The hidden science and spirituality behind removing shoes before entering any place

India is a country full of tons of rituals and customs. The diversity of cultures and religions in the country leads to people practising various beliefs and faiths on a daily basis. From avoiding touching plants in the evening to touching the feet of elders, we follow various customs due to word of mouth, rarely questioning the reason behind them.

Be it a temple or our own homes, Indians are known for removing shoes outside before entering any place. In fact, this is a custom that has baffled various foreign tourists who have been shocked to see people freely leave their footwear behind without the worry of it being stolen or replaced. What is the reason behind the custom? Is it based on science, spirituality or both?

Shoes pickup bacteria and germs from every place you visit, including roads, shops and even gardens. Scientists have found that the soles of the shoes contain harmful germs such as E.coli that can cause stomach infections and MRSA, a dangerous antibiotic-resistant infection. When you enter your home wearing these shoes, these germs can transfer to your floors from where they can transfer to your mouth and body.

Walking barefoot indoors can not only help strengthen your feet muscle but also help maintain a good posture. As you age, the muscles of the feet begin to weaken and the best way to give them some exercise is walking barefoot and making them move and arch.

The soles of the shoes can also bring with them allergens and pollens from outside environment. These can enter your indoor air and lead to respiratory and nasal problems such as sneezing, itching and more.

It is when you are clean of the filth, that you can accept all that is pure. When you remove your shoes outside your home and temple, you are leaving all the unnecessary evils such as anger, ego and stress outside the home and entering it with a positive vibe. This also helps you embrace the positivity that exists in your homes.

According to spiritual leader Sadhguru, walking barefoot helps in a process called "earthing" . In one of the videos posted on his YouTube channel he said, “Those of you who find your body is not integrated enough, such people should walk barefoot. The key points in your body must be in touch with the earth." Connecting the bare feet to the ground can help balance the energy and connect it with the earth maintaining a natural electric connection.

Temples are known to be areas of positive vibes and energies. They are the homes of the gods and the positive energies within the temple enter into our bodies through our feet, creating a direct channel for the flow. However, wearing any kind of footwear would obstruct this flow of energy.