My Health, I Manage! E-Tao Paida & Lajin Self-Healing (Chapter 1)

Chapter I 

My “Journey to Cure”

Excerpt from Journey to Cure

Like yesterday, I put out low tables at the corridor outside for the queuing Tibetans to do Lajin. The number of tables had increased from three to six, on top of each lay a patient, who had one leg straight up against the pole, while someone next to him helped to press his legs. If I noticed that some did not seem to benefit from the practice, I would make them repeat it, with me pressing the leg, and showing those around how painful the facial expression would be when it was done properly. In the end, they realized that their symptoms had gone with the painful exercise. 


Helping to press legs of the one doing Lajin
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It really made my day when I witnessed the immediate effects of Lajin — it not only cured the pain in the torso and limbs, but also eased headaches and pains in internal organs. A woman who had pain in her knees and legs had it eliminated after Lajin, but the pain in her back, chest and stomach remained. There were clicking sounds in her thoracic and lumbar vertebrae when I performed bone-setting on her, after that all her remaining pain disappeared; in another case, I used bone-setting on a middle-aged man with acute stomach pain that radiated from his abdomen to the back. After four popping sounds on his thoracic vertebrae, the pain went away completely. By now I was convinced that pain in the organs such as stomach and liver must be closely related to the corresponding spots on the vertebrae.

It occurred to me that since Lajin could easily be practiced at home or in the office, it should be introduced to the world so that more people could benefit from it, especially the increasing number of office workers who suffer from neck and back pains. Companies could consider installing “Lajin benches” in the office, as part of employee benefits package.

I also discovered some sad truths today. I saw that some Tibetans had spent the night sleeping along the corridor of the monastery, in order to get treated the next day. From this I guessed that the reason why so many Tibetans suffer from diseases such as arthritis might be because a majority of them are nomads used to sleeping out in the fields at night where damp and cold air gets into the body. Since there are hardly any medical services available at remote places in Tibet, people could not get treated when sick; instead, they have to rely on such drugs as painkillers or hormone pills, which they could buy without prescription. Monasteries with many lamas usually purchase boxes of painkillers so as to alleviate various pains. The overdose and/or misuse of these medicines induce a lot of diseases, such as distortion of bones. Deafness, which is a common illness here, is caused by misuse of hormone drugs to treat colds. To make things worse, a lot of drugs sold to the locals here are either counterfeit or of poor quality, which nobody elsewhere would take.

Many illnesses can actually get treated without any medication, including the many eye problems I found among my patients, such as cataract, far-sightedness, inflamed or tearing eyes, because they could all be cured with acupuncture. However, due to poverty and lack of acupuncturists in the area, people either let it worsen, or travel afar to a hospital to get infusions. They seemed to be always getting infusions in hospital, and hardly receiving any other treatments. Sadly, they seemed to always get sicker after the infusions.

Excerpt from Journey to Qinghai

Paida and Lajin in the Sun

After lunch, we went back to the kitchen. Again, it was overcrowded. I had to invite those waiting their turns out. I laid out a few more tables and encouraged them to do Lajin. The first two men about to receive treatment both had lower back pain and hip pain, and were limping. I asked, “Have you done Lajin?” They both answered, “Yes.” “Have you done Paida?” I asked. “Yes.” “Have you patted your hip?” I asked again. “No.” was their answer. As they were men (hence would not be embarrassed to expose the hip), I asked them to take off their pants to have the hip patted.

One of them, while loosening his pants, pointed to his ass and asked, “It was patted yesterday. Doesn’t that count?” I took a look — there was a large area of purple Sha (poisoned blood). I asked, “Is your pain relieved?” “Yes.” He answered. I took the opportunity to explain to him, “The purplish dark Sha shows that Paida is effective on you, and the cold-dampness (chills in the body that induce various diseases) is being cleared. You need to continue receive heavy Paida.” I asked another man to pat his hip. But his Paida was way too gentle. I showed him how to pat vigorously. Everyone laughed. The one helping to Paida took the hint and began to use heavy slaps. The one receiving Paida immediately showed painful expressions.

