It is not a stretch to recognize that life is not getting simpler. More bells, more whistles, more things breaking apart, and fewer of us coming together. Yet, when we reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with nature, we become more able to face the challenges that continue to roll in.
Our willingness to practice present-moment awareness, in any given moment, will allow us to feel more space in our lives, to glimpse eternity in a full, deep breath. For the pragmatists out there, it will also allow us to feel more resilient and more able to face the difficult moments in life with more grace.
We are lucky here on Maui to be surrounded by my favorite element–salt water. Here we are, a small dot in the Pacific Ocean, connected to continents, islands, and far-reaching currents. Water, in any form, is also one of the most soothing elements for our brains and our bodies, and this is true whether we are in the water, gazing out at it, or even looking at images of it or listening to sounds of rain or running water.
According to Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and author of Blue Mind, spending time near or in the water can shift our mind and our nervous system from an anxious and stressed state into one of creative calm. In a time of increasing reactivity, actively seeking out the state known as ‘Blue Mind’ can be a powerful way to counteract the many stressors that surround us every day. We can all recognize the shift for ourselves when we make time to go to the ocean, sit inside and watch the gentle rain, or hike up a valley to sit by a waterfall.
The famous Rumi quote, “You are not a drop in the ocean, but the ocean in a drop,” describes the awe that being near water can invoke. Feeling and recognizing that we are water and water is in us can help us feel part of something larger than us and help us find a perspective and an orientation that helps us meet whatever is happening in our lives.
Make it a point this Summer to find your way to water more often—swim, surf, dive, or simply gaze your eyes out to the horizon. It’s a way of plugging in to one of the most powerful recharging stations available to us. Savor the gift of blue.
Kalia Kelmenson is the creator of The Salt in Us and founder of Maui Mind and Body. mauimindandbody.com. Follow her on Instagram at @thesaltinus.
