Let’s talk about feet.
Perhaps we need a cultural shift in our perspective on the foot. Choosing to go shoeless is not gross or culturally unaware as Daniel Holdridge suggests in his article, “On the Bare Foot.” To walk barefoot is to walk sensitive to our surroundings, embracing and caring for our bodies, fully immersed in beauty and freedom. Bare feet are a blessing.
This is a break from tradition—but not a disgraceful or unsanitary one, as Holdridge claims. It can be good for the body. According to physical therapist Kim Grundy, it changes what part of the foot strikes the ground first, improving balance, posture and mood. It can prevent issues like bunions, which are triggered by wearing tight, narrow shoes, and it prevents arches from becoming atrophied. Of course, there are times when it is culturally necessary or crucial for our health to wear shoes, but this is obvious to anyone who can appreciate social cues. We claim to respect our bodies—why not prove it by going barefoot?
You may have heard of the idea of “being grounded.” It is the sense of being present in the ordinary and taking in the physical with the spiritual. We are not Gnostics—we believe that spiritual realities can be experienced through physical ones, and we choose not to be ashamed of living in a material world. (Toes aren’t gross, people; we’ve just been told that). The idea of indecency shouldn’t scare us away from acknowledging physicality and connecting with God’s world on a deeper level.
Now, there are challenges. When someone takes off their shoes after a while, they suddenly learn how much our feet have the ability to perceive: how sensitive they are to pain or bliss. It often comes as a shock—the body can respond to new stimuli by feeling uneasy. But be patient with your feet. They were spoiled before. Repetition and exposure in small amounts will do wonders.
Eventually, your feet will grow accustomed to the ground. The more your calluses grow, you will think less about what you are stepping on and more about where you are stepping. You will begin to realize that you are called to this very place and time. Learn to hear God’s voice through this sensory experience. I have found that we can better understand our finitude, our wonder and our curiosity through the barefoot lifestyle. Walking barefoot slows you down. It just does, whether you are a calloused veteran or a free-spirited newbie. And this is the wonderful part—it helps us appreciate the little things of this world you often miss while rushing around on springy rubber soles.
Arbitrary barriers have confined our habits. Let those who wish to be free do so unhindered! Perhaps the animosity others feel stems from wishing they had the courage that those who walk unshod possess—but more likely they are uncomfortable with something that is often not seen. Friends, change can be good. Yes, we ought to respect the gaze of others, but it shouldn’t hold us back from potential joy. The way of the unshod foot is the most joyful path one can tread.
Let us, brothers and sisters, truly embrace the fullness and wonder of God’s Creation!
Are you with us?
Join us for a walk across the lawn after chapel on Wednesday, November 20.
Forsake, for a moment, those restraints culture has placed on you.
And ground yourselves!
Let us bare our soles
To fill our souls.