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How Simply Taking a Walk Can Activate Your Intuition and Magical Power

While taking a walk might not seem as glamorous as, say, dream interpretation or tarot, it can be just as effective, if not more so, when it comes to aligning with the Universe and gleaning the divine wisdom at the heart of it all.

For a huge percentage of the time that humans have been present here on earth, after all, we have spent most of our time outdoors, and even when we were inside, we were in structures that were much more organically connected with the earth, such as caves and huts made of natural materials.

Ever wonder why food tastes so much better outside? It's because our digestive process literally works better when we're more relaxed and oxygenated, and also because our attunement to all the various movement and scents that surround us opens up our senses more fully to the food's savory subtlety and depth. In much the same way, the oxygen, sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors remind us of our interconnection and allow us to experience a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Not to mention, simply stepping outside of your little residential environment literally provides a fresh perspective. You might say it's a way of instantly thinking outside the box.

What's more, the soles of our feet are extremely receptive to the energy of Mother Earth and imbibe spiritual wisdom and nourishment that brings great benefits on all levels. More than a hundred years ago, the famous Sioux chief Luther Standing Bear said,

b2ap3_thumbnail_Luther_Standing_Bear.jpg"The old people come to literally love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth and [they]liked to remove their moccasins and walk barefoot on the sacred earth."

This sentiment was reinforced in an article by Gaeton Chevalier, et. al., entitled "Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons," where we learn that

"[i]t is an established, though not widely appreciated fact, that the Earth's surface possesses a limitless and continually renewed supply of free or mobile electrons. The surface of the planet is electrically conducive (except in ultradry areas such as deserts), and its negative potential is maintained (i.e. its electron supply replenished) by the global atmospheric electrical circuit...

Throughout history, humans mostly walked barefoot or with footwear made of animal skins. They slept on the ground or on skins. Through direct contact or through perspiration-moistened animals skins used as footwear or sleeping mats, the ground's abundant free electrons were able to enter the body, which is electrically conducive. Through this mechanism, every part of the body could equilibrate with the electrical potential of the Earth, thereby stabilizing the electrical environment of all organs, tissues, and cells.

Modern lifestyle has increasingly separated humans from the primordial flow of the Earth's electrons. For example, since the 1960's, we have increasingly worn rubber or plastic soled shoes, instead of the traditional leather fashioned from hides."

b2ap3_thumbnail_foot-5033_640.jpgIndeed, a number of studies have shown that walking barefoot outside blesses us with numerous perks, including significantly reducing the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn strengthens one's immune system and overall state of mind. So if there's a place where you can safely walk on grass or sand, even for a short distance, do it!

In my area there are a lot of excellent hiking spots, but I more often enjoy simply walking around my neighborhood. It allows me to expand my world: I'm reminded that I don't just live in four walls and a roof, but I'm a part of a neighborhood populated by a whole ecosystem of trees, flowers, grass, squirrels, birds, cats, dogs, and other people.

If I've been struggling with a certain conundrum or issue and I bring it to mind as I walk, it's approximately twenty times more likely that a solution or approach that I feel great about will come whooshing into my awareness. As an added bonus, my route includes a lovely little grassy park. I like to slip off my shoes as soon as I get there - and to leave them off until I get to the other side - to allow my bare feet to soak up the energy, wisdom, and healing power of the earth.

P.S. This is an excerpt from my brand new book, Holistic Energy Magic. Ask for it at your local bookstore or check it out on Amazon here.

b2ap3_thumbnail_Holistic-Energy-Magic-1.jpg

Main Image: B. Monginoux/Landscape-Photo.net

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Tess Whitehurst is the award-winning author of a number of books, including The Magic of Flowers and Holistic Energy Magic. She's also a feng shui consultant and a worldwide intuitive counselor. She lives in Boulder, CO. Visit her and sign up for her free monthly newsletter at tesswhitehurst.com.

Comments

  • *d.*
    *d.* Friday, 24 April 2015

    You need to attempt a walk in my neighborhood! When your feet are over the stings, bites, & stickers (if they can stand the burns), I'll carry you back. I can't spend more than 2 minutes in my garden before the mosquitoes swarm ~ our variety go straight for your ankles. You won't notice them until you're bleeding!

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