On which water bodies of the capital can you relax this summer? Closer to the water. Why do we love water

The book by the renowned marine biologist, public figure and advocate of the aquatic environment describes how water affects the physical and mental health of a person. After reading it, you will learn how being close to water increases productivity in professional and personal life and makes you calmer and more balanced by reducing stress. Notes are posted on the website http://www.mann-ivanov-ferber.ru/books/blizhe_k_vode. Published in Russian for the first time.

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The given introductory fragment of the book Closer to the water. Amazing facts How Water Can Change Your Life (Wallace Nichols, 2014) provided by our book partner - Liters company.

Why do we love water?

Water is the essence, form, mother and matter of life. There is no life without water.

Our (evolving) relationship to water

Thousands of people lived and live without love, but not one without water.

There is something in the water that attracts and fascinates us. Not surprisingly, it is the most ubiquitous element on Earth. Without it, as well as without air, life is simply impossible. Take the fact that oceanic plankton is the source of more than half of our planet's oxygen. There are about 535 million cubic kilometers of water on Earth, and 96 percent of it is salty. Water covers over 70 percent of the earth's surface; 95 percent of the depths of the sea are still unexplored. From a distance of more than one and a half million kilometers, our planet looks like a small ball. And the photograph of the Earth taken by American astronauts from space is called "Blue Marble". From a distance of 150 million kilometers, our planet appears to be a tiny, pale blue dot. “It was rather strange to call this planet Earth, if it is definitely the Ocean,” the famous English futurist writer Arthur Clarke once deftly remarked.

This simple metaphor - blue marble - serves as a reminder that our planet is predominantly aquatic. “There is water sine qua non, that is, an indispensable condition for the existence of life on Earth, and, apparently, in the entire Universe. Thus, it is quite justified that NASA, in its eternal quest to find life in the Universe, follows the strategy of "seek water." Lynn Rothschild, astrobiologist at the Ames Research Center, NASA's Mountain View, California, says: “It may not be the only liquid medium in which life can arise and sustain, but its abundance in the universe gives it a head start over alternatives. ... Water remains liquid over a wide range of temperatures, and does not sink in the solid state; therefore, reservoirs are covered with ice. And we, the people, need it. "

People have always sought to be near water. According to experts, 80 percent of the world's population lives no further than a hundred kilometers from coastline oceans, lakes or rivers. More than half a billion people make their living from water. Two-thirds of the world's economy is based on activities related to water in one form or another. Around one billion people worldwide use water-grown foods as their primary source of protein. (It's possible that the omega-3 fatty acids that come from fish and shellfish have played a decisive role in the evolution of the human brain. and imagine.) We use water for drinking and washing, at work, rest and travel. According to the US Geological Survey, every American uses 300 to 400 liters of water every day to "meet his basic needs." In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared: “Clean and safe drinking water Is one of the fundamental human rights. It is necessary for a fulfilling life and for the exercise of all other rights. "

However, our natural connection with water is not limited to economic considerations - in other words, the fact that we need it for cooking or prefer to settle closer to it for reasons of convenience. In time immemorial, our ancestors came out of the water and evolved first from waterfowl into crawling ones, and then into bipedal ones. In the early stages of development, the human embryo has a branchial cleft, and we spend the first nine months of life in the womb in an aquatic environment. At birth, our bodies are almost 78 percent water. As we age, this figure drops to more than 60 percent; the brain is 80 percent water for the rest of life. The human body as a whole has almost the same density as water, which allows us to swim. In terms of its mineral composition, the water in the cells of our body is comparable to that of the sea. The renowned popularizer of science, Lauren Eisley, once compared man to "the path that water can take if rivers are inaccessible."

