Jessica Lee - Barefoot Walking: Free Your Feet to Minimize Impact, Maximize Efficiency, and Discover the Pleasure of Getting in Touch with the Earth

Also by Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee

Barefoot Running

Authors Disclaimer: This publication is designed to provide general information regarding the subject matter covered. The authors have taken reasonable precautions in the preparation of this book and believe the facts presented in the book are accurate as of the date it was written. However, neither the authors nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for any errors or omissions. The authors and publisher disclaim any liability resulting from the use or application of the information contained in this book. The information is not intended to serve as professional advice related to individual situations. In addition, the information in this book is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Before following any suggestions contained in this book, you should consult your health care provider. Neither the authors nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage or injury allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book.

Copyright 2013 by RunBare LLC
Preface copyright 2013 by The Sakyong
Foreword copyright 2013 by Dr. Mercola

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com

Three Rivers Press and the Tugboat design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available upon request.

eISBN: 978-0-307-98592-7

For information about RunBare clinics, visit www.RunBare.com.

Editor: Sandra Wendel, Write On, Inc.
Cover design by Laura Palese

v3.1

Thank you, Pumpkin and Sawa, for blessing us with your lives,
your spirits, and your lessons.

Life is good!

Walking is the most basic of human activities. It is also one of the most healthy forms of exercise. Not only is it beneficial for our bodies but also for our minds. It helps us connect with nature and the outdoors. It provides a natural basis for meditation and contemplationa time of the day when we come in contact with our inner feelings, thoughts, and emotions.

As humans, it is essential that we have a moment in our day when we can self-reflect, release the busyness and stress, and for a moment, contact how we feel. These very brief moments of switching our allegiance from being extroverted to contacting an inner and deeper aspect of who we are is the cornerstone of living a meaningful life. It helps us prioritize. It allows us to reflect on the meaning of life itselfto come in contact with our inner purpose and motivation.

Walking is not simply how we get from one place to another. Rather, it can be a great mixture of mind and bodyexercise and spirit. Therefore, walking is in itself a totality of human existence.

I am delighted that Michael and Jessica have highlighted many of these key points, especially encouraging how we, as humans, can contact the earth. We can do this as a personal form of health and well-being, or as humans, naturally within the ecosystem of our planet. By walking, we begin to re-contact that natural balance between humanity and our earth.

The Sandlers encourage us to remove our shoes and feel the earth beneath our feet, to walk on fresh green grass, to make contact with the sand along the beach, and even to venture out into mountain trails. All this is to reconnect with our own humanity. This is what I appreciate about the Sandlers messagethey utilize running, and now walking, not only as a way to exercise but as a way to connect with our own goodness and strength.

As humans, we have this basic goodness as the innate quality of who we are. However, through the challenges of life, we often lose contact with this intrinsic strength. When we lose contact with this, the fear and anxiety of life begin to overwhelm us. The natural harmony between mind and body gets disturbed and we begin to lose life-force energy. In order to restore a sense of vitality, meditation is helpful for the mind and exercise is helpful for the body.

In this light, walking is an excellent antidote to disharmony. It provides a perfect balance between movement and stillness. It slows our mind down in order to gain insight, while the increase of movement benefits circulation. Walking also naturally involves the breath. With the simple act of being aware of our breathing process, we are able to be present, which relieves anxiety and stress regarding the past and the future. This simple use of mindfulness is a natural component of walking. Placing one foot in front of the other, there is a natural inhalation and exhalation. As undramatic and simple as this may seem, it has a profound effect on our mental health and physical well-being.

We are living in a time when we are constantly being separated from the earth. Most of us live in heated buildings, drive cars, and walk on asphalt in our new shoes, rarely thinking about the earth that supports us. Even though these technologies serve humanity well, they have begun to create an unhealthy buffer between our environment and ourselves. Therefore, it is very much up to each one of us to reconnect with the earth.

In this wonderful guide, the Sandlers help us with the challenges we may encounter when we try to enjoy barefoot walkingfrom changes in posture and physiological differences to how we regard ourselves in the world. It offers a very thorough understanding of how barefoot walking can become an essential aspect of our natural health and well-being. It also communicates Michael and Jessicas spirit and joy in simply being alive. Based on personal experience, it presents walking not simply as a perfunctory form of transportation but as a symbol of life itself.

I hope this book inspires all of us to touch the earth and connect with our humanity.

The Sakyong

If you are reading this book, health is a goal you are probably aspiring to achieve. It has been one of my primary goals for the last forty years.

In medical school I was surprised to find most education focused on treating disease rather than preventing it. After treating thousands of people it became abundantly clear the conventional approach to chronic disease fails to address the underlying cause, so it rarely resolves the problem.

The RAP Principle

I sought another model I now define as RAP (Replication of Ancestral Practices), based on the understanding that our genes and biochemistry take many centuries to adapt to environmental changes. If we follow similar patterns of our ancient ancestors, we will very likely optimize health.

Crucial Strategies to Improve Your Health

One big difference between modern society and our ancestors is they did not have access to refined food. So an important strategy is to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

If you drink soda it would be best to stop and drink pure filtered water instead, as sugar (especially corn syrup) and artificial sweeteners are particularly pernicious villains that will rob you of your health.

The Sun and the Earth

Most people ignore the numerous benefits of regular, safe exposure to the sun. Today the vast majority stay indoors when the sun peaks and do not receive vitamin D as our ancestors did. Though science is catching up, most people still take a supplement rather than the superior way from sunshine on their skin.