The Blue Mind & Ocean Therapy
“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.”– Herman Melville
What is Ocean Therapy?
Why does the Ocean have such a powerful effect on us?
It’s something we can understand at both a conscious and subconscious level. We clear our heads by dipping our feet in the ocean or taking a candlelit bath. We feel our worries fly with the wind as we venture to the front of the ferry as it crosses the treacherous sea. We express how the ocean heals our souls to our friends, families, and strangers.
What if we said there was actual science behind this feeling? There is a measurable dopamine release after catching a wave and a parasympathetic response when our face breaks the surface.
Ocean therapy has been shown to have measurable effects on one's mental well-being, not only in maintenance but in reparation of it. In a 2016 study conducted by Grand Canyon University, ocean therapy (in this case, surfing) was shown to have a significant positive effect on three measures of self-efficacy in soldiers suffering from PTSD.
This study, plus many more examples, clearly shows the ocean's power in healing and restoration, creativity, and mental clarity.
Water was often revered in native tradition as holding dramatic differences from land ecosystems. Stories tell of the ocean's abundance even in the harshest of winter, delivering food to the shore in the form of crustaceans and fish instead of forcing humans to hunt it down in the thick and frozen tundra. The fluidity of the water kept it from freezing, safeguarding fishing grounds when the land bore no resources.
Accounts of 16th century England saw doctors prescribing cold water “shock therapy” as a remedy for some of the common ailments at the time, from fevers and tremors to nervous ticks. By the 18th century, a “standard” therapy was prescribed for those suffering from melancholy. It involved dunking the patient repeatedly in the cold water, instilling a sense of shock and panic, before hoisting them out, covering them in blankets and warmers, and giving them a cup of tea. This treatment was shown to have a calming effect on the body, helping to restore a body-soul balance.
Around the same time, drinking seawater was also experimented with as physicians looked back to the classical texts of Hippocrates and Celsus and took a recipe of seawater sweetened with honey. This treatment went as far as a publication in 1750 by Dr. Richard Russel called A Dissertation on the Use of Seawater in the Diseases of the Glands, Particularly, the Scurvy, Jaundice, King’s Evil, Leprosy, and the Glandular Consumption. In one case, a patient suffering from Leprosy was cured with a prescription for a cup of seawater every morning for nine months.
While seawater is no longer prescribed as a remedy per-say, there continues to be a growing number of ocean therapy modalities resurfacing into mainstream practice.
We Are Ocean is an organization that takes cancer patients on weeklong ocean excursions to immerse themselves in lowered cortisol and more regulated nervous systems. Stress has long been understood to be one of the leading causes of cancer, so letting the ocean relieve the body of these heightened states has positive effects.
If you can’t tell, we love this stuff. We believe in it. And we are on a mission to add more than just feelings to the pool of awareness. We believe Freediving could be a big player in the discernible effects of ocean therapy. If we get better at measuring its grandeur, it could become a force of change
If you want to help contribute to the ocean therapy movement, stay in touch and be a part of the community. As we grow, we will continue to inspire and be inspired.
Fluid Focus is a community of water explorers who use the ocean as a means of connecting back with themselves. Whether you are a freediver, surfer, or part-time ocean lover, we share a passion for the ocean. Fluid Focus Retreats are all immersive ocean therapy retreats that incorporate freediving, yoga, meditation, and mindset practices to help people connect with the ocean, connect with themselves, and connect with others.