Tribe.net. Local Connections Adam http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#85f8de4f-dc37-4f21-bd4b-637ec147703e 2007-06-15T01:38:40Z 2007-06-15T01:38:40Z

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I was doing exactly that before (walking on grass, then pavement) but then got a nice set of blisters right before a hiking trip which made me a bit less mobile then I wanted. Since then I've been keeping with shoes mostly, but it's about time I get back into the groove of things.

Adam 2007-06-15T01:38:40Z Star http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#1fb08e85-a167-4200-90dc-aa42749e80a9 2007-06-06T21:02:50Z 2007-06-06T21:02:50Z

Conditioning insite from a well padded goddess. Trust. Trust in that there is no such thing as coincidence and that we are surrounded by a matrix of loving energy that really does want what is best for us. Trust that your feet will not split open. Trust that these lovely peds which have traveled so far with you weight and balance, wobble, and dance, love you and serve you. Trust that the bugs will move. Trust that you will somehow know to avoid the grass. When you lose trust, put on your sandles. It is this trust which allows barefoots to walk so freely. It also builds compassion and joy in your life. :) ;) Also, reflexology will build stronger bottomed feet. Try a self foot massage. Let others massage your feet. Don't scrub the skin off with pumice in the barefoot seasons unless you have extra flakey feet. Take in the other advice, these are seasoned barefooters. Sensitive feet are delightful. Run in the grass before the gravel. Mostly, though, it's like seeing at night. Buddha said in his last Sutra, that as we enlighten ourselves, our senses change, and find more joy in everything possible. This comes with trust. Your feet will not split open unless there is a dire message involved in this splitting from the universe about trust in a specific moment or environment. Blessings on your Barefoot journeys, Lady Star*

Star 2007-06-06T21:02:50Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#24e7392f-860c-4a82-9ebc-343bebd78d59 2007-05-30T01:51:23Z 2007-05-30T01:51:23Z

Sounds like good advice but for me I just charge into whatever I'm doing barefoot and don't worry about it. Been that way for as long as I can remember . So far no major problems except for the time I shot a 16 penny nail thru my right foot. Learned two thing that time. You have better traction with a nail sticking out but the pain totally sucks.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-30T01:51:23Z Chili http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#a767c44d-2c8e-4939-a3ac-26b5adac3622 2007-05-29T18:23:41Z 2007-05-29T18:23:41Z

>You take a step and sort of "feel things out" with the balls of your feet, than commit to allowing all of your weight to rest on the foot. < I love your comment ~and totally agree!

Chili 2007-05-29T18:23:41Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#6d6ef513-1d49-4783-8821-5fb075f4dbd3 2007-05-29T02:40:29Z 2007-05-29T02:40:29Z

Callouses are not nessesary for your feet to be able to withstand walking on rough surfaces, however many people have then and there's nothing wrong with that. If your feet develop callouses, you should at least keep them lotioned and make sure you do upkeep on the callouses around the edges of your heels. They can become cracked after a while and the cracks can be fairly painful. What happens when you go barefoot enough, is the soles of your feet actually thicken like leather. They can remain incredibly sensitive and soft, but are tough in the sense that it doesn't hurt to walk on rough surfaces. Losing sensitivity in the bottom of your feet isn't usually desired. The whole point to walking barefoot is how good things feel when you walk over them! If you're looking to get the ball rolling, walk barefoot as much as possible. Begin by walking through grass covered fields and then by walking around your neighborhood sidewalks everyday. If you get a blister, lance it, drain it, but leave the skin on and keep walking on it! Often times the skin will re-attach itself. Something else to think about is changing the way you walk. The natural way humans walk is not heel first than toe. It's actually the opposite - ball then breifly the heel. A great way to learn this is walking across smooth gravel. Try this: Stand just the balls of your feet (don't hold on to anything) and just balance there. How long could you do this? Next, try to just stand on the heels of your feet. How long can you do THIS? Not even a few seconds without moving around or "balancing" right? That's how our feet are made. You take a step and sort of "feel things out" with the balls of your feet, than commit to allowing all of your weight to rest on the foot. Try it! It'll feel weird at first and you will probably feel like your lifting your foot "unnaturally high" lile tiptoeing, but after a while, you will get into the groove of it and it starts to feel kind of like gliding across the ground. You may experience some soreness in your calf muscles and muscles in your feet, but that will passs in a while. In about three weeks of soing this alot it'll get more comfortable and your feet will begin to thicken. There's a guy online that posted picture of him letting a match burn all the way down on the sole of his foot and said he couldn't feel a thing. Hope this helps, Brian