Water inspires us. We love to hear its sound, breathe in its scent, play in it, take walks around it, paint it on canvas, surf, swim and fish, write about it, take pictures and capture it in memory for a long time, walking along the shore of the reservoir. Throughout the history of mankind, you can find many examples of the close relationship between man and water, described in works of art and literature. For example, "I'm beautiful in the water," wrote Kurt Vonnegut. Water gives us the energy of the most different types Whether it is hydraulic energy, hydration, the invigorating effect of a handful of cold water splashed on your face, or the refreshing effect of the soft, rhythmic sound of waves crashing onto the shore. Immersion in warm water has always been used as a means to restore bodily and mental balance. Water drives many of our decisions, from the choice of seafood we eat to our most romantic moments in our lives, from where we live and how we spend our leisure time to the sports we do. “Humanity has respected water from the earliest days of its history, and for everyone it means something different,” writes archaeologist Brian Fagan. Instinct tells us that being by the water we become healthier, happier, suffer less stress and feel at peace and harmony with the surrounding reality.

In 1984, biologist, naturalist and entomologist at Harvard University Edward Wilson proposed a new scientific hypothesis, which he termed "biophilia". Its essence boiled down to the fact that the human genes are literally "built" at the level of instinct with nature and living organisms with which we inhabit the planet together. Wilson suggested that since b O most of evolution - three million years and one hundred thousand or more generations (before humanity began to form communities and build cities) - people spent in the bosom wildlife, which means that they must love the natural environment from birth. Like a child dependent on its mother, human survival has always been linked to nature. Therefore, just like love for a mother, we also have a connection with nature at the physical, cognitive and emotional levels.

You have not come to this world. You came out of it like waves from the ocean. And you are not a stranger here.

- Alan Watts

Love for mother nature is also filled with deepest aesthetic meaning for man. Philosopher Denis Dutton, who studied the relationship between art and the theory of evolution, believed that our vision of the beauty of nature is the result of our deep connection with natural landscapes, against the background of which in the past the survival of man as a biological species took place. In a 2010 TED talk called "Darwin's Theory of Beauty," Dutton substantiated his findings from an evolutionary psychology perspective and validated them with a 1997 survey of contemporary art preferences. In particular, the scientist noted that when people were asked to describe a beautiful, from their point of view, landscape, they called the same details - an open space covered with low grass, with few trees. And if there was water in it - either a reservoir or in the form of a blurred bluish haze in the distance, indicating the proximity of the water surface - the landscape became much more attractive.

Dutton suggested that such a universal landscape contains everything that is necessary for human survival: grasses and trees suitable for food (and for attracting edible animals); the ability to notice in advance the impending danger (in the form of other people or predators); trees to climb to escape enemies, and nearby water sources available.

In 2010, researchers at the University of Plymouth in the UK asked forty adults to rate over one hundred photographs of various natural and urban landscapes. Higher marks - for a positive mood and tonic effect - the respondents gave literally to all photographs (both natural and urban landscapes) in which water was present, definitely preferring them to other images.

Markus Eriksen, a scientist and educator who once sailed from the Pacific coast of the United States to Hawaii on a raft made of plastic bottles, expanded Dutton's hypothesis to include, in addition to water, sea ​​coasts and the shores of lakes and rivers. In particular, he suggested that in the savannah the danger is noticeable from afar and the inhabitants of the coastal areas could see enemies if they approached them on the water. And the best thing is that amphibian predators rarely approached from the side of the water. And aquatic inhabitants either could not get out of it at all, or quickly perished on land. But that's not all: many of the food and material resources obtained by humans from water and coastal areas often exceeded in quality anything that could be found on land. Eriksen noted that if in winter time Since many food sources of plant and animal origin ceased to exist, our ancestors could fish or collect shellfish all year round. And since the water is constantly moving and flowing, cavemen, instead of walking for many kilometers in search of food, simply went to the coast of the sea or river to see what the water brought them or what swam from the depths to the very edge.

