What to wear on my feet while cultivating?

[ChiDragon]

Amend..................

[Ya Mu]

I've heard mixed responses from people who practice both standing and sitting meditation techniques. Some say barefoot is the best, some say things like:

 

"If you touch the bare ground while practicing, the qi can leak from the lower areas of the body, thereby draining the kidney qi."

 

I am hoping to find some closure on this, which is why I am turning to you, my beloved bums.

 

I meditate both sitting and standing (Zhan Zhuang) outside, near a large tree, on natural soil. Should I be completely barefoot, where my feet are connecting with the earth or should I be wearing socks and shoes? If barefoot, cool - I can do that. If shoes, which kind?

 

As of now, I've been alternating between barefoot and wearing these:

 

http://www.cheapvibr...-Black-Grey.jpg

 

Hope someone can help. Thanks!

With which do you feel better?

Taoism is mostly about being practical, within nature. If one's feet are cold then socks and shoes are a really good thing. If it feels really good to touch Earth then why wouldn't one do so?

If it were bad the animals would all be dropping around us, eh?

 

I do not like any synthetic clothing. Sometimes being practical requires one to have some.

As far as grounding out static electricity goes, one can discharge themselves by periodically touching Earth. That is what I do.

As far as cultivation goes, static fields can initially make a difference. After a certain point, if one is really practicing qigong and not just calisthenics, it becomes easier to pull in Earth energy. If the system is valid it should not take a long time to reach this point. However, there is still the point about synthetics repelling negative ions. With no synthetics we are breathing a better oxygen supply (neg ions versus positive ions). I honestly have no idea how much wearing synthetic shoes would contribute to this, if all the rest of the clothing were natural.

[Celestial]

All great responses.

 

Ya Mu ~ Right now both barefoot and with shoes feel fine. I live in Southern California so as you may know, the weather here is pretty decent all year round.

 

How about these:

 

http://superiormarti...iate=!affiliate

 

Scroll down till you see:

 

50010- Washable Cotton Sole Tai Chi/ Kung Fu Shoes

* Machine Washable with Cotton lining. For street or studio use.

Washable Cotton twill with thread reinforced cotton sole. Slip on style.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Celestial

[Ya Mu]

All great responses.

 

Ya Mu ~ Right now both barefoot and with shoes feel fine. I live in Southern California so as you may know, the weather here is pretty decent all year round.

 

How about these:

 

http://superiormarti...iate=!affiliate

 

Scroll down till you see:

 

50010- Washable Cotton Sole Tai Chi/ Kung Fu Shoes

* Machine Washable with Cotton lining. For street or studio use.

Washable Cotton twill with thread reinforced cotton sole. Slip on style.

 

If they are comfortable. Might try some myself. Although most I have tried have not been comfortable so I use running shoes (and touch Earth), or go barefoot when it is comfortable.

 

"Hand me down my kung fu shoes cause I've got the walkin blues..." sorry, I am an old electric blues man.

[GrandmasterP]

I once bought a pair of polyester slacks back in the days when those were fashionable.

Big mistake.

Every time I touched metal I got a right shock, sometimes there were even sparks.

Only wore them the once.

[Celestial]

Energy isn't created, it's merely changed from one form to another. From the material body to freely circulating qi...so the body is temporarily strained. Grounding causes the excess voltage (qi) to leave the body immediately...which you could have used for qigong purposes, like opening channels and filling the dantien for instance. So without as much recirculation and re-storing...with your energy simply leaving the body...the body ends up in a depleted state. At least in theory, according to this really basic and probably inaccurate line of thinking...

 

But in my experience, it's not just theory. I feel drained after barefoot qigong or even taiji. It also happens to be something a teacher of mine said...to have insulation during qi practice.

 

So if anyone notices weird symptoms from qigong while barefoot or wearing cotton sole shoes, they should reconsider whether it's actually good for them.

 

Earthing is good when you're not practicing.

 

So you're saying barefoot AND cotton sole shoes are bad?

