Barefoot Earthing: The Ancient Health Hack That Still Works Centuries After Its Discovery

There’s a reason why we feel meh so often these days.

Even with a good night’s sleep, efforts to eat better, a good exercise regimen in place, maintaining a social life, and learning to manage work-life boundaries, many of us still deal with lingering feelings of un-wellness. Maybe you can’t pinpoint what it is exactly, but you know it’s there. Sometimes it manifests as a lack of enthusiasm, random aches and pains, difficulty concentrating, or just generally finding it hard to live joyfully with purpose and intent. 

We’re here to tell you that if you’ve done everything in your power to care for yourself yet still don’t feel a hundred percent okay, it’s probably no longer a you problem. It could be something caused by the disconnect between you and the earth, one that going barefoot can help with.

Yes, you read that right—going shoe-free may be one key to living stress-free.

Hear us out.

Earthing, a wellness practice that Clint Ober developed, is thought to be an antidote to the physical and mental stresses caused by living in our highly modern world. Here’s a little context before we get into everything you need to know about earthing: 

Ober made a name for himself by leading the boom of television and telecommunication products and services in 1960s America. It was the first time households, workspaces, and businesses were embracing groundbreaking technology. However, after decades of working in this industry, Ober, who was an averagely healthy individual, developed liver disease that spread throughout his body. He was advised by doctors to prepare for the inevitable.

When you think about it, this isn’t unlike the stories we hear today. Someone we know who was health-conscious and in peak physical condition suddenly falls ill, and medical professionals are unable to explain exact causes. Treatment plans are vague and in the worst cases, they fail to deliver on their promises then we mourn the loss of a loved one. 

While reflecting on his fate, Ober made a critical observation. 

Televisions and radios of that era suffered from interference and static when their cables weren’t properly grounded. Perfect pictures and sound could not be achieved unless their connections were buried in the earth, because, by doing so, signal interruptions were minimized or eliminated completely. 

Then he remembered something he witnessed as a child, having grown up in the state of Montana where Native Indian tribes continued to practice ancient and nature-oriented methods of healing. A friend’s sister had developed a serious bout of scarlet fever and her father dug her a pit where she stayed. After a few days, she emerged from the earth, restored to a state of wellness and health. 

Ober then thought, well, what if this is what went wrong? What if many others have also gotten sick because our body’s “signals” have been interrupted by industrial and technological progress, so that we’ve completely severed our connection with the restorative powers of the earth? 

Science to support earthing 

As it turns out, his guesses weren’t completely nuts. There is scientific evidence that backs up his ideas. It’s not magic, folklore, nor the wild wishes of someone hoping for more time to live. 

Simply put, constantly being surrounded by a ton of electronic devices that give off positive electrons (electrons are teeny tiny subatomic particles that electricity is made of) is bad for us. This could be one reason behind that meh feeling that we can’t quite explain.

To counteract the negative effects of too much positive electron absorption, what do we do? We find sources of negative electrons and expose our bodies to them.

Fortunately for us, the very planet we live on is the biggest source of negative electrons. 

Literally, the earth can heal us if only we stay closer to it. 

Getting started on your earthing practice

Earthing is exactly what it sounds like. It’s harnessing the power of green, of nature, of organic life, to bring us back to good health. In the case of human beings today, staying away from sources of positive electrons is pretty impossible as we rely on technology to function (the fact that you’re reading this on a screen is a testament to that), so the most we can do is find ways to balance out positive electron exposure with that of negative electrons. 

Earthing is best practiced when you go barefoot outdoors. It’s the way to remove all barriers between you and the earth’s surface. Take off your shoes, even sandals or slippers, and feel the soil, sand, grass, or pebbles and rocks beneath your feet. This is a stress-reliever in itself, but you can help yourself further by visualizing negative electrons traveling from the tips of your toes, coursing their way up your legs and torso, then to your arms, neck, and head. Imagine your body maximizing all the powerful healing benefits this practice affords. 

Earthing can be as simple as a few minutes spent doing this every day before you start your day your day or when you end it. 

Fear not if you don’t have access to an outdoor space like a grassy backyard or park. Going barefoot at home (even if you live in a high-rise unit) is still one way to get started on this wellness practice. 

With this new knowledge of health, take advantage of every beach trip, camping weekend, walk to the park, or time in your garden. Give yourself the chance to “earth” for a few minutes at a time each day you have time outdoors. Who knows? These few minutes can add up, becoming equivalent to more years of good health. 

This is the way humans have lived for centuries. Perhaps, we can go as far as saying that this is the way we were always meant to live - closer to the earth and in sync with its invisible forces. It's a sad truth to admit that giving up this way of living is the price paid for modernization. Maybe, it's time we bring back these ancient ways that deserve a place in our world today for our own sake. 

For centuries, health has always been wealth for human beings. We count ourselves lucky that the earth remains the greatest open-for-all treasure chest of this kind of wealth.