While the evolutionarily determined preference for landscapes of a certain type, including those with an aquatic environment, was gaining strength in ancient people, under the influence of environmental requirements, the human brain... According to molecular biologist John Medina, the brain developed so that a person was able to "survive in an unstable environment, being almost constantly on the move." Imagine that you are one of our distant ancestors Homo sapiens who lived more than two hundred thousand years ago in the ideal landscape of the savannah. Even if you and your family have been occupying this privileged position for quite some time, you still need to be on the lookout for any serious security threats and where potential food sources are. Every day brings new living conditions: weather, animals, fruits, edible plants. If one source of food ends up, you have to look for a new one. Therefore, you need to constantly research your environment in order to better know where you are and what sources of food and water are available to you and your family. You discover new plants or animals, some are edible and some are not. You learn from your mistakes by knowing what to collect and what not. And while you (and your children) learn, your brain is shaped and modified by a variety of factors: individual experiences, social interactions, and the physical environment. In order for a species to survive and reproduce, some of these changes were passed on to descendants in a more complex brain structure. A Additional Information essential for survival was encoded in legends and songs.

The nervous system is a network of body structures that provides self-regulation of its vital activity due to its ability to respond to external and internal influences. It is made up of a special type of cells called neurons, and varies greatly in size and complexity - from several hundred nerve cells in protozoa and worms to nearly 20,000 neurons in the California bearded seal. Aplysia californica(a stunning mollusc, which, due to large, sometimes just gigantic, neurons has been a favorite subject of study of all neuroscientists in the world for fifty years) and as much as 100 billion in humans. In subsequent chapters, we will talk in more detail about the human brain and DNA, but now, before we leave our ancestors in their distant savannah, one important point should be mentioned.

Just as the human brain has changed and evolved over thousands of years, the brain of each of us changes and develops from birth to death. Critical studies from the 1970s and 1980s showed that the human brain is in a state of constant evolution: neurons grow, connect with each other, and then die. In other words, and physical structure brain, and its functional organization plastic, they change throughout life depending on the needs of the individual, the focus of his attention, sensory signals from the external environment, reinforcement, emotions and many other factors. Thanks to neuroplasticity(that is, the ability of the brain to constantly create new neural networks, change existing ones and destroy those that are no longer used due to changes in behavioral patterns, environmental signals and neural processes) we learn, remember information, recover from a stroke, loss of vision or hearing, we get rid of destructive habits and are constantly improving. Neuroplasticity explains, for example, the fact that an experienced violinist uses a disproportionately large part of the brain in terms of volume in the movement and placement of fingers compared to most ordinary people. And when preparing for exams, you can actually include more of the cerebral cortex in the work, since complex functions require more brain matter. And, as we will see later, it is neuroplasticity that explains some negative behavioral reactions, such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and others.

In this book, we will repeatedly mention the neuroplasticity of the brain, as it is a vivid example of one of the main conditions for the existence of the Blue Mind. Basically, our brains - this staggering 1.5 pound clot of tissue, nearly 80 percent water - reacts positively and negatively to a variety of factors, such as perception, emotion, physiology, culture, and the environment.

We will also talk a lot about happiness. Although the very pursuit of happiness as a phenomenon was in the center of human attention almost before it was given its name, from ancient times to this day, philosophers argue about its types and causes, and composers, writers and poets write about it as lost and newfound.

In the 21st century, the pursuit of happiness has become one of the most important criteria for assessing the quality of life. “Happiness is what everyone strives for,” write John Helliwell, Richard Layard and Jeffrey Sachs in the 2013 UN World Happiness Report, which provides a ranking of 156 countries based on a survey of their happiness. citizens. Happiness is a vital goal for a person: “People who experience more positive emotions, are more satisfied with their lives and live in happier communities are more likely to be healthy, productive and socially adapted, both now and in the future. These benefits extend to their families, jobs and communities and benefit everyone. ”

“The main goal of our life is to be happy,” says the Dalai Lama. And given the undeniable benefits of being happy, who would argue with that? Today we are literally inundated with books and stories about happiness, research on this topic. We'll talk about some of them later, and also discuss why water often provides the shortest path to happiness. For now, let's just note: scientists have already proven that the state of happiness improves our relationships with others; helps us to be creative and efficient at work (and therefore earn more); provides us with high self-control and the ability to cope with difficulties and problems. It makes us more compassionate, sociable and empathetic; improves the functioning of the immune, endocrine and cardiovascular systems; reduces blood cortisol levels and heart rate; helps to reduce inflammation, slows down the development of diseases and increases life expectancy. Research unequivocally shows that the inner feeling of happiness spreads outward, affecting not only the circle of our contacts, but also on friends and relatives (that is, it acts in three degrees of alienation out of the famous six). Happy people show better cognitive abilities and b O Greater attentiveness, make better decisions, and take better care of themselves; as friends, colleagues, neighbors, spouses, parents and citizens, they are better than their fellows and just smile more often. I call this state of mind the Blue Mind - after all, it is not just the desire to smile that you feel when you are near the water, but the desire to smile everywhere.