 

I hate to bring up John Chang (Mo Pai) but according to him, synthetic materials are bad for cultivating chi. Cotton soles are not synthetic. Rubber soles (on modern shoes) however are.

[Celestial]

I once bought a pair of polyester slacks back in the days when those were fashionable.

Big mistake.

Every time I touched metal I got a right shock, sometimes there were even sparks.

Only wore them the once.

 

So for cultivating do you wear 100% cotton pants?

[Brian]

All great responses.

 

Ya Mu ~ Right now both barefoot and with shoes feel fine. I live in Southern California so as you may know, the weather here is pretty decent all year round.

 

How about these:

 

http://superiormarti...iate=!affiliate

 

Scroll down till you see:

 

50010- Washable Cotton Sole Tai Chi/ Kung Fu Shoes

* Machine Washable with Cotton lining. For street or studio use.

Washable Cotton twill with thread reinforced cotton sole. Slip on style.

 

I often wear some like that at home but they are impractical outdoors.

[Celestial]

I often wear some like that at home but they are impractical outdoors.

 

For cultivating (sitting/standing), I don't see how they could be impractical. Plus those are machine washable and for street (or studio) use.

[Brian]

 

 

For cultivating (sitting/standing), I don't see how they could be impractical. Plus those are machine washable and for street (or studio) use.

 

For sitting/standing in your yard (or studio), they'd be fine, I suppose, but they wear out quickly, get stained (beyond washing's ability), aren't terribly comfortable on rough surfaces, etc.

 

I use them as bedroom slippers!

Edited November 16, 2012 by A Seeker

[Celestial]

For sitting/standing in your yard (or studio), they'd be fine, I suppose, but they wear out quickly, get stained (beyond washing's ability), aren't terribly comfortable on rough surfaces, etc.

 

I use them as bedroom slippers!

 

Heh, yeah. That's probably why they're so cheap.

 

So I guess the ultimate question would be: what did ancient masters wear on their feet before the modern shoe was invented?

[Enishi]

I bought a small fountain for my room recently, I wonder if it might help replenish the negative ions in the air? I should really start using it more.

[Celestial]

I bought a small fountain for my room recently, I wonder if it might help replenish the negative ions in the air? I should really start using it more.

 

Hey get your own thread!

[Enishi]

Hey get your own thread!

 

Lol sorry.

 

In terms of footwear I'm trying to get ahold of more 100% cotten socks and leisure clothes now. I've noticed that wearing my cotton pajamas result in better meditation sessions as oppose to blue jeans.

[Aetherous]

So you're saying barefoot AND cotton sole shoes are bad?

 

Only maybe...and not really "bad"...just something to be aware of, in case you get bad symptoms at some point.

 

I hate to bring up John Chang (Mo Pai) but according to him, synthetic materials are bad for cultivating chi. Cotton soles are not synthetic. Rubber soles (on modern shoes) however are.

 

John Chang isn't one of my teachers. I've seen pictures of his old student, Jim...his legs look in pretty bad shape to me. Really weak. This is a guy who sat on the bare ground for years during practice...

 

Synthetic clothing is noticeably not good, for me. I wear all cotton stuff. For my personal practice, shoes don't matter in terms of "synthetic" or not. More insulation is good when practicing...for me. Like I said, skate shoes = the best experience standing, for me.

 

Pay attention to your results. Personal experience is the only thing that ever really convinces anyone...it's not my wish to convince a single person here that anything is bad.

[Seth Ananda]

I myself like bare foot. I spent years with out even owning a pair of shoes, and I pretty much hate wearing them, but that's relative to me of course...

 

I know that Taoists are concerned about the feet getting cold, but I find that fairly easy to avoid.

I wear more cloths, which make sure my blood is warm, and thus my feet are warm - as all my warm blood flows through them...

 

And more so, when my LDT is feeling full, and hot, I just don't need the extra cloths, or shoes, as my feet and body is warm.

 

When I practice qigong in shoes, I can feel like I am suffocating via my feet, and when I remove them finally it is very relieving, and the energy from the earth feels so much stronger...