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-29T02:40:29Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#17c022d2-527b-4ab7-8931-be461072026f 2007-05-25T17:15:34Z 2007-05-25T17:15:34Z

You guys are just no fun sometimes but I have to admit that warm slimy gushy mud has it's benefits over dog poo. For one thing you can smear it all over your body, let it dry and then try walking around. Cool feeling and the true source of enlightenment. No I havent been smoking.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-25T17:15:34Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#3cd49e39-8bb5-46b5-ad83-8c0e5ad5f72f 2007-05-25T17:07:12Z 2007-05-25T17:07:12Z

Maybe we're just levitating microns above the ground and we dont know how enlightened we really are.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-25T17:07:12Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#2317c606-4734-4d45-ba57-a6308dac6fe8 2007-05-25T02:05:17Z 2007-05-25T02:05:17Z

also billy, jase DOES know what he is "missing out on" as he accidentally stood in a pile of poo while walking to university earlier this year. (which is why the poo was mentioned in the first place) happy day, billy!

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-25T02:05:17Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#e3f40446-7759-4ddf-b07b-fddcb4a479f5 2007-05-25T02:03:40Z 2007-05-25T02:03:40Z

if i want something squishing and spurting up and around each toe i go for mud... it looks the same, feels the same, but it's not crap!!!!

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-25T02:03:40Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#6c99d6d2-7820-4794-85b6-06f344c062a5 2007-05-25T01:27:03Z 2007-05-25T01:27:03Z

Dude You dont know what youre missing. Acres of warm steamy gushy palpitating mounds of ripe dog poo squishing and spurting up and around each toe like erupting mini volcanoes is........HEAVEN

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-25T01:27:03Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#90c471f6-f2e2-4dc8-8909-9251a5e70ae7 2007-05-24T09:56:07Z 2007-05-24T09:56:07Z

and you would know all about that, wouldn't you jase?

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-24T09:56:07Z Gecko http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#f3a6a7e5-69f8-4337-9a17-da934ae2ae4e 2007-05-24T03:33:41Z 2007-05-24T03:33:41Z

watch out for dog poo though not really something you want squiging between your toes ew

Gecko 2007-05-24T03:33:41Z Gecko http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#2be4d6d2-2818-40c0-a5a2-2134b09403f2 2007-05-24T03:33:10Z 2007-05-24T03:33:10Z

Ohoy hoy! When I first started walking barefoot my feet used to hurt but now they are fine. I stand on glass (accidently) and don't really feel it

Gecko 2007-05-24T03:33:10Z Ryvr http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#9194457f-188f-4b40-8e2b-1688955fa4ea 2007-05-04T03:46:02Z 2007-05-04T03:46:02Z

I mostly figure it is a style of walking lightly and with awareness, versus just pounding head. I suppose there are pros and cons both ways ... but my practices of yoga and meditation make me want to be gentle and present. Peace, Ryvr

Ryvr 2007-05-04T03:46:02Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#d339b2b7-6ead-4fd1-a512-2a9af3307098 2007-05-03T04:37:51Z 2007-05-03T04:37:51Z

I'm the same way Ryvr. No calluses and I also go barefoot everywhere. I wonder why it is that some people develop really narly calluses and others dont? Thats a headscratcher.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-05-03T04:37:51Z Ryvr http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#8f18a449-55b4-4620-9e15-b02f3255a7eb 2007-05-02T20:51:19Z 2007-05-02T20:51:19Z

I guess you said what I wanted to say in another way... I have mostly no calluses too, go barefoot everywhere, and never get hurt. I think it is practice with mindful stepping and knowing when not to bare down weight because there might be something sharp.