Water and emotions

Some people love the ocean, others are afraid of it. I love him, hate him, fear him, respect him, take offense at him, adore him, feel disgust and often curse him. He brings out the best in me sometimes, and sometimes the worst.

In addition to an evolutionarily determined attachment to water, people feel deeply with it. emotional connection and instinctively seek to be around. Water makes us happy and inspiring. According to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, "I need the sea because it teaches me." Water comforts us and frightens us. For example, Vincent van Gogh said: "Fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm is terrible, but they never consider these hazards sufficient reason to stay on the shore." Water makes us feel awe, peace, and joy. Here are the lyrics from a song by an American rock band The beach Boys: "Catch the wave and you're on top of the world."

Almost always, when thinking about water, or hearing its sounds, or seeing it, or plunging into it, or feeling its taste and smell, people something feel. This "instinctive and emotional response ... takes place independently of the rational and cognitive response," writes renowned urban planning professor Stephen Bourassa in a groundbreaking article published in 1990 in the journal Environment and Behavior. This emotional, or even affective, response to the environment is born in the oldest parts of the brain and often occurs even before the activation of cognitive mental processes. Thus, in order to understand our attitude towards the environment, we must understand what is the essence of both our cognitive, so and emotional interaction with her.

All this is of great importance to me, because I have always been interested in stories and scientific facts explaining why people love water so much. While still a graduate student studying evolutionary biology, wildlife ecology, and environmental economics, I tried to incorporate emotion into my dissertation on the relationship between the ecology of the sea turtle and the behavior of people living in coastal regions. However, as it turned out, in the scientific world there is practically no place for feelings and emotions. “Young man, you better keep your vague concepts to yourself and away from science,” scientific advisers unanimously advised me. Emotions do not lend themselves to rational explanation, and they cannot be measured. This means that they have nothing to do with science.

Today the situation in the scientific world has changed dramatically. Cognitive scientists already know how emotions drive nearly all decisions we make - from what to eat for breakfast to who to sit next to at a dinner party - and how vision, smell, and sounds affect mood. ... Today science, seeking to bring a physiological basis to literally everything - from political bias to color preferences - is on the crest of the wave. Complex technologies like EEG, MRI and fMRI are used to observe how the human brain reacts to music, art, love, meditation, how prejudices arise in it, and many other mental processes. Every day, innovative researchers find more and more explanations of why a person interacts with the world around him in a certain way. They are already studying what processes in the brain underlie the relationship between a person and water; moreover, these studies are carried out not only out of scientific interest, but are of great practical importance for a wide variety of areas of human activity, including health, tourism, real estate, creativity, child development, urban planning, drug addiction and mental trauma treatment, business, politics, religion, architecture and so on. Most importantly, these discoveries may give us a deeper understanding of who we are and how our minds and emotions are shaped by interaction with the most abundant substance on our planet - water.

The search for scientists or just people dreaming of understanding these issues led me from the habitats sea ​​turtles on the Baja California coast in the auditorium of the Stanford, Harvard and Exeter University medical schools in the UK, in the camps for surfers, fishermen and kayakers organized in Texas and California for war veterans with PTSD, as well as to lakes, rivers and even pools scattered around most different parts of the world. And wherever I was, moving from place to place - even in the air - I listened to people who willingly shared their stories about water with me. Every time they described how they saw the lake for the first time, ran under the sprinkler in the garden, caught a turtle or frog in a stream, cast a fishing rod, or walked along the shore with a friend, their eyes burned with fire.