The other sturdy Kangba man had to follow suit, and took off his pants to receive Paida. Very soon a large area of Sha appeared on his hip. I said to them, “It’s best to pat yourself, as you’ll be both the giver and receiver of this ‘gift’.” In the beginning, they were reluctant to pat themselves. I explained to them why and they began to use genuine slaps. Over time, they got slack, with arms rising and falling slowly and the intensity falling, just like the lazy kowtow machine in an oilfield. From time to time, I had to ask others to give them a few hard slaps. It went on like this for half an 

hour, and indeed their hip pain was greatly eased. I asked them to walk again, and they could basically do it normally. They couldn’t help but feel amazed at the healing method and its wonderful efficacy. 

Helping each other do Lajin
Taken from Mr. Xiao’s blog:
h t tp : / / b lo g . s i n a . c o m . c n / s / b lo g _ 5 dc 9 4 6 a 6 0 1 0 0 h 3 e 5 . h tm l
English version posted at E-Tao website:
h t tp : / / w w w . P a i da L a j i n . c o m / e n / h o m e / m _ p o s t . a s p ? i d = 2 1 3 7 9 5 5 1 8 1 4 9
Editor’s Note:

Paida in a group

Visit our website at http://www.paidalajin.com/en/home/ to read more of Mr. Hongchi Xiao’s “Journey to Cure” stories. You can also get free downloads, watch videos, read FAQs and self-healing stories from around the world. 

EXCUSE # 18: I'M PREGNANT

(OR PLANNING TO BE PREGNANT)

The good news is that going barefoot adds additional benefits for future mommies to be during pregnancy. Swollen feet are common during pregnancy, and many women find themselves shedding their shoes anyway. Consider these barefoot walking benefits of truly going barefoot:

•Minimizes swollen feet. One of the big considerations for pregnant women is circulation. It's known that women's feet get bigger during pregnancy, and a large part of this is fluid gain, often caused by not working our muscles. However, fluid gain goes down as you use muscles more. When you go barefoot your feet have to wok more. That's a great thing when pregnant, because a working foot is like a fluid pump, bringing fluid up out of the foot and the lower leg and delivering it back to the heart.



• Improves overall circulation. The increased circulation doesn't just end with the feet. Your lower legs also do more work when you're barefoot, particularly as you shift your weight toward your forefoot. This increased circulation acts as a fluid pump and helps keep your legs healthier, happier, and stronger. 


• Builds balance for less wobbling. One of the greatest benefits of going barefoot is that your feet are closer to the ground, which brings more stability during a time when your center of gravity is shifting. You can also feel the ground beneath your feet, which helps you reawaken and work the stabilizing muscle groups from your  feet to your legs, hips, and up into your core, improving your balance for increased maneuverability and lower chances of falling.

• Strengthens core muscles for delivery day. If you think of the human body as a series of interconnected links of a chain, each one connected to the next, you start to get a real sense of the benefits of going barefoot when pregnant. After your legs, the next link in the chain is your core. Now, a stronger core isn't just about the stomach; it includes all the muscles from the pelvis on up. In essence, when you've fully engaged your core, you're doing somewhat of a Kegel exercise, just to hold yourself in place ㅡ muscles essential for an easier delivery day. 

• Develops a healthier back for a happier mommy. 
Keeping the back healthy and happy during pregnancy is often a big challenge. After all, you're carrying a growing heavy weight in front, and your back often arches forward.






And by working all of the muscles from your feet on up, you assist the circulation of your cerebrospinal fluid, in essence lubricating your spine and keeping it loose. 



• Stand with better posture for more comfort. Since you are working right up the chain and have better body awareness, better circulation, and a stronger core, you also end up with better posture, because you can feel what is going on beneath you ㅡ especially when there comes a time you can't see your feet. 







If you were  already walking barefoot before pregnancy, congratulations ㅡ you've got a leg up here. Keep doing what you're doing if your doctor agrees, and it will serve you well. But if you're already pregnant and would like to experience the benefits of being pregnant and going barefoot, always trust your doctor here, and when in doubt, be safe and ask.

Health Benefits Of Going Barefoot

Remember the guy in college who went barefoot everywhere? He may have seemed eccentric, but it turns out he was on to something. 