[Celestial]

Only maybe...and not really "bad"...just something to be aware of, in case you get bad symptoms at some point.

 

 

 

John Chang isn't one of my teachers. I've seen pictures of his old student, Jim...his legs look in pretty bad shape to me. Really weak. This is a guy who sat on the bare ground for years during practice...

 

Synthetic clothing is noticeably not good, for me. I wear all cotton stuff. For my personal practice, shoes don't matter in terms of "synthetic" or not. More insulation is good when practicing...for me. Like I said, skate shoes = the best experience standing, for me.

 

Pay attention to your results. Personal experience is the only thing that ever really convinces anyone...it's not my wish to convince a single person here that anything is bad.

 

Jim isn't the best example; and I don't want to go there with this thread. I was basing my post on what John Chang said not to wear, perhaps Jim just didn't listen.

 

So 100% cotton pants + shoes that insulate your feet (cotton/rubber) should be good then?

[Aetherous]

So 100% cotton pants + shoes that insulate your feet (cotton/rubber) should be good then?

 

Maybe. Let us know!

[Seth Ananda]

 

John Chang isn't one of my teachers. I've seen pictures of his old student, Jim...his legs look in pretty bad shape to me. Really weak. This is a guy who sat on the bare ground for years during practice...

Yes, Jim doesnt look good full stop, and his posture is terrible in those pics, but I do not think that that comes from sitting on the ground... there are many fully healthy yogis who meditate on the bare ground. I think he needs a good diet, regular exersize and some yoga classes...

 

Pay attention to your results. Personal experience is the only thing that ever really convinces anyone...it's not my wish to convince a single person here that anything is bad.

+1

[Celestial]

Will do!

 

I want to repost this in case anyone missed it:

 

What did ancient masters wear on their feet before the modern shoe was invented?

[Aetherous]

Well some of the yogis/ancient masters prefered kusha grass, then a fur, then a rug to practice on...

 

Bg. 6.11 - In a clean and pure spot, having established a firm seat for himself, neither too high nor too low,

with cloth, skin and Kusa grass thereon.

Bg. 6-12 - There making the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses controlled, seated

on that seat, (Yogi should) practice Yoga for the purification of the self (mind).

-Bhagavad Gita

 

 

This dude is elevated above the earth.

 

And what the Chinese were up to.

 

Edited November 16, 2012 by turtle shell

[Seth Ananda]

Well some of the yogis/ancient masters prefered kusha grass, then a fur, then a rug to practice on...

 

[Celestial]

Well some of the yogis/ancient masters prefered kusha grass, then a fur, then a rug to practice on...

 

Bg. 6.11 - In a clean and pure spot, having established a firm seat for himself, neither too high nor too low,

with cloth, skin and Kusa grass thereon.

Bg. 6-12 - There making the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses controlled, seated

on that seat, (Yogi should) practice Yoga for the purification of the self (mind).

-Bhagavad Gita

 

 

This dude is elevated above the earth.

 

Standing on some dead animal fur can't be good for your karma. Back in ancient times, the people who killed animals did so to survive. After skinning them, they ate the meat. The fur was a bonus.

 

I personally believe (after reading the responses in this thread) that as long as your feet are not freezing cold and have some form of NATURAL insulation, then it's okay. Synthetic anything is not natural and could lead to problems.

[Aetherous]

Yes, Jim doesnt look good full stop, and his posture is terrible in those pics, but I do not think that that comes from sitting on the ground... there are many fully healthy yogis who meditate on the bare ground. I think he needs a good diet, regular exersize and some yoga classes...

 

Yeah, I agree. Just an example, and it may not represent all people who practice on bare ground for years.

[Brian]

Can't speak for others, RV, but personally I like to literally touch the earth! Like tomorrow, I'll leave the house about 7:30 and head up the Blue Ridge Parkway towards Mt. Mitchell to bushwhack along the continental divide. A little hiking qigong!

Edited November 17, 2012 by A Seeker