Earth Qi is absorbed, without thinking about it, when we walk barefoot, which may explain why it’s so relaxing to walk without shoes and why exercises geared toward strengthening the body and relaxing the mind (yoga, tai chi, and qigong, for instance) are often practiced without footwear. A central focus in Chinese practices involves “growing a root” and has to do with opening up communication between the bottom of the feet and the Earth. This process occurs through the “yong quan point,” also known in acupuncture as the “kidney 1 point.”