Walking barefoot, also known as "earthing," has gone from being a kooky counter-culture trend, to a scientifically-researched practice with a number of remarkable health advantages, such as increasing antioxidants, reducing inflammation, and improving sleep. 

Earthing means walking barefoot on soil, grass or sand (meaning: any natural surface). So we’ll have to get off the sidewalk. Early studies are showing that the health benefits come from the relationship between our bodies and the electrons in the earth. The planet has its own natural charge, and we seem to do better when we’re in direct contact with it.

Why should you walk barefoot? 

A review published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health looked at a number of studies that highlight how drawing electrons from the earth improves health. In one, chronic pain patients using grounded carbon fiber mattresses slept better and experienced less pain. 

Another study found that earthing changed the electrical activity in the brain, as measured by electroencephalograms. Still other research found that grounding benefitted skin conductivity, moderated heart rate variability, improved glucose regulation, reduced stress and boosted immunity. 

One particularly compelling investigation, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, found that earthing increases the surface charge of red blood cells. As a result, the cells avoid clumping, which decreases blood viscosity. High viscosity is a significant factor in heart disease, which is why so many people take blood thinning aspirin each day to improve their heart health. Another study in the same journal found that earthing may help regulate both the endocrine and nervous systems.

O K, I'm sold. What's next?
Even if there were no proven benefits to walking barefoot, I'd still recommend taking frequent walks in nature. Regular walking, as little as half an hour a day, can reduce cancer risk, improve cardiovascular health, moderate weight and prevent diabetes. In addition, walking improves blood oxygenation, circulation, and immune response, removes toxins, and relieves stress.

True, we can get many of these exercise benefits by using an indoor treadmill at the local gym. But without being outdoors in a natural environment, we miss out on many of the mental health benefits that are proven to increase when we spend time in nature.

For one thing, even if we enjoy it, going to the gym tends to be a chore. It’s just something we have to cross off our list. On the other hand, walking in nature is about being in the moment, rather than trying to achieve something. Even more importantly, we are surrounded by fresh oxygen-rich air and beautiful scenery, rather than gym smell and flatscreen TVs. And there’s no membership fee.

Walking also creates physical and emotional rhythms. Unlike running, which is by definition rushed and high impact, walking is gentle, nourishing and gives us space. We have an opportunity to work through the day’s events. In addition, even a light stroll releases endorphins. Most importantly, we breathe deeply. 

As we walk, our breathing starts to synchronize with our motion. We experience a sense of expansion and freedom. Ultimately, walking becomes more than just exercise; it becomes a form of healing, removing our stress and replacing it with wellbeing on every level.

I think we would be hard-pressed to find a better win-win situation. By walking, we exercise our muscles and cardiovascular system, improve our mental health, reduce stress and support our overall wellness. Simply taking our shoes off seems to multiply those benefits by allowing us to synchronize with the earth’s natural electric charge. On an evolutionary level, this all makes complete sense. We evolved close to the earth, and it’s only relatively recently that we have been so keen to remove ourselves from nature.

Perhaps it’s time to take a step back, barefooted.

arefoot Benefits
Top 10 Health Benefits of Going Bare

Going barefoot works by reawakening a light, natural stride in the body, through the feedback we get from our feet touching the ground. There’s less impact and joint torque than in a shoe, it reawakens muscles that have atrophied in our shoes, reawakens nerve endings and our balance system, stimulates reflexology points on the bottom of our feet, and even has anti-inflammatory benefits through grounding. This all means a stronger body, less joint pain, better posture, more mobility, greater health, and greater freedom.

Going barefoot is like discovering a new fountain of youth. When our feet, knees, hips and backs are no longer in pain, we’re more likely to be active again. You’ll feel younger, your body will act as if you’re younger, and you’ll be stronger and more active than you’ve been in many years.  Your mind will become sharper and your concentration better focused.

Here are some of the top health benefits:

1. Greater balance.
By feeling the ground, people begin waking up the vestibular system (balance system) of the brain, stimulating new neural connections and remapping their minds for greater balance. For seniors this is critical, because one fall or hip fracture can lead to a gradual decline in health.

