I have been living in the beautiful tropical island of Puerto Rico for the past 7 years and for the past three years I have been living completely barefoot. It has been an exhilarating experience. In this post I will share why I decided to live barefoot in Puerto RIco.
Watch my barefoot adventures by clicking here
I have been on a journey of self-realization as I like many, have conformed to a way of being. We have conformed to the many layers and mask we choose to wear that we are just not aware of. In this wonderful journey, I have been uncovering those layers of the self. One of those layers is the freedom of being barefoot.
I live my life with my own philosophy and principles that I naturally awoke to and have developed over time. Share similar principles as a Buddhist, ancient stoic and ancient cynicism. Similar to an ascetic / monk way of being.
I quit drinking alcohol, stopped eating meat and became vegan. Uncovered many aspects of myself on my journey to be a better version of who I was. As who I thought I was became nothing but just a product of an environment that I conformed to. Now I went from having a concrete mindset having been born and raised in the concrete jungle to becoming radically wild in the confines of nature in Puerto Rico. I have now regained a connection to nature. As I believe we all have lost that connection and losing that connection with nature we have essentially lost connection to ourselves.
Shoes have become like shackles. In the process of freeing my mind from the shackles of conformity, I decided to free my feet from the shackles of societies norms.
Why I went barefoot?
It first started about three years ago when I went vegan and I could not find affordable ethically made sandals. At the time I was enjoying feeling the Earth below my feet. On my journey I have been practicing self-discipline. So I decided to go barefoot and discipline my body and mind through the rigors of being barefoot. As I grew accustomed to being barefoot, I decided that I didn’t need anything on my feet as I enjoyed the freedom of being barefoot.
When I walk barefoot the ground becomes alive with so many different feelings, temperatures and amazing textures of the ground. . I savor the sensation of the grass and earth and To feel the wetness of a muddy ground. To feel the exfoliation wonderfulness of the rocks. Even the warmness of being on having concrete underneath my feet. All wonderful sensations and of what it feels like to be ALIVE!
For some people shoes provide comfort and protection. For me, they’re physical and mental barrier from separating me from the ground (i.e. mother earth). Similar to all the layers of conformity that have isolated us from experiencing the wild world as nature has intended for us for we are nature. Being barefoot is a simple way to be directly connected to the earth and rewilding my outer and inner self.
I do everything barefoot even go shopping barefoot at the supermarket here in Puerto Rico, which I get strange looks from the people for. It seems that being barefoot is seen as a taboo. That again is contributed to the fact that we have become so disconnected from nature. Oh my, look at his bare feet walking around, that is so disgusting, he must be “crazy” or “homeless”. Because we are quick to judge someone and put labels on people when we don’t understand their way of being.
Becareful with all them diseases.Watch out that you don’t step on a needle. Are you not afraid of stepping on all those shards of glass that seem to be everywhere to many people
What people assume
I am thankful that many of the businesses here don’t have an issue with me walking around barefoot. I did however have an issue entering a courthouse to testify against the man who shot at my face for defending a beach from garbage. Click here to read about being shot. They postponed the case for another reason. We shall see what happens the next go around as I refuse to wear shoes. To read about not being allowed into a courtroom barefoot please click here.
Some would ask me if I am not concerned about all the bacteria everywhere but the same could be said about our hands, which are touching lots of bacteria as well and we rub our hands on our faces. I don’t rub my feet against my face and I always wash my feet when I arrive home.
Many assume we have all these types of fungus on our feet but you get those from having your feet in the confines of sweaty confines of a shoe and socks with no air to breathe and perspire creating a habitat for that to thrive on and many who wear shoes have smelly feet. Not I, for my wonderful illustrious feet doesn’t stink as a reason feet stink are because they are confined in sweaty shoes all day
The nasty germs, like Pseudomonas, actually live inside shoes and are otherwise not present on your skin. Same goes for the fungus that causes athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis). In truth, the shoe is a warm, moist, hotbed for microbial growth and is the leading cause of foot infections.
Here are some more reasons why I went barefoot.
Grounding / Earthing / Connecting to nature
“Earthing” or “grounding” is the act of walking or running with bare feet across the soil, grass, or sand. Modern science supports what many of us intuitively know: connecting with the earth is good for us.
I grew this deep connection to nature and when I walk on the ground in nature, I feel more energized. Walking barefoot has been said to be a way to ground yourself electrically with the earth, decrease pain, which I felt right away as with shoes I had back pain and now I longer have that pain as grounding is like an antioxidant. It also Reduces inflammation, Lowers stress and promoting calmness by reducing stress hormones, Increases energy and vitality as I now feel like a rocket.
Living a minimalistic / simplistic life
I live a life where I don’t own many materialistic possessions and live a simple life, which I will blog about in the future, and thus shoes or sandals are one item that I don’t have no use for when I enjoy walking barefoot.
Mindfulness
I practice mindfulness, which is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing and in being barefoot I am more aware of my surrounding as I become much more aware of where I step on. So I could avoid stepping on sharp objects and having gone barefoot I walk more tenderly and light-footed across where I step on that if I do feel something sharp I can ease off of it before it can penetrate my feet.
Better posture
Walking with shoes hinders your natural gait and posture. I also used to walk hunched over and now I walk with my back straight and I now I am more agile, much more balanced , I am like a cat ninja now. Hai ya karate!
Because I can..
It is that simple. We live in this society, this civilization where we all must conform to live the same way as and if you break free from the norm then you will be seen as strange, weird and as nothing but an outsider. How dare you be barefoot, you are so uncivilized.
I believe in freedom to be yourself since we live in this world to please others. I am happy living this lifestyle and I believe we should all respect each other’s lifestyle as long as it causes no harm to no one as the only harm I can see my feet doing to others is only to their closed off mindset of how we ought to live. This is how I chose to live because it fits with all that I have become.
In conclusion
I feel so much liberated and I could care less what people think of the way I chose to live. I recommend it to anyone. Start connecting to nature again. Start with an hour and work your way up so you can have as nice of shoes as mine. FREE THE FEET!
Watch my barefoot adventures by clicking here
I learned about this while ago and the reason why we have been trained to wear shoes and the reason behind this. Is a long story that I’m pretty sure you might know since you’re a very educated person that I admire for all the things you do.
One day people will understand the way we are and think. I wish that instead criticism, you get praised and fallowed to do more for this planet and for ourselves.
Thanks for what you do and for being who you are 🙌🏻
thanks for your comment. We all should be who we really are under the layers of conformity. I will continue to post more and hopefully I shift others perspetives on things. We have to look through the windows of perspectives and see things differently. NOt be afraid of sticking our heads through that window. Thanks again. much appreciated. Hugs!