Imagine yourself, on a sunny day, sitting comfortably on a chair, a bench or a rock, with a gentle sea breeze blowing toward you. You are looking out to the horizon where the blue sea meets the blue sky, listening to the waves lapping on the sand or the rugged shore below you. You may start to feel relaxed and happy, just remembering and visualizing an experience you had of being by the sea.
Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, an American scientist and marine biologist coined the expression “blue mind” to describe that feeling of calm and general happiness triggered by the “dreamy state of involuntary attention” that is experienced beside the water.
Many years ago, when we lived in Ireland, we were never more than a short drive away from the sea. We went there often, sometimes just for an evening stroll on the beach. Where we are now, we have access to lovely lakes and rivers, and we are grateful for them. But there is something magical and enticing about the open sea.
Continue reading “The call of the sea”