Ryvr 2007-05-02T20:51:19Z Phaedra http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#5d516202-0f45-446d-b962-47d14fdbd522 2007-05-02T17:43:15Z 2007-05-02T17:43:15Z

That's so true - I find it's the anticipation of walking across a textured surface that sometimes causes problems - if I think about it, it will hurt or be uncomfortable - so, don't think, just start barefootin' . . .(wink!)

Phaedra 2007-05-02T17:43:15Z Chili http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#f397a255-18ce-4fc9-8ab9-6a4ce6a40a26 2007-05-02T17:34:43Z 2007-05-02T17:34:43Z

I agree is is a state of mind - and one of passivity. Relax the foot, don't expect the surface, and just let the foot drape over any inconsistencies in terrain without predicting the texture or forcing the foot to be flat. We like to think of the foot as being flat, like a shoe bottom, but its surface can be "retrained" from this way of thinking to be undifferentiated and more adaptable and forgiving on changes in terrain. I walk on lava in hawai'i, limetone in Jamaica, and on hot streets of California all the time, and I don't have callouses at all (well except for a teeny on on my big toe side from my work boots - see, not from being barefoot!)

Chili 2007-05-02T17:34:43Z $item.owner.firstName http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#c958f5db-d6f4-49d8-a200-851d31dcaf2e 2007-04-30T15:48:43Z 2007-04-30T15:48:43Z

Done forget its also a state of mind. If people can walk around a bed of hot coals with no damage then you should be able to walk on pebbles, gravel, etc.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-04-30T15:48:43Z MinX http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#c66e1b8f-08ec-4822-b3eb-97128f3e083d 2007-04-29T21:50:49Z 2007-04-29T21:50:49Z

if you continue to walk on ruff or hot surfaces it will start to build calluses on your feet so walking on gravel or what have you will become less painful i know when i would walk on asphalt alot o would often hurt my feet sometimes they would blister but after they would heal i wouldn't have the same problem agen. my mom seas that it can help if you slap the bottom of your feet it makes the nerves less sensitive. and this a a woman that walks on asphalt that is so hot you see her footprint in it, so i would trust her

MinX 2007-04-29T21:50:49Z Adam http://barefootwalkers.tribe.net/thread/33626fe9-6177-451f-a4e0-5d8f4044b6c2#172374b0-7b6d-4354-868f-ff8e097366f0 2007-04-29T21:00:46Z 2007-04-29T21:00:46Z

I just discovered this site and was pleased to find other people who enjoy walking around barefoot. Particularly when I'm outside in warmer weather, I've always enjoyed walking around barefoot when I can. For me, however, there is a problem. My feet seem to be extra sensitive and many surfaces are very painful to walk on for me. I remember an incident a couple years ago where a friend and I had decided to walk through a stream barefoot. The bottom had many little pebbles on it, and although my friend (who as far as I know rarely walks barefoot) had no problem, every step I took was very painful and I had to move very slowly. In another incident, another friend of mine had no problem running across a gravel surface that for me would've been excruciating to even walk across. It seems to me that I have naturally thinner soles than most people due to my genetic makeup. I'm not about to give up on barefoot walking though. Is this sensitivity to rougher surfaces something that can be solved through conditioning (ie walking barefoot more often) or something I can do little to change? Can I build up thicker soles on my feet so walking on rougher surfaces eventually becomes less and less painful? I am hoping this is the case because it's certainly something I plan on doing a lot more. Any help in the matter would be greatly appreciated!

Adam 2007-04-29T21:00:46Z