2. Greater strength.
​By going barefoot one begins to wake up new muscles, both for balance and support. Not only that, but if you look at a super-model’s legs, chances are she’s been walking barefoot at the beach, toning ALL of her leg muscles in the process.

2. Healthier feet.
​The body works on the use it or lose it principle. Use something, you get to keep it. Don’t use it, and it atrophies. When people start going barefoot their feet reawaken and begin to strengthen again.

4. The corollary to this is less foot conditions.
​As the feet strengthen, plantar fasciitis diminishes, foot neuromas go away, bunions begin to dissipate and other conditions such as hammertoes go away. Even the arthritic foot begins to slowly heal itself as it develops greater strength, flexibility, and blood flow.

5. Greater circulation.
Going barefoot not only wakes up long-dormant muscles of the feet and legs, but gets more blood flow to the feet and legs to get them going. This increased blood flow means less aches and pains, less varicose veins, and warmer feet and legs in the winter.

6. Better posture.
​We’ve all learned an unhealthy habit, or pronounced pelvic-tilt from a lifetime spent in a traditional shoe. The typical running or walking shoe isn’t just a shoe, it’s a high-heel, sporting a heel of 1-2 inches (if not more) in height. To keep from falling over we’re forced to get our butts back and bend forward at the waist, straining our hamstrings, lower back, upper back, shoulders, and neck. It also puts a lot of force on our hips, knees and feet when we run. Once we’re out of a shoe we can begin to reverse this. By feeling the ground the nerve endings on the bottom of our feet begin to tell us that we’re leaning or tilting forward, or that we’re bending forward at the waist. With practice we run, walk, and even stand with better posture, more like a dancer or a model. Not only do we look better and get taller, but we greatly reduce all of the stress and strain on our bodies. And all without any additional work!

7. Kids get healthier.
​With childhood diabetes and obesity, kids health is at an all-time low. And health begins with the feet. If you have strong feet you can walk, run, bike and more. But with weak painful feet, there’s no desire to exercise. The American Podiatric Medical Association now recommends keeping kids out of shoes for as long as possible, because they know shoes weaken and deform the feet. Keep them out of shoes and kids stay healthy. Not only that, but the act of feeling the ground strengthens their senses and helps remap the brain. According to Dr. Merzenich, one of the nation’s leading neuroplasticians, barefoot stimulation helps improve memory, focus, concentration, and overall intelligence too!

8. Decreased blood pressure.
​Studies show that by stimulating the nerve endings on the bottom of the feet, we can decrease blood pressure and the parasympathetic (cortisol) fight or flight response of the body. In other words, we decrease stress and inflammation throughout the entire body.

9. Reduce inflammation.

​Last, but not least, and perhaps most importantly, going barefoot has been shown to reduce inflammation. According to many new studies, inflammation is the number one cause of disease in the 21st century (from allergies to Alzheimers, arthritis to Autism, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, anemia, lupus, MS, and more are ALL related to inflammation). One possible solution may be grounding or earthing, the process of reducing inflammation by walking, standing or even sitting barefoot on the ground.

Studies have shown that free radicals, the pesky buggers responsible for inflammation carry a positive charge. Though these positively charged particles play an important role in our immune system and the healing response, if we don’t have a way to drain them, they build up in our bodies, creating excess inflammation and cell/tissue damage. 

Meanwhile, the earth naturally carries a huge negative charge. (That’s why all of our appliances are grounded.) This difference in polarity or charge between your body and another is why you get zapped in the winter when you touch another object. It’s your body’s way of discharging this unwanted charge. Direct contact with the ground also allows us to discharge free radicals.

10. Reflexology benefits.

​Reflexology is the process of stimulating nerves on the bottom of the feet to stimulate the immune system, reduce inflammation & pain, reduce blood pressure, reduce stress and tension, and to stimulate many other healing processes in the body. Studies have shown great reflexology benefits to going barefoot and stimulating the soles of the feet. 

Getting Started
Before jumping into any high aerobic activity, we always advise warming up first. Our favorite method of warming up is to simply walk barefoot uphill (slowly).  If there are no hills near you, try the exercise below. In our book Barefoot Running, we have dozens of exercises for waking up your muscles. A great one to begin with helps you wake up the arch of your foot. This exercise is called the Tiger Claw and can be done before each of your barefoot runs.

