Posts by Kosa

The Creative Process has all kinds of
stumbling blocks, hurdles, and detours.

Every artist I know is on the verge of utter despair
before the breakthrough happens!

Too many songwriters, visual artists, choreographers,
screenwriters, actors, singers – gave up along the way.

Fortunately, many others did not.

This is a pep talk, to myself.
Frustrated I’m “not good enough” or “a gifted artist,”
I assume it’s harder for me than for others.

Standing back, I size up this giant hurdle, and instead of challenging it,
pull out my pencils and begin a new sketch.

It’s simple and it’s free, and everyone can do it as often as they like. Whether you choose a riverbed, a beach, a mountaintop, or your own backyard, walking barefoot on the earth recharges and rebalances your earthly body.

The best shoes are truly your own feet. Your feet have more nerve endings than anywhere else on your body; about 1300 per square inch. When barefoot, your feet absorb the magnetic energy of the earth and distribute that energy throughout every nerve and organ in your body. Walking barefoot increases blood flow to the brain and awakens creativity. It also strengthens the muscles in your feet, legs and back, improving your posture and overall physical strength.

Shoes on the other hand, insulate you from the earth, restricting your feet’s natural movement and blocking their ability to feel, and to recharge. While shoes are great at protecting your feet from freezing snow and rough terrain, whenever possible, kick off your shoes and let your feet feel the earth beneath them.

Barefoot Yoga

For thousands of years people have practiced their daily yoga barefoot. All the muscles in the body work together, so to achieve optimal strength, flexibility, and balance throughout your entire body, ditch the shoes.

Try Dancing barefoot

Along with walking and running barefoot, you can add dancing barefoot to your repertoire and you’ll have the opportunity to strengthen your arms, abs and core muscles too.

Barefoot in the House

Try leaving your shoes at the door when you come home. Barefoot living inspires more dance and yoga movement. It also helps keep the house clean.

Choose shoes that help, not hurt, your posture

Once you’re playing outdoors in your bare feet, recharging energetically, and rebalancing and strengthening your body, remember to choose wisely the shoes you wear. Shoes that cause aches and pains or poor posture aren’t worth wearing. Your feet are too important! The strength and health of your feet affect the health and posture of your entire body.

Reconnecting with Your Inner Child

I’ve heard those unaccustomed to a barefoot lifestyle comment that walking barefoot is like being a child again. Isn’t it past time we let our inner child out to play? Cast off the shoes and run barefoot through a grassy field, pick wildflowers and roll down the hill giggling. Go ahead and climb the trees, play in the river, and talk to the stars. Run and splash through the waves at the beach, climb the rocks, and play in the sand. Reawakening childhood playfulness is healing too.

Learning from a Child

While there is so much, perhaps too much, to learn in the present age of information, some of what we need to know most is intuitive, and can be learned from a child. Next time you see a child kicking off her shoes to run around barefoot, follow her lead, and kick your shoes off too!

The last two nights the rains came, cooling everything and bringing gentle winds.

From inside the hut, I awoke to what sounded like millions of jewels cascading down upon us. Listening for awhile to the sweet sound, I was unsure rain alone could make this music. I got up, opened the curtains, and walked out the door. Yes, it is the rain. Beautiful rain. And then it stopped.

The second night it rained much longer. This time I recognized its music.

It is the music of the rain-stick. When you tilt a rain-stick, back and forth, its small beans pour from side to side, creating music in the hollow of its wood.

This Balinese hut, with its thatched roof, receives the rains into its Alang Alang grass, and with the hollow of the room below, the three together create this music. Looking up, I imagine being inside a moving rain-stick, with beans pouring down around me, as the clouds pour rain from the sky.

What an enchanting sound vibration.

For hours it envelops me.

Only after the rainclouds travel on does sleep reclaim me.