Dancing With Nature

“The press of my foot to the earth springs a hundred affections.”

-Walt Whitman

There's been a lot of joy around here these days. With the arrival of Summer, we've all been feeling a little freer and happier. One of my favorite things about the warm weather is watching the boys slip off their shoes outdoors and run around freely and joyfully. Recently I've decided to join them in their fun and have joined "The Barefoot Movement".

It all began when a friend had recommended the book Born To Run. I was inspired by story of the reclusive, gentle tribe of Tarahumara Indians of Mexico who had mastered the lost art of running for survival and more importantly, for joy and the runners who came from all over to learn from them. The book was an inspiration on so many levels. It was an epiphany to read about how the expensive, highly padded shoes that we run in today can actually cause damage to our bodies, rather than letting our feet develop as they were meant to support our body movement. I loved the idea of bringing running back to the most basic elements, my feet and the ground beneath them.

I have been learning that the journey of going barefoot must be taken slowly. My feet are relearning how to move. My pace is often slow and meditative as I practice walking with the balls of my feet hitting the ground first rather than the heel. With this gait, my body adjusts itself naturally where my torso and back straighten up and I can feel myself breathe more deeply. I feel graceful and I feel at peace.

Hiking through trails has become a dance with nature as I learn to step lightly, skipping around tree roots and stones. I feel as if I'm becoming one with the Earth as all my senses become focused upon each step. As my feet strengthen and I'm able to run among the trees, I start feeling the joy that had been lost encumbered by shoes. It's as if I am a pebble skipping across a lake, lightly dancing across the surface. The other day as I finished a long run/hike through the woods, I found myself laughing with pure and utter joy as I sprinted through the last quarter mile... it had just been that much fun.


It's funny that now I find it difficult to wear conventional shoes, they just feel too constricting and I tend to clod around like Frankenstein's monster, not knowing how to move with my feet bound! So I bought some shoes that are meant to simulate the feel of being barefoot. Not exactly the most attractive of shoes, but I do love them so for just the absolute fun in wearing them!

Vibram Five Finger Sprints

But after all that is said and done, nothing beats going barefoot. I've often wondered if perhaps by touching the ground, some of the thousand of nerve endings in my foot are releasing endorphins to my brain. Not being a scientist, I don't know the answer, but I just know the bliss I feel by feeling connected to the Earth...

Happy Barefoot Summer to All!

As Always With Love and Light,
Marina