Barefoot

Being barefoot is being naked on your feet (see Naked). It can symbolize being unreserved and perhaps trusting one's instincts more than everyday conventions.

You cannot approach the sacred with shoes on your feet. In Exodus 3:5, God says as the burning bush: "... remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." This is repeated in Acts 7:33. It is also common in various traditions that one is not allowed to enter a sacred place with shoes on.

For example, running barefoot in the grass might make us associate it with children, who are both literally and figuratively connected to nakedness. Taking off your shoes can be a sign of respect, but also of leaving behind habitual attitudes and comfortable positions, and trying to walk with a more open mind.

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