Barefoot Everywhere World Association-An introduction to BEWA. By J.G.

This is the Barefoot Everywhere World Association. BEWA or Bewa (bay-wa ) is a spiritual, modern primitive group, keeping us grounded to our home (Mother Earth). Some believe you absorb life giving energy (qi, or chi) through the soles of your feet. Others just like the sensual feel of the earth. When you feel the Earth as you walk, you become more aware of its presence, a constant reminder through its varying textures and teperatures. Shoes can protect your virgin feet from these tactile adventures, with their dangers, sharp objects, and the soiled soles of a barefooter. But, these same shoes can have a negative effect. Whether they do or do not insulate you from these supposed energies, they do weaken the muscles in your feet and legs, compress and deform your feet, misalign your spine from an altered posture, and can cause other health problems, especially in their warm, moist environment. In the western world we think of Chinese foot binding as barbaric. Yet, westerners are willing to wear shoes that change the shape of their feet, giving many endless pain, with some needing costly surgery. Not all shoes create serious problems, and some people need them, like daiabetics who have to avoid cuts or wounds. And there are times when you just can not go barefoot. Choose your shoes wisely. If you can wear some kind of primal footwear like flip flops or sandals, all the better. Whatever your reason for going barefoot, health, spiritual, tactile or rebel, BEWA is dedicated to those who are barefooters, the open minded, spritually aware, and the education of those who are not. (The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it is open - The 14th Dalai Lama). BEWA believes that all of humanity has it's natural right to go barefoot. No one has the right to tell us otherwise. There is a social movement called Modern Primitive which was started some fifty plus years ago by Fakir Musifar a silicon chip designer. It grew out of the need for people to escape our techno/industrial world. Many modern prmitives have tattoos and or body piercings, others have much more severe body modifications. Some primitives experience (o kee pa, brought into contemporary culture by Fakir Musifar), a form of suspension from claws or hook in the body, leading to spiritaul transcendence of the physcial. This diviant life style lends itself towards primal behavor such as tribalism or even somthing so non-threatening as going barefoot. Yet some people act very threatened. The barefoot modern primivitive could be the business man next door, the preacher down the street, or you. Piercing the ears has been accepted for how many years? Yet, its origins are very primitive. Tattoos are now being accepted in many business environments. But our personal freedom to go barefoot is usually questioned. Many people have turned away from more traditional or socially accepted religons which have helped form this techno/industral world we live in, in favor of western pagan, eastern mysticism and afro carribean traditions. In this world there is really only one sin and that is restriction. Anything that harms anyone is a form of restriction. Violence restricts ones peace, theft restricts ones ownership, a lie restricts the truth, ect. I'm sure you get my point. Everyone needs his/her freedom to make up thier own mind whether to go barefoot or not. We should be free to make any decision in our lives as long as they do not harm or restrict anyone else. Restricting us this freedom anywhere is a sin. A sin of natural law. Barefooters are not stupid, no one would go barefoot where it is impractical. Some urban areas, with all thier dangers are not some of the wisest places to go unshod. In our modern times most urban environments are much cleaner and safe enough. You must watch your step everywhere you go, in or out of these harmful environments. We are also not children, we know what we are doing. No slap on the wrist is needed from any business that restricts bare feet. In the U.S. business owners and/or managers can stop siting Health Board regulations that do not exist, and stop quoting OSHA safty regulations that only apply to employees. Walmart has no corporate policy restricting barefeet nationwide, yet some managers quote OSHA regulations to patrons. I contacted Walmart's corporate office. I have been invited back with all of BEWA to shop barefoot by Heather, an Assistant Manager at thier Westminster, CO store. Other businesses should take notice and follow the Walmart example as a barefoot friendly store. Why not? The popularity of going barefoot is growing everyday. Besides those how walk barefoot in public, we have groups that run or hike without shoes. Then there is that general prejudice from those who fear going barefoot or have been raised to think it is dirty and disgusting. I am sorry that so many feel this way. But this world does not belong to them alone, it belongs to all of us. Yet on the other side of the fence there are those who have bared their feet, thier soles and freed thier souls. It appears from what I have read that barefooters lead a much healthier life, stronger feet, legs and spine and less related diseases. But one must be careful, and focused, because this man-made world has its hazzards. In some western countries, walking barefoot is a sign of good health. Remember, some actually feel much more grounded, even feel more connected to Gaia (the Earth) and those life giving energies. If you are not one of us, please join us. Free your soles and free your soul. TIME TO CHANGE THE WORLD !!!!!! HOW? THROUGH EDUCATION !!!!!!! Please feel free to comment or contact me. I would be happy to hear from you. I am an artist who has followed a western form of yoga in a Rosicrucian/Hermetic mystic tradition for nearly thirty years. I now after some years away from this practice take up my journey on the path of a Buddhist. This is not as simple, or easy a journey as one may think. Over many decades I have been a hippie, punk, and modern primitive amongst other social links in my past. I dislike these or any other titles that pigeon hole anyone, so I only use them when nessary. These predisposed pigeon holes give way to the possibility of prejudice. One should never judge a book by it cover or title. But that is not how it is. For this reason at fifty six, I am none of these, and all of these, and much more. I find going barefoot spiritually grounding and physically stimulating.There is a sensul pleasure in the various textures and teperatures. It is suprising how well you can do in a very short period of time. If your feet are more grounded during yoga, safer than athletic shoes during pilates, why should it be different any other time? Please go barefoot whenever possible. You will not believe the change it will bring to you life. *Newbies please be careful, watch your step! I am here to help and to serve. Namaste. J.G. of BEWA. May peace and happiness be with you.

