Moving barefoot is absolutely different in terms of proprioception. (And therefore the entire physical experience.) you’re able to make much finer (mostly unconscious) muscular adjustments when the feet can sense the fine differences in grade or unevenness of the surface. With thick shoes you miss a ton of information. This is clearest for me when im doing slow walking meditation. If im wearing thick shoes and try to shift my weight very very subtly, the odds are much higher that i lose my balance. Whereas barefoot there is much more feedback from the floor or earth that allows for dynamic adjustment on a very fine level and therefore far more stability.
Loved this piece but disappointed with the use of the genAI image - would have been so much more poignant without!
Great read! The move to super cushioned shoes by many folks has always concerned me a bit
Moving barefoot is absolutely different in terms of proprioception. (And therefore the entire physical experience.) you’re able to make much finer (mostly unconscious) muscular adjustments when the feet can sense the fine differences in grade or unevenness of the surface. With thick shoes you miss a ton of information. This is clearest for me when im doing slow walking meditation. If im wearing thick shoes and try to shift my weight very very subtly, the odds are much higher that i lose my balance. Whereas barefoot there is much more feedback from the floor or earth that allows for dynamic adjustment on a very fine level and therefore far more stability.