Big Little Lies star, Shailene Woodley, is very open about her love for Mother Nature and her respect for the Earth. In fact, she’s often dubbed a “hippie” by fans. 

I mean, she once said, “My religion is the Earth, man. I believe in trees.”

via GIPHY

So this week, when she posted a photo of herself outside of the HBO offices barefoot, fans started to speculate that she was Earthing – the practice of walking barefoot, in a bid to connect to the planet’s energy.

 

The Divergent actress went barefoot at the The Spectacular Now premiere in 2013… 

Shailene Woodley Earthing

But what is Earthing? According to areturntosimplicity.com, “Earthing (or Grounding) is connecting electrically to the earth to improve your health. Earthing sounds a bit tree-hugger like and strange, I know, but there is a growing body of research showing that there are MANY health benefits to being a bit more connected to the earth.”

Earthing Beach

In an interview with Goop, long-time Earthing advocate, Clint Ober, explained how to feel the benefits of the practice.

“The simplest and most natural method of grounding is to go outdoors and place your bare feet and hands directly on the earth – many people choose to go for a barefoot walk in the park or on the beach,” he told Gwyneth Paltrow’s website. Adding, “A note: Walking barefoot in your home, where minimally conductive or nonconductive materials like concrete foundations and hardwood floors insulate us from the earth’s electric potential, will not have the same effect. It takes at least a half an hour of exposure to access significant health benefits, so I recommend a minimum of thirty minutes of barefoot time outdoors daily, if possible.”

And when it comes to the benefits, he explains, “When I started grounding myself, the first noticeable effect was that I slept much better. The first thing that happens when you’re grounded is that you’ll feel a discharge (that the electrical static on your body drains away). It makes you breathe easier – you just feel better. Other effects, like calmness, and increased blood flow, happen over time, so you won’t feel them so immediately.”

He adds, “Grounding also affects emotional health through pain reduction—if you have pain, you’re going to be emotionally stressed. If you reduce inflammation, the pain stops, you feel better, and the energy comes back. There have also been studies that indicate that grounding improves mood, reduces stress, and has a calming effect.”

Is it something you’ll try? Let us know @CosmoMiddleEastÂ