05/07/2025
AN EXAMPLE OF EFFECTIVE GROUNDING
I recall a time when people who walked barefoot on dew-imbued grass or hugged trees were considered suitable candidates for treatment.
I must admit that in my pre-reflexology days, I had the same opinion.
It was not until many years later, in the early 1980s, when I had been a practising reflexologist for around eight years, that I visited a famous acupuncturist in Hong Kong. One of the gems of wisdom she shared with me was to remember to breathe through the feet, which meant standing on grass, earth, or sand and focusing on the K1 (kidney) point on the bottom of the feet, visualising the earth’s energy being absorbed and travelling upwards through the body.
Nowadays, the principles of this strategy are known as grounding or earthing and are the subject of extensive research, which has shown that the practice is beneficial, reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and enhancing cardiovascular health, among other benefits.
THE EFFECTS OF GROUNDING/EARTHING ON INFLAMMATION
Multi-disciplinary research has revealed that conductive contact between the human body and the Earth's surface produces intriguing effects on physiology and health.
- James Oschman, Gaétan Chevalier, Richard Brow. March 24 2015
Walking barefoot on a beach, especially along the shoreline, offers several health benefits for the human body.
Sand is composed of many different minerals, particularly quartz, which is an electroconductive mineral. When this is combined with seawater, which is also highly electrically conductive, and also contains minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and iodine. In addition, there are the benefits of sunlight and oxygen.
We, as therapists, need to put back what we put out.
Explore, Dream, Discover!
Tony Porter
