Barefoot Walking

Humans and animals are electrical; electricity is a powerful force within cells and between them. We live in an electromagnetic world and static charges build up all the time, but these may be tiny and barely noticed. This is because the build-up of positive charge can be discharged when our skin touches a natural article such as stone, wood, earth, cotton or silk. This grounds the charge because the earth is a reservoir of negatively charged free electrons and the positive charge that we carry is simply passed to natural earth origin materials. That is why natural linoleum, wood, marble and stone floor tiles provide health as well as aesthetic benefits over artificial flooring. The best way to get grounded, however, is to utilise the power of the negatively charged free electrons that are in the earth.

Walking barefoot on grass, sand, leaves, or pebbles has a calming effect on the nervous system. Even sitting or touching the ground will do this. But walking enables us to also bring mindfulness into the equation. When we are physically grounded we have discharged excess positive ions and collect negatively charged ones through our bodies. We feel in harmony. When we are emotionally grounded we are breathing calmly and we feel safe and secure. When we are spiritually grounded we feel the connection between ourselves and all of the life force in other systems – trees for example.

Our modern environment is electrical and is filled with electromagnetic radiation. Think about your home and work environment and your car for a moment and add up the items that create electromagnetic waves (that move through you). Computers, mobile phones and masts, radio and TV, your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, power lines, domestic wiring, and other electrical appliances; the list is extensive. All of this is contained in pretty well insulated boxes called offices, homes and cars. Excess electromagnetic radiation induces voltages in our bodies and can become disturbing to the subtle electrical communications within our body’s systems. By being grounded to the earth we greatly reduce the levels of these induced voltages. It is simple physics. Nothing weird or alternative about it!

• Practise barefoot walking on grass, sand or pebbles. This will ground and discharge excess static electricity. It really does work! Those who have tried this when they have been feeling particularly nervy, excitable and ‘crazy’, or just tired have found that they feel calmed, rejuvenated, grounded or indeed lightened: it has a very balancing effect.
• But hey, it is thick snow outside as I write this and I have no wish to walk in that today (although a snowball fight a little later would do the trick). I can walk on the wooden floor later and here are some more grounding techniques.
• Buy a pretty box and place fine sand and pebbles in it. Add a drop of lavender to it and spend a few minutes with your feet in contact.
• Take a warm bath and add a generous handful of natural sea salt plus Epsom salts and essential oil.
• Use a stone deodorant.
• Place crystals and smooth stones where you can pick them up and connect to them on a daily basis.