Living the lifestyle of Feng Shui promotes respect for yourself and your surroundings. In this case, we are focusing on your home’s front entrance, also referred to as the ‘mouth of chi.’ An easy Feng Shui Lifestyle habit to adopt when first entering into your home is to take off your shoes. 

Really?? Yes. And there are is an abundance of evidence for why you could consider adopting this habit. 

1. A study from the University of Arizona, lead by Dr. Charles Gerba, collected germs and microbes on footwear. The researchers found 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of the shoe, including E. coli, meningitis and diarrheal disease.

2. Toxins is another concern. “An EPA study, reported in Environmental Science & Technology provided the first proof that unhealthy herbicides can be tracked into residences on shoes. The researchers found that the herbicide 2,4-D could be easily imported inside via shoes for up to a week after application.”

3. If you really enjoy cleaning, keep wearing shoes inside your home. Dirt = messiness, which means more time needed for cleaning. Whether you have carpet or wood flooring, this tracking of dirt will increase the wear and tear of that given surface. 

4. If you live in a New York City or Los Angeles apartment, or any other dwelling that is home to multiple tenants for that matter; shoes off, means quieter movement and less disturbances for your neighbor. 

5. Taking off your shoes before entering into your home or another person’s home is a sign of respect. Your home in Feng Shui is perceived as a sanctuary, so treat it that way.

6. The rubber on the bottom of our shoe soles disconnects us from ‘earthing.’  Traditionally this means, walking barefoot on soil, grass, or sand. To adapt this practice into the interior of your home’s environment, hold the intention of linking your energy to the energy of mother earth each time you remove your shoes before walking around your home. 

If you wish to learn more about Earthing, visit: Surprising Health Benefits of Going Barefoot

7. Studies have shown that children who habitually go without shoes have fewer cases of flat feet, along with having stronger feet, better flexibility, and fewer podiatric deformities. Our feet are not designed to be bunched up. They need to be stretched, flexed, and aired out.

BUT WAIT! I thought having shoes by the front door in Western Feng Shui is a no-no? That is correct. It’s not encouraged, yet that is why its called, a principle. You need to be flexible on your perspective of this and also be creative in how you resolve this scenario if you adopt the habit of removing your shoes. For me, I keep my shoes inside the front closet. For others, they may use a shoe cubby that is visually pleasing. Create a solution what works best for you.