Do the Tiger Claw!

Pretend you have claws at the end of your toes, just like a cat or tiger’s claws. You simply want to walk very slowly for fifty feet with your claws extending, grabbing and pulling on the ground with your toes. Notice how much it builds up the shape of the arch. Do this for 3-5 times your first day, then increase by 1-2 more times every other day.

Doing this strengthens your toes and the arch of your foot, helping you to naturally support and propel yourself forward, rather than relying on the arch support of a shoe. Remember, a support is nothing more than a crutch and doesn’t strengthen you. Our bodies work on the use it or lose it principle, if we don’t work the muscles of the feet, we incrementally need more and more support until we’re in a lot of trouble. Wake up the muscles though and you’ll have years of pain free, healthy running to come!


Baby-Stepping Your Way Into Barefoot Form

Barefoot Running and Barefoot Running Form means waking up your feet and lower legs. Initially, it’s much harder on your feet, as they’re forced to move 3-dimensionally, rather than 2-dimensionally in a shoe. And the stride is like doing a calf-raise with each and every step. To help the muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones to adapt, we need to begin slowly.

Start fully barefoot – maximum feedback helps you find your lightest stride.

Always go barefoot before you’re shod – think form first, before you fatigue and before your feet get sweaty in a shoe.

Begin with only 200 yards – this gives your feet time to adapt to the new 3-dimensional movement.

Add 100 yards of barefoot time every other day – this gives the muscles, ligaments, tendons and even bones time to rest and recover.

Carry your shoes – these are your hand weights, hold them nice and high to practice proper form.

For the first three months only run barefoot every other day – spend the rest of your running time in your regular shoes and orthotics.

As you slowly increase your barefoot time, you can slowly decrease your time in supportive shoes and orthotics.


Have fun and don’t forget to smile!

Barefoot Walking: Benefits and More

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

Paperback – March 26, 2013

by Michael Sandler  (Author), Jessica Lee (Author)

From the authors of Barefoot Running, the essential guide to the life-changing benefits of barefoot walking.

As the thousands of people who have fallen in love with barefoot running already know, shedding your shoes is good for the body and the soul. Barefoot Walking shows all readers, no matter their fitness level, how to take command of their physical and spiritual well-being through this simple and easy practice, even if they are daunted by sore feet, achy joints, injury, illness, or feeling out of shape. This book contains special material for children, pregnant women, and seniors, and shows anyone how this gentle, natural activity can literally transform one's life, restoring health, vitality, strength, and balance, and improving focus, mood, memory, and more. Full of tips and tools for going bare, this is the essential handbook for people who want to move their body, connect with the earth, and feel physically and psychologically more alive.

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE LIFE-CHANGING BENEFITS OF BAREFOOT WALKING

Shedding your shoes is good for body, mind,soul and earth.

Barefoot Walking helps you rediscover your physical and spiritual well-being through this simple practice, even if you are daunted by sore feet, achy joints, injury, illness, or feeling out of shape. easy to follow, it includes a step by step plan to keep you going. 

I click here to LOOK INSIDE the Barefoot Walking 

Breathe Easy On Your Runs!

In my teens I was diagnosed with exercise induced, and later full-blown asthma. I thought I could just will my way through it, until I started honking like a freight train in races.

Even on multiple inhalers and pills, when the going got tough, my air passages would get inflamed, clamp down, and then it was day-over for catching my breath.

I learned quickly, I had to try and calm myself down fast, and back off (not great when the pack is leaving you behind) until I could catch my breath. It was frustrating, but also my inspiration, for I knew if I wanted to compete at the top, or simply keep myself out of trouble, I'd have to find a better way to breathe, and fast!

That's when I tripped across the book Breathe Play, a 1980's book that introduced me to the idea of controlling your breathing and that by making your breathe a conscious activity, you could expand, strengthen, and even heal your lungs.

I was told I had tiny lungs, and that there was nothing I could do about it. But working on my breath, I went from having teeny tiny lungs with only 60% of the average capacity, to something like the top 1% or better of lung capacity for all people out there my size! (A big surprise to my docs after they tested me!) I went from sucking wind in races, to having extra air. And I went from struggling to get up hills, to making them my forte.

