blue mind ~ science & emotion

Have you heard of this book ~ BLUE MIND, by Wallace J. Nichols?

A marine biologist, Nichols uses various aspects of science and research to chart and explain our human emotional connection to water. In the book he defines a Blue Mind as “a mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life in the moment”.

I’ve lived this in real-time for the past week on my visit to Tybee Island. When I am near the water it repairs my soul. I am more creative, energetic and more at peace with the world in general ~ at least until it is time to pack the car and go home again!

I’ve made 5 trips to the water this year so far over the past 10 months ~ a major benefit of my sabbatical year 🙂 . And it has definitely helped my overall view of life.

I love the first person stories in the book about individual experiences relating to water, and I am re-reading some of the more detailed science portions. It is all fascinating, but at the same time it tells me what I already know ~ we love the water and being around it makes us happier people.

That is really the driver behind bluwaterlife ~ to capture that peace of mind I have when I’m near the water ~ and to share things that make me and other like-minded folks happy. And I started down this path long before reading this book. But isn’t it nice when science validates what we have long known?

So now that I am back home this evening, I will try to extend my happy, relaxed bluwatermoment. Later on ~ over the next weeks ~ I will write about my Tybee trip and post here on the blog. Until then I’ll be sorting photos like this one, and whether it is science or emotion, a blue mind or a bluwatermoment, it’s all good ~~~