You may have heard that walking barefoot outside is a simple way to ground yourself.
But did you know that taking off your shoes does not automatically create the same electrical connection everywhere you stand?
The condition of the ground matters.
Grounding occurs when your bare skin makes conductive contact with Earth. This allows electrical charge to move between your body and the ground, bringing your body closer to Earth’s local electrical potential.
Dry soil can conduct electricity, but it usually has greater electrical resistance. Moist soil conducts more effectively because the water within natural soil contains dissolved minerals and electrically charged particles called ions.
This means moist soil ordinarily creates a stronger and more reliable electrical connection than the same soil when it is dry.
Fortunately, you do not have to wait for it to rain.
If your backyard soil is dry, pour water over a small area, allow it to soak into the soil, and stand there barefoot. You do not need to create mud or a puddle. The soil only needs to be evenly moist beneath your feet.
You also do not need copper to ground yourself. Copper is an excellent conductor and may strengthen the conductive pathway under certain conditions, but your bare feet on moist soil already provide a direct electrical connection.
It is also important to understand that all outdoor surfaces are not equally conductive.
Moist soil and wet grass connected to the soil generally provide better conductivity. Extremely dry soil and sand provide a weaker and less consistent connection. Asphalt, rubber, plastic, and sealed surfaces generally act as insulators.
This does not determine whether someone can feel spiritually or emotionally grounded. A person may feel calm and connected simply by being outside in nature. However, if the goal is specifically to create a stronger electrical grounding connection, moisture makes a difference.
So, the next time you decide to ground yourself, check the soil.
If it is dry, add a little water.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2015). Soil Quality Indicators: Chemical Indicators and Soil Functions.
Explains that soil conductivity occurs principally through water filled pores and that dissolved ions carry the electrical current.
View USDA source - Adamchuk, V. I., Allred, B., Doolittle, J., Grote, K., and Viscarra Rossel, R. A. (2017). Tools for Proximal Soil Sensing. In Soil Survey Manual, Chapter 6. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Explains that soil conductivity is affected by water content, dissolved ions, clay content, and temperature. It also states that conductivity generally increases as soil water content increases.
View USDA Soil Survey Manual - Wang, C., Bao, F., and Lu, Y. (2025). Study on the Resistivity Characteristics and Mechanism of Silt Clay Under Different Initial Conditions. PLOS ONE, 20(4), e0319072.
This peer reviewed experiment found that soil resistivity decreased sharply as moisture content increased.
Read the PLOS ONE study - Ling, S. J., Moebs, W., and Sanny, J. (2016). University Physics Volume 2. OpenStax.
Defines electrical grounding as connecting a conductor to Earth so that the potential difference between the conductor and Earth is reduced or eliminated.
View the OpenStax grounding definition - OpenStax. (2022). College Physics 2e: Conductors and Insulators.
Explains that grounding permits electrical charge to transfer between a conductive object and Earth.
View the OpenStax chapter summary - Fowler, T. W., and Miles, K. K. (2002). Electrical Safety: Safety and Health for Electrical Trades Student Manual. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Publication No. 2002-123.
Defines ground as a physical electrical connection to Earth and identifies rubber and plastic as insulating materials. It also explains why wet conditions create a more conductive electrical pathway.
View the NIOSH manual - Gulisano, F., Jimenez Bermejo, D., Castaño Solís, S., Sánchez Diez, L. A., and Gallego, J. (2024). Development of Self-Sensing Asphalt Pavements: Review and Perspectives. Sensors, 24(3), 792.
Explains that conventional asphalt mixtures have very high electrical resistance and are ordinarily considered insulating materials unless conductive additives are introduced.
Read the asphalt review