I can remember when people would yell at me in races saying "Shut Up Michael, can't you tell I'm suffering." I just had so much air and was having so much fun, I just wanted to talk! By doing breathing exercises mainly during my workouts, but also on their own, I pretty much doubled my lung capacity, and got off of all the meds and their heavy side-effects.

I often talk about focusing on your breath. But what does that mean? First, it means breathing deep. This is something we're all unfamiliar with in the west. In fact, here in Hawaii, the derogatory term given to white people when they first arrived many years ago, was Haole, which means short breath. When Westerners first came to Hawaii, they were seen breathing with a very shallow ineffective breath. It's what we've all grown up with, but need to unlearn.

So we don't want to be Haole, we want to breathe deep. This means focusing on your breathing (this means shutting off the ipod so you can listen for a few minutes) both in exercises before, and while you run.

There are dozens of great exercises you can do. We'll be introducing many of our favorites in our upcoming Mindful Running Video series this fall. But the simplest, easiest, and perhaps most effective breathing technique you can do to get started is to focus on the exhalation.

We have a Tai Chi and Qi Gong, master who tells us "No one thinks of the exhale. They always say inhale. But it's your exhalation that is most important! When you exhale, you blow out unwanted CO2, you blow out the bad stuff, and you blow out the stuck energy. Then you can get more clean air in. The more you focus on the exhale, the healthier and stronger you will be."

We completely agree. When you run, blow out as much air as you can in each breath. Don't worry at all about the inhalation. It will take care of itself. In fact, try this now, while you're reading this. Take a good deep breath, then blow, blow, blow, blow, blow out all of the air you can as you watch, and feel your stomach squeezing in (if you don't see it, place your on your stomach to feel and help it along). Then relax, and let the air rush back in and see your lungs and belly expand. To your amazement, you'll find it took ZERO effort to get in all the air you just expelled. Even better, it's EASY to strengthen these muscles to move air fast, and breathe deeper.

When you breathe this way, you'll take more steps between breaths, and feel more oxygenated, or more powerful with each breath. Before you may have been running 2 steps inhale, two steps exhale, and now you'll find yourself 3 and 3, or even perhaps four and four. The number's not important, but it means you're getting more air in with each breath.

More air means happier lungs (less chance of the dreaded honk I used to experience), happier legs, less lactic acid buildup, a lower heart rate, less fatigue, and means you can go faster too!

Practice this each time you run. Concentrate on the exhalation, and watch yourself fly!

Side affect: You too may find people telling you to stop talking so much as you run together, as they're panting hard, and you're comfortably breathing deep. Don't sweat it, but feel free to teach this too them as well. Then you could have a conversation!

Preface

by The Sakyong, author of

Running with the Mind of Meditation

 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 contemplation—a 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 itself—to 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 body—exercise 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’ message.

 Preface

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. Te 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 o 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 walking—from 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 Jessica’s 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



8 Barefoot Walking
•
If you’ve never walked for leisure or exercise before, this book will be your guide to taking off your shoes with minimal risk of injury and maximum health and joy.
•
If you’re looking for a new twist on a tired old exercise program, you’ll find immense success with barefoot walking, especially if you want to get of the treadmill of life (and of the treadmill at the gym) and try something refreshingly fun.
•
If you’re already a dedicated walker, this book will show you a much more aware way of getting into the zone and improving your stride, form, and performance.
•
If you’re overcoming an injury—as both of us were—this book will explain how barefoot walking can strengthen your feet and arches in ways you never dreamed possible.
•
If weight loss is your goal, walking is a proven way to shed pounds—and you don’t need any fancy equipment, rigorous diets, or scales to measure results. In fact, you just need to take off your shoes and step out the front door.
•
If you think you’re too old to start something new, we are here to tell you that you can teach your old “dogs” new tricks and why, as you age, you owe it to yourself to go barefoot.
•
For the very young whose parents may be reading this book, we ex-amine how going shoe-less (or nearly shoe-less) in childhood keeps those darling little baby feet fat and strong. And for everyone, no matter your age, shape, or goal, if you’re craving a more spiritual connection to the world, walking sans shoes will give you that as well.It will help you quiet your mind and begin a fantastic journey on the inside.Perhaps instead o “walking barefoot,” this practice should be called “walking yoga” for its mind-body-spirit (or mind-body-earth) connection.Even if you aren’t ready to plunge fully into the barefoot scene, this book can still give you handy tips for exercise, diet, and strengthening your feet, until you’re ready to slip of those shoes.In 2010 we wrote a highly successful book called
Barefoot Running: How toRun Light and Free by Getting in Touch with the Earth.
We toured the UnitedStates and the world, holding clinics and retreats.


