Earthing: The Benefits of Connecting with the Earth

Earthing consists of walking barefoot on the ground outside and returning to the original state of humankind. It is believed that regularly practicing earthing can help promote your well-being. Read this article to learn more about it!

Written and verified by the philosopher Isbelia Esther Farías López.

Last update: 26 May, 2022

In life, there are few pleasures as simple and sublime as those that earthing gives us.

Few people can deny how pleasant it is to walk barefoot in the sand at the beach or feel the tickle of the dew-stained grass in the morning. These pleasant experiences often have a minimal or nonexistent economic cost, but their benefits are enormous.

Earthing means connecting to the Earth, and it doesn’t just activate the nerve endings on the soles of your feet. It’s also a practice that can heal your soul.

What is earthing?

The word “earthing” comes from the word “earth,” which refers to our planet and also dirt or ground. It’s considered a connection with the earth. This practice is also known as “grounding”.

Earthing consists of bringing your body into contact with the Earth and the electric energy that emanates from it. Some studies indicate that the practice of physical contact with the earth can provide benefits for your physical health, as well as for your mood.

Those who follow this practice remind us that human beings originally kept in contact with the Earth thanks to the fact that they walked around barefoot all the time. However, with the modernization of the world we’ve lost that contact. According to defenders of earthing, modernity has isolated us from our ancestral connectivity, with shoes, carpets, and other isolating materials that keep us in a state of complete disconnection.

Research about this subject adds that people who have reconnected with the Earth have significantly improved their physical functions. It also talks about a possible reduction of tiredness, fatigue, pain, and even depression. People who practice earthing argue that they feel less muscle tension and a spiritual calm as a result of returning to the health that mother Earth provides.

Taking off your shoes and reconnecting with the earth allows nature’s electrical connections to act on your body. This belief has caused this trend to gain more and more followers in the health world.

The benefits of earthing

People attribute a variety of benefits to earthing that, to date, haven’t been researched enough. Therefore, you should keep in mind that the benefits come from anecdotal evidence and studies that still need more evidence to back them. The most prominent benefits are:

• Reduce inflammation: People who practice earthing say that contact with the Earth can reduce inflammation and damage to some cells.
• Antioxidant benefits: They also claim that the connection to the electrical energy of the Earth can have antioxidant power, although there’s no proof of this.
• Relaxing effects: It can help reduce anxiety since it promotes calm and balance of your nervous system.
• It helps energize you: Returning to the original connection to the earth helps you feel more energetic and full of vitality.
• It helps provide synchronization of your body with the day and night schedule. This allows you to rest better at night and feel good during the day.
• It releases stress because you disconnect momentarily from your daily responsibilities and are very grounded in your body.

How to do earthing

If you want to join this trend or try it out, you just have to follow these very simple steps. This is because the connection between humans and the Earth is primal and doesn’t require a big effort:

• Walk barefoot whenever you can. You can do this on dirt, grass, or sand because it helps to activate the energy points on the soles of your feet.
• Touch water. This also helps you to channel your energy. To do this, we recommend you wash your hands frequently, go swimming, and shower, among other things. For followers of earthing, water also works as a conductor.
• Connect your bed to the ground: Some people do this using fabric, a cable, and metal wires to ground their bed.
• In addition to these steps, some people put special mats under their feet while they work.

People who practice earthing uphold the supposed health benefits. It’s a practice that, far from being damaging, could contribute to your general well-being, although it still needs more evidence to prove its benefits.