remain motionless for as long as comfortably possible. I also like the "Earth touching" yoga pose.
Also find that there is something about a starry night grounds me.
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This has been patiently waiting in the "drafts' section for a very, very long time. And I have no idea who wrote it, I am only sure that it wasn't me
One of the easiest ways to ground ourselves is to bring our attention to our breath as it enters and leaves our bodies. After about 10 breaths, we will probably find that we feel much more connected to our physical selves. We might then bring our awareness to the sensations in our bodies. Just a few minutes of this can bring us home to bodies and to the earth, and this is what it means to ground ourselves.
We can go further by imagining that we have roots growing out of the bottoms of our feet, connecting us to the earth. The roots flow with us so we can we always move, but at the same time they keep us grounded. We receive powerful energy from the earth just as we do from the forms of energy we associate with the sky, and our body is a tool that brings these two energies together in a sacred union. When we are grounded, we essentially become a strong container in which our spirit can safely and productively dwell. This is why grounding ourselves every day, especially at the beginning of the day, is such a beneficial practice. Fortunately, it's as simple as bringing our conscious awareness to our bodies and the earth on which we walk.
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