Introduction 9
Near you, or (visit our RunBare.com website). At every stop, we were asked about walking barefoot. We know not everyone is a runner—and some never will be. This book is for all non-runners and for runners who are rehabbing from an injury or just need some be-kind-to-your-body cross training and connection with the earth. This book has grown out of our nationwide and international quest to bring the message of going bare— whether you run or walk or just feel the earth be-neath your feet—to millions of people the world over.So kick your shoes of and let the journey of a million steps (in bare feet) begin right now.

YOUR STEP-BY-STEP WALKING GUIDE
Have you ever traveled to a new city and wanted to see the sights? Te best way is to grab a guidebook, usually called a “walking guide.” Think of this book as your walking guide to—ta-da!— walking without shoes. You’ll see familiar terrain with new eyes and new awareness underfoot. You won’t have to tear off your shoes until chapter 7. First we present a brief introduction to walking barefoot and why it’s so darned good for you—even if you are among those who still think it’s a preposterous idea but were just curious enough to pick up this book. These first few chapters discuss why barefoot walking is a safe alternative and even more satisfying than wearing shoes while you walk. Of course, if you’re new to walking for exercise or just new to walking with-out your shoes, you’ll need some of the basics, and that’s in chapter 7 as we help you start by walking on a broad expanse of green grass. Then we’ll stride right into the warm-up exercises in preparation for a real walking tour in chapters 8 and 9.In chapter 10 we’ll learn how to strengthen and condition our feet, revealing the marvel of nature’s perfect design. Moving on up the kinetic chain brings us to chapter 11, in which we’ll review proper technique and guidelines for drills,strengthening exercises, weight training, and cross training, for a total body makeover. Once our muscles are warmed up, in chapter 12 we’ll keep them loose, supple, and injury-free by stretching.


10 Barefoot Walking
Two special populations that are often overlooked in books on walking are children and seniors. Their particular issues with being barefoot are discussed in chapters 14 and 15.Not every sidewalk or road is smooth and easy, so we’ll show you in chapters 16 and 17 how to turn your feet into “all-terrain vehicles” and anticipate the roads less traveled and unpredictable weather conditions. This comprehensive guide would not be complete without a serious discussion of nutrition, in chapter 13. And, unfortunately, injuries come with just about any activity—mostly while wearing shoes—but they don’t have to be surprises, and surely you will need to know how to overcome any injuries or foot problems that sideline you, because you will want to be back out there quickly.Chapter 18 discusses the proven ways to stay healthy.It seems odd to discuss footwear in a book about walking without shoes, but chapter 19 introduces you to minimalist footwear you might want to try—that is,
after you’ve let your feet feel the ground.Once you’ve mastered the basics and discovered the joy in walking and truly feeling the earth beneath your feet, you may remain barefoot for life. In chapter 20, we discuss going beyond barefoot walking, both in terms of activities such as running barefoot and in terms of stewardship of our planet. For when your feet meet the dirt, you’ll never walk with a big footprint again. You’re about to embark on an exciting journey, one that we’ve been on and which continues to amaze us. Countless others have found pure joy, health, and emotional and spiritual well-being by stripping of their shoes and going bare-foot. Now you can too. We’ll be cheering you on, giving you advice, and helping you through the tough times. 

On that note, you can post your questions, and helpful tips, and follow our adventures on our Facebook page, www.facebook .com/RunBare. You can subscribe to our individual pages too, where we each share our own barefoot journeys and photos: www.facebook.com/RunsWithSpirit and www.facebook.com/JessicaLeeSandler. 

You’re about to step into a brave new world, so let’s begin.