I wrote and shared this after my first ever barefoot hike…

Yesterday I completed a 4.5 mile hike. Completely barefoot. The entire time.

I more often than not opt out of wearing shoes. Around and outside the house anyway!

Intrigued for some time, I finally decided to surrender, as I've never hiked barefoot before.

The excitement.

The dubiety.

The delight.

The liberation.

Walking along a narrow dirt path with plants, twigs, leaves, roots, rocks, dirt, sand, mud, and potentially threatening creatures scattered about you soon come to recognize that each step must be taken with clear intention. You must remain wary, paying close attention to each placement of the foot and the sensations that arise in doing so.

Your mind must remain undistracted and if it does not the earth will most definitely remind you to keep focus and lead with clear intentions. It's not simply just about where you are stepping but also how you are stepping. If you distractedly stomp and/or drag your feet along the trail without clear intentions you'll end up in pain, you'll become frustrated, and disconnected. As I hiked through the woods, shoeless, I kept coming back to how this applies to life. If you distractedly stomp and drag your yourself through life you'll eventually end up in pain, bursting with frustration and disconnect.

Learning to live with clear intentions. Forming healthy rituals.

Maintaining healthy boundaries.

Essential.

The multitude of lessons we are shown on a daily basis is amazing but you must be open to learning those lessons and it all starts with the power of your intentions.

And let's not forget the other benefits of hiking barefoot, immersed in nature:

Grounding. Liberating. Strengthens and tones muscles in the feet and legs. Relieves tension and stress in the back and joints. The toes and soles of our feet have the same sensory capacity as our hands and are meant to sense the surfaces they come into contact with. The variety of textures, sounds, and sensations found in nature are a sensory delight, especially with bare feet connected to the earth below.

So with all of that being said you are invited to join in on a grounding and uplifting guided hike through the woods, BAREFOOT! We will hike the Clear Bay trail at Lake Thunderbird, completing the green loop which is about 3.50 miles total. We will sit in circle prior to the start of the actual hike to share our intentions, express any fears, and to go over some ground rules for when it comes to being barefoot out in nature. We will then practice a connective grounding breath work exercise together in circle to start off the hike. Following the hike we will gather in a closing circle to discuss our overall experience, share what fears came up and how they were worked through, and to reflect on what was gained from the experience of hiking barefoot. Please dress for the weather. Bring a water bottle or two. Shoes are optional!!

Upon arrival to the Lake Thunderbird Clear Bay Trail Head you can park and then proceed to the left of the parking spaces. I will have a large teal beach blanket laid out on the ground about 15 feet behind the restrooms. We will meet there to start the event.

Future guided barefoot hikes will be offered and will range from beginner to intermediate to advanced based on the length and conditions of the specific trails set for that hike.

**The next 3 scheduled hikes will be intermediate.

Lake Thunderbird MT Trail

Tap here for gps location. ⬆️⬆️

⬇️⬇️SECURE YOUR SPOT BELOW ⬇️⬇️

09/07/2024

@10:00am

09/21/2024

@10:00am