“The simple practice of walking barefoot or laying down in the grass connects you to Mother Earth, our master healer.“
Metropolis living influences our pace. We can be moving slow or fast and many times vacillating between the two. We wake in the morning and expedite our routine. Before this pandemic began, I remember feeling like a mouse running in her wheel. I would wake before the alarm, squeeze in a short yoga stretch, make a smoothie, pack our lunches, drop my daughter at the school gate, and drive West on Magnolia Boulevard for 25 minutes just in time for my 8:45am meeting.
The highlight on that drive was catching a favorite musical jam on satellite radio and waving to the man whose name I didn’t know. We would always smile and wave at each other if he was sitting on the planter box that day. I missed him when I didn’t see him. Amazing what a genuine wave and smile can create in your heart and soul. This 5 day routine had me looking forward to getting out in nature when our weekend arrived. We would either be hiking on a trail or playing at the park.
When we had our first family camping trip we shared the experience of earthing also, known as grounding. Walking barefoot in our campsite opened a new feeling and reality. Our soft pedicured feet walking over pine needles, pebbles and dirt had us lifting our feet and almost falling to our knees as the dry and sharp sensations were so prevalent. However, we were laughing hysterically from our reactions to walking barefoot on raw terrain. We embraced two days of earthing by being barefoot in camp, laying on a blanket under a tree, and walking over rocks in the cold creek. We concluded our time in nature feeling energized and calm.
Earthing provides us with electrical charges from earth that have positive effects on our body. This practice restores the body’s natural internal electrical stability and rhythms which in turn promotes normal functioning of body systems. It can decrease chronic fatigue, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease. Ladies, it has also been reported that grounding can lessen hormonal and menstrual symptoms! Believe me, I am consciously choosing to be barefoot on natural terrain whenever and wherever possible. I hope you take some time to incorporate earthing into your days.
Alison White.
