The Inertia: Mind Surfing
- wallacejnichols
- Dec. 26, 2010
For many people – surfers and non-surfers alike – the experience of standing on the shore and gazing out at the ocean is deeplysatisfying. There is something uniquely calming and contemplative about an ocean vista – something that touches us on an emotional level, but is nonetheless difficult to put into words, or even fully understand.
That, however, is precisely what one researcher is trying to do. A recent article in Outside Magazinedetails how marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols believes that humans have an inherent, deep-seated “need” for aquatic environments – like oceans. He argues that this need is not only psychological and aesthetic but may, in fact, be biological as well. He contends that our minds are linked to the oceans in a still little understood but fundamental way, and that contemplation of oceanic environments actually produces neurological benefits that aid in such things as mood elevation, stress reduction, increased concentration, and better memory, among others.
Read more here.