Very soon I became convinced that such stories are extremely important for science, as they help to better understand the facts and put them in an understandable context. The time has come for ourselves and our future to stop distinguishing between emotion and science. Just as rivers merge with each other on their way to the ocean, in order to fully comprehend the essence of the Blue Mind, we need to piece together the separate streams: analysis and love, experiment and inspiration, head and heart.

During my graduate studies at the University of Arizona, I drove teens on more than one occasion. Indian people tohono-oodham across the border at the Sea of ​​Cortez. (Tohono-oodham, which means "people of the desert" in the Indian language, are indigenous people who live mostly in the Sonoran Desert in southeastern Arizona and northwestern Mexico.) Many of them have never seen the ocean before, so turned out to be absolutely unprepared for such an experience, neither emotionally, nor even in terms of choosing the necessary things for the trip. For example, on one of these excursions, several children at once did not take any swimming trunks or shorts with them - there was simply nothing of the kind in their wardrobe. In the end, we stopped at a beach near Puerto Peñasco, and I shortened the long legs of their trousers with a knife. And once, in shallow water, we put on masks and pipes on the guys and gave them a small lesson on breathing through a snorkel. After that, they went into the water to see what was there at the bottom. Then I asked one of the teenagers if he liked what he saw. “I don't see anything,” he said. It turned out that the boy was underwater with his eyes closed. I told him that he could open them without fear. He plunged his face into the water again and began to look. Then he suddenly emerged and, tearing off the mask from his face, began to shout that he had seen a fish. Laughing and crying at the same time, he exclaimed: "My planet is beautiful!" And then he pulled on the mask again, put his head in the water and did not raise it for almost an hour.

I remember that day to the smallest detail. I can bet it, though I don’t know for sure that the boy is neither. Love for water has left an indelible imprint on us. I, like him, felt as if this was my first meeting with the ocean.

The origins of the blue mind

In 2011, I finally brought together in San Francisco - a city surrounded on three sides by water - a group of neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, marine biologists, artists, ecologists, doctors, economists, athletes, urban planners, real estate agents and chefs to joint efforts to determine how water affects the brain, body and psyche of a person. By that time, I had already realized that a lot of innovative thinkers in the world are trying to put together everything that we know about the strong influence of water on humans. But until then, almost all of them operated in isolation from each other. Since then, gatherings of proponents of the Blue Mind concept have grown into an annual conference, where new ideas are constantly being put forward about how humanity interacts with the blue planet. This is based on an ever-growing body of research on the relationship between mind, body and environment.

Both the brain and the ocean are deep, complex and subtle spheres, so far little studied and barely comprehensible to humans. Today, however, they increasingly share their secrets with the most dedicated and determined of us. Many research scientists from various fields of knowledge, starting from previously accumulated data, study the effect of water on humans. The findings from their collaboration shed light on the biological, neurophysiological and sociological gifts of the Blue Mind.

Every year more and more specialists from various fields of knowledge find the relationship between higher nervous activity and the aquatic world. And we are not talking about such sentimental ideas like "Save the Dolphins", but about the knowledge of the functioning of the prefrontal cortex of the brain and the amygdala, about discoveries in evolutionary biology, neuroimaging research methods and the study of the work of nerve cells - in other words, about everything that allows to scientifically explain why people highly value any contact with the water element.

End of introductory snippet.

Warm weather makes Kharkiv residents happy. It's time to open bathing season! the site offers a selection of reservoirs with beaches in Kharkov and the region, where you can swim and sunbathe, barbecue and have fun in nature!

Zhuravlevsky Hydropark

Basically, everyone is relaxing on the paid beach of the Akvazhur park - this is an entertainment and health park at the Melnitsa restaurant. Entrance to the beach - 50 UAH per person. Here you can have a great holiday and corporate party - the territory of the complex is covered with gazebos with barbecues, which are designed for both small and largest companies. There are tables and refrigerators in the gazebos.