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/barefooteverywhere

The Major Health Benefits of Going Barefoot (Really!) by www.SixWise.com - edited by J.G.

"We enjoy walking barefoot as nature intended, taking delight in feeling the many textures the world has to offer -- " says the Society.

Kids who go barefoot more often actually develop stronger, healthier feet.
Not convinced that you're ready to throw your shoes away just yet? Well, going barefoot doesn't just feel good--it's really proven to be good for you! Here are some reasons why:
Say Goodbye to Troubled Feet

The introduction of the now out-of-print book "Take Off Your Shoes and Walk" by Simon J. Wikler D.S.C., states that, " -- Practically all shoes worn daily by men and women in our Western civilization have little relation to the shape of the human foot -- Most adults' foot trouble would either not exist or would be much less bothersome if properly-shaped shoes had been worn during childhood or, better yet, if those people had gone barefoot -- "

The book details a bit about the history of foot trouble, only to reveal that:

•There is no record of foot troubles in Biblical times comparable to modern foot ills.


•The seeds of foot trouble were first sown in the Renaissance.


•The introduction of the elevated heel and the pointed toe marked the beginning of modern foot disabilities.
The book also describes a study performed from 1957-1960 that examined whether a mother's objections to letting her child walk barefoot influenced the health of the child's feet. It was found that children who were allowed to go barefoot often had:

•Less deformed toes


•Greater flexor strength


•More ability to spread the toes


•Denser muscles on the bottom of the feet


•Greater agility than those who had never gone barefoot


•A wider range of hip circumduction and more flexibility of the gluteal and hamstring muscles, which gave them more ability to touch their toes when their knees were held stiff
Keep Your Feet From Getting Lazy

"Shoes often protect the feet so much that certain foot muscles get lazy because they're not being used," said James DeMarco, running coach and sports store owner.

That's why more people than you'd think have taken to running in bare feet. Marathon runners from Kenya do it all the time, but in the United States you're most likely to see a barefoot runner on the beach. Still, there are those who venture to other areas like grassy fields and even hiking trails.

If you're thinking that running barefoot sounds strange, consider the findings of Michael Warburton, a physical therapist in Australia. In a 2001 research paper he wrote that running barefoot decreases the likelihood of ankle sprains and chronic injuries, such as plantar fasciitis. And, wearing shoes actually increases the risk of sprains because they make runners unaware of the foot's position.

It's not as far-fetched as it may sound -- Nike has just released the Nike Free, a "shoe that lets your foot run free on any surface." It's designed to mimic the effects of running barefoot. According to Nike, "Studies show that barefoot training leads to stronger feet, that stronger feet lead to a stronger body, and that natural movement enhances agility."

Fight Varicose Veins

Going barefoot can actually help prevent vein problems. Why? The motion you get from your unrestricted foot helps the leg muscles pump blood back to the heart. The motion may not be as effective if your foot is confined in a shoe.

Going barefoot is usually saved for those special relaxing moments, but should it be?
It's Just More Relaxing
Going barefoot really puts you in a different sort of mindset, and is usually only reserved for those special, relaxing moments.

Think about when you tend to go barefoot -- at the beach, at home on the carpet, walking on cool grass in the summer, -- and you'll get an idea of what we mean. Exercises geared toward strengthening the body and relaxing the mind (yoga, tai chi, martial arts) are also typically practiced barefoot.

"Maybe the whole world secretly understands that free feet produce a different, more philosophical, relaxed, and unbusinesslike mindset. Without shoes, our ambitions would fade away, wolfish trade practices seem too much trouble, international frictions look foolish. Armies would curl up to take a nap. Nobody would get any serious work done," wrote Barbara Holland in Endangered Pleasures. Or maybe we should all take our shoes off next time we're at work, and see just how stress-free we become?

Bare feet: They're not just for the beach anymore!

Get More Chi

According to some ancient philosophies, life-force energy called Chi (also called Qi or Prana) can be absorbed through the soles of the feet. Ground Chi is absorbed automatically and unconsciously when walking barefoot, which increases the amount of Chi absorbed by the body.

It's said that you can consciously learn to absorb more Chi from the ground as you walk to increase your vitality, your capacity to do more work and your ability to think more clearly. Now there's a reason for going barefoot more often if we ever heard one!

Recommended Reading

Dreamwork: The 5 Important Lessons of Dreams & How to Learn Them

Emu Oil: The Amazing Arthritic Pain Relief Secret of the Australian Aborigines


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Sources: The Roanoke Times June 15, 2005