▲ Kim Myeong-sang

Kim Myeong-sang, the president of the Meditational Barefoot Walking Rally, held a barefoot walking rally on November 3rd at Mongchontoseong (earthen fortification) in Olympic Park, Seoul which attracted more 200 participants nationwide. The event was filmed by a Chinese TV channel and broadcast nationwide in China.

Prior to the event, Kim appeared the three major TV channels (KBS, MBC and SBS) to spread the benefit of barefoot walking. He pointed out “Meditational barefoot walking is a combination of meditation and barefoot walking. It promotes soundness in mind and strengthens internal organs while walking up the mountain in barefoot.”

“The natural healing effect of barefoot walking has been well proved in a number of TV shows such as KBS Mysteries of the Human Body and MBN I Am a Natural Person. They are those who sentenced with a terminal illness by the doctor but their life style in nature put the doctor to shame. One reason ascribes to phytoncide released from forest and the energy gained by earthing (barefoot walking).”

“I think many urban people need a haven of their mind. They are struggling day by day squeezed between the concrete erected cities not knowing where to turn. I highly recommend them to take a break and climb the mountain to review their life every now and then preferably on barefoot so that they can enjoy improving both mental and physical health at the same time.”

A theory asserts that people in agrarian society gathered energy on their lower part of the body since they have to work manually while as people in modern society use more of brain so the energy is rather floating on the air. Barefoot walking in this respect is to help the energy go down below the abdomen to make internal organs sound. 

Meditation on the other hand is well known for increasing concentration. It is good you walk barefoot with your head 15 degree downside while in meditation to forget worldly thought, advises Kim.

One biggest advantage of barefoot walking is to strengthen the functions of intestines which can compare with the root of plants. Like the root absorbs water and nourishment, intestines do the same. Therefore, bad intestines can mean bad health. There is a saying “Health starts with good intestines” asserts Kim.

“Other advantages are that we can get quality air and sunshine and clean water that cannot be gained in cities. The sunshine in forest releases serotonin aka happy hormone which reduces depression with the help of vitamin D.”

With this sense of duty, Kim is passionately giving lecture on benefit of barefoot walking at a number of public institutions and big companies like Samsung and Hyundai. You can join a barefoot walking on the first Saturday of every month that is taken place around the mountains of Seoul.