The beach is equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas and awnings (included in the price). Also included in the price is an hour of boating and a game of table tennis. Security on the beach is monitored by security guards, there is a first-aid post. Comfortable toilets are available for vacationers. There are many cafes on the beach where you can eat and drink. For children there is waterslides, children's playground with slides, trampolines. There are also animators who entertain the children. Adults can walk on the rope stages in the rope town "Corsair" - the rope stages are located right across the river. Medium track, back down on the zip line. Prices for an adult ticket with gloves -115 UAH. The beach has sports grounds for active games.

The address: Zhuravlevsky hydropark, area of ​​the metro station Heroes of labor

How to get there: to the metro station Heroes of Labor, and then on foot. By minibuses and buses to Caravan (No. 17, 55, 203, 208, 215, 240, 247, 263, 271, 272).

Alekseevsky Lugopark

One of the disadvantages of the beach is not very pure water... But on the other hand, it is quite quiet and calm here, you can enjoy beautiful nature... There are also catamarans here - for those who like boating. For lovers of comfortable relaxation, there is a beach entertainment complex Arizona Beach Club nearby, where you can not only swim in the pool and hang out at the disco, but also swim and sunbathe on the beach.

The address: Kharkiv, Dzerzhinsky district, Sovkhoznaya, 3

How to get there: on any tram that goes along the street. Klochkovskaya, and then on foot

Bezlyudovskoe reservoir

Bezlyudovka has comfortable equipped beaches with sun canopies and sun loungers. You can also rent there aquatic species transport: catamarans, boats, wakeboards. Wakeboard is especially popular here. There are beach volleyball courts. There are many cafes and food outlets built on the beach. Bars and discos are open in the evening. For children there are water slides, children's areas where animators are engaged with children. Rescuers are monitoring safety, a medical center is working.

The address: village Bezlyudovka

How to get there: Minibuses and buses to Bezlyudovka depart from the metro station. Gagarin, metro station Sportivnaya and from Rogansky Zhilmassiv: No. 1622, 1181, 1167, 626, 316, 198. You can also get there by an electric train that goes through Osnova.

The address: next to the railway station "Osnova"

How to get there: buses No. 102, 110, 123, 232, by train to the Osnova station.

Oktyabrsky Hydropark

The address: Kharkiv, Kerchensky lane, 7

How to get there: by train from the Levada station, by bus # 75, 303, 23, 209 or trolleybus # 27 or 11

A 2010 study showed that the anterior cingulate gyrus and islet of the brain (areas responsible for empathy) are activated when subjects look at natural scenery. And the urban landscape increases activity in the amygdala, which triggers a response to danger and, as a result, often leads to chronic stress.

Connection with nature

Harvard biologist Edward Wilson discovered the phenomenon of biophilia. According to him, a connection with nature is “built in” into human genes. Like a child dependent on its mother, human survival has always depended on nature. Therefore, just like love for a mother, we also have a connection with nature at the physical, cognitive and emotional levels.

Favorite color

It sounds strange, but it turns out that people are naturally attracted to shades of blue. All over the world, this color is most often called the favorite. Although in nature it is extremely rare (only in some plants and the color of a few animals), but every sunny day we can admire the dazzling blue of the clear sky.

Research confirms

Studies have shown that people living within two kilometers of water have much higher levels of life satisfaction than others. In addition, an area with an open water surface has a positive effect on the level of self-esteem and mood of a person.

Why does water heal

The healing effect of water movement is provided by the slow transmission of visual stimuli to the brain. There is no rush in this process, which is almost unthinkable in our fast-paced world, when a person is constantly overexcited. If you pause for even a moment and just look at the water, you will surely feel peace and quiet.

Ocean shore

On the seashore, lake or ocean, there is something that you will not find anywhere else. The touch of water, the smell of the ocean, birds walking on the sand, various curious objects, boats swaying on the surface of the water - all this is unique to this environment. And all this calms us down, rewards, attracts and arouses interest.

About the book

Who is this book for?

About the book
This is an iconic book from a renowned marine biologist, water advocate and public figure in which he talks about the effects of water on our health and wellness.

Why are we drawn to the sea every summer? How does being near water affect the brain and body? Wallace Nichols answers these questions and more, revealing all the benefits of being in or near water, using the latest developments in neuroscience and biology, and the expertise of a wide range of people: top athletes, top scientists, former military personnel and talented artists.

