Some thoughts on walking barefoot (from Nicholette): Kenton and I set out into the woods at 5:30 this morning. It was still dark and the moon was out. I led the way and while we had a path to follow, I couldn’t see it. However, in my experience, my feet “knew” the path. The moment I veered off, my feet would lead me back. I absolutely attribute this to the times I walked barefoot along the path. I have a lot of experience being barefoot from my dance and acrobatics training, but when I started walking barefoot in the woods, it was as if I were barefoot for the first time. The experience of walking barefoot on the earth is very different than on the floor. Obviously, the floor is flat and constant (except for when dirt and grit accumulate…I can easily feel that.) and the earth is not - it varies in temperature and terrain. However, there’s something else going on that wasn’t so obvious to me at first: I recently acknowledged that when my foot contacts the earth, there is something immense and vast under my feet (It’s big, the earth!) and if I allow myself to imagine feeling the whole of the earth under my feet, rather than the individual bits of sticks, rocks, bugs, mud, plants, and duff, then the experience becomes deeply sensual. I can sense slight changes in temperature, the ever-shifting textures, the differences in hard and soft, dead and alive. It’s a seemingly simple shift of experiencing it as one big, multi-layered living thing, rather than lots of smaller things, but it made a world of a difference for me. The more that I became attuned to all of this, the faster I could move along the terrain without looking at the ground – my feet just “knew” where to step. It’s pretty amazing! I’m just beginning to run through the woods without having to make frequent stops to walk or attend to discomfort, and it’s very powerful. When I say “powerful,” I mean it. I actually gain power from the ground! It requires a certain amount of contact and awareness, and when met effectively, I fly! Then there’s the “knowing.” In a way, it’s like “high-fiving” an old friend, but through my feet! Somehow, I just “know” how strongly to strike the ground, where to step, and where I’ve been. It’s a beautiful dance that I never knew existed until I started to walk barefoot. So I encourage you to give it a try! Touch the earth without layers of rubber and wood and cloth and whatever-else between you. And let us know how it goes! A bit of advice if you’re walking barefoot outside for the first time: Take it slow. Start on something soft and even, like grass or a dirt path. Before you start walking, stand for a few moments and try to sense the temperature and textures beneath your feet. Then, as you walk, try to feel as they shift and change. If you choose to try walking on a more challenging terrain, like rocks or sticks, again, take it slow, and think of softening the bottom of your foot to “meet” the pokey sensations, rather than stiffening up. (Imagine shaking hands with someone who is very stiff – not very pleasant!) I wish you happy trails for your future barefoot adventures!
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 01:16:51 +0000
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