After reading this book, you will discover how being close to water can improve your productivity at work and in life, make you calmer, and reduce anxiety and stress.

Who is this book for?
This is a book for those who love the sea and the ocean and want to know more about how being close to water affects health.

about the author
Wallace Nichols - author of Closer to the Water
Marine biologist, conservationist, public figure, author. Creator of many projects aimed at protecting wildlife: oceanrevolution.org, seethewild.org, grupotortuguero.org and others. He explored the ocean and went on expeditions to all continents. He has written over 50 scientific articles, appeared on National Geographic, Animal Planet and other channels.

WHY DO WE LOVE WATER?

Water is the essence, form, mother and matter of life. There is no life without water.

~ Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, biochemist who isolated vitamin C

I am standing on the pier in North Carolina's Outer Banks, fifteen meters from the Atlantic Ocean. Wherever I look - left or right, forward, backward, up or down - there is only him, the ocean. I am wearing a headdress that looks like a strewn precious stones a blue bathing cap, and from the bottom of the back to the ground, like a tail, a thick black cable stretches. I look like an extra from the famous water musical of the American mermaid Esther Williams, who got into Woody Allen's Sleeping by mistake. In fact, I am currently one of the test subjects, and I am here to investigate the response of my brain to the ocean.

The beanie I'm wearing is the “nerve center” of a mobile electroencephalography (EEG) machine invented by Dr. Stephen Sands, biomedical scientist and chief scientist at Sands Research. Steve is a big, burly balding guy. In appearance, he can be mistaken for a natural history teacher in a local high school coaching the high school soccer team, or the captain of one of the fishing schooners mooring in the Outer Banks. Steve lives in El Paso, a city on the San Antonio River between Long Beach and Houston. Previously, he had been doing pure science for many years using brain scanning techniques, specializing in the study of Alzheimer's disease. In 1998, he founded Neuroscan, which became the country's largest supplier of EEG equipment and software used in neurological research.

In 2008, Steve founded Sands Research, a neuromarketing company. This new field of science studies the response of the human brain to advertising based on information about behavior and neurophysiological indicators. “Human responses to stimuli of any kind, including advertising, include both conscious (which can be expressed in words) and unconscious brain activity,” Steve writes. "This second kind of reaction cannot be tracked through traditional research methods." Under the influence of a stimulus or stimulus of any type - image, sound, smell, touch, taste, pain, pleasure, and more - groups of neurons are activated in the brain and a small electrical discharge is generated. This indicates that mental functions, such as memory, attention, analysis of verbal information and emotions, are “turned on” in the cerebral cortex. So, the full-spectrum 68-channel EEG apparatus invented by Steve, thanks to the most accurate and thorough analysis of the area of ​​the brain in which electrical discharges occur, makes it possible to measure literally everything - from the degree of overall brain involvement in the process to the level of cognitive activity and attention, visual strength and / or sound stimulation. The device also monitors whether the subject's motor skills are involved and how much the recognition and memory circuits in his brain are stimulated. “By combining EEG scans with tracking and analysis of oculomotor responses, you get unique, but completely non-verbal data about how the human brain processes information from the environment in stages,” says Steve.

Steve's research findings are of increasing interest and popularity in the academic world. This is not surprising given the general skepticism about the effectiveness of modern sales promotion techniques. And Sands Research conducts research on the impact of advertising on buyers for some of the largest corporations in the world. Perhaps the most famous of these today is the Annual Super Bowl Advertising NeuroRating. It assesses viewers' neurological reactions to famous commercials - for which advertisers, by the way, pay $ 3.8 million for half a minute. For example, Steve's team evaluated the effectiveness of popular videos showing people with their backs to the viewer on the beach looking at White sand and blue water There is Corona beer on the table between them, and the soundtrack is the splash of waves. This advertisement brought brewing company world fame, forever linking her name with a vacation on the coast of the tropical ocean.

Before traveling to the Outer Banks, I spoke with Brett Fitzgerald, director of business development at Sands Research, for several months. Brett is a great nature lover and has worked with bears in Montana. One day, after hearing about my efforts to find a connection between water science and neuroscience, he called me and asked if we might be able to implement some interesting project together. I hadn’t had time to answer yet, and Brett was already on his way to California. We met on the beach near my home to talk about the brain and the ocean. And soon after that, I was already on a plane to North Carolina.

And so today Brett put a portable EEG machine on me - this device is able to track the work of the human brain with the precision of an fMRI machine. The data coming from the electrodes attached to my fancy bathing cap is processed 256 times per second. Subsequently, in order to analyze, the signal is amplified, which allows the researcher to immediately see which areas of the brain are being activated. Typically, this data is used to study the reaction of shoppers to new products on sale at stores like Walmart. This time, 68 electrodes connected to the cap were supposed to measure the smallest response of neurons in my brain when diving into the ocean.

We were the first to decide to use this equipment near water (and even in water), so I was a little worried about both the result of the experiment and the fact that the equipment might not work under water. Brett was also very worried, because my hat and the device connected to it were not cheap. In the future, they will probably create a waterproof device that can be used without problems under water or during surfing. But for now, we could only hope that after such an adventurous test on a pier soaked in salt water (and in the ocean), neither the equipment nor I would lose what they call their presentation.

The latest technology has only recently allowed us to penetrate the depths of the human brain. and- the ocean. Technological advances have greatly expanded our ability to study and understand the human mind, leading to a surge of new ideas regarding perception, emotion, empathy, creativity, health, healing, and the human relationship with water. Several years ago, I came up with a name for this connection (between man and water) - Blue Mind. This is a somewhat meditative state, characterized by calmness, serenity, a sense of unity with nature, a sense of happiness and satisfaction with life in general. It is based on water and everything associated with it, from blue to words that we use to describe the sensations that arise when diving into the depths of water. Although many of these brain patterns and attitudes have only now been identified with the help of modern technology and the work of innovative scientists, the neural connections that create them have been formed in the human brain for millennia.

In recent years, the concept of engagement has penetrated deeper and deeper into Western culture. If earlier such practices were perceived as an alternative desire of some loners to comprehend the serenity of the East, today many already recognize the benefits of such states. Today, the focus and awareness of the Blue Mind is practiced in classrooms, corporate boardrooms, battlefields, doctors' offices, concert halls and world resorts. And overcoming stress as an integral part of today's stressful life makes this search even more urgent.

The amazing effect of water on the human mind does not mean at all that it can replace all other efforts to achieve the described state - rather, water complements, strengthens and expands your efforts. This book should not be considered as a guide to meditation, nor as a detailed analysis of other techniques for achieving a more mindful life. To use the "water" metaphor, it can be said to provide you with a compass, dexterity, sail and wind map.

In an age where life is full of stress, anxiety, technology, career problems and hospital bills, when we are increasingly distant from nature, and true privacy is becoming increasingly rare, it can be extremely beneficial to throw it all off and shut down. As the American writer John Jerome wrote in his book Blue Rooms, “in a ritual morning dive, submersion in the water, in this short, deeply personal moment, there is a wonderful feeling of absolute solitude. Only me and the water participate in the swimming, there is no one else and nothing else. The moment the water surrounds me from all sides, I feel in blissful solitude. " Open your Blue Mind and your ports of arrival will be visible.

To learn how to navigate these depths better, over the past few years, I have assembled a very diverse group of scientists, psychologists, naturalists, educators, athletes, travelers, businessmen and artists. Together we decided to answer one very important question: what happens when the most complex organ of the human body (brain) meets the largest part of our planet (water)?

As a marine biologist, I am as familiar with water as I am with land. And in my opinion, oceans, lakes, rivers, pools and even fountains have a huge impact on our minds. We understand this intuitively: for some reason, the Corona company chose an ocean beach for its advertising, and not, say, beer warehouses. And of course, there are quite rational explanations for our habit in the most important points life to go to the river, sea or ocean. But why do we do this?

Looking from the pier to the endless Atlantic Ocean, I try to imagine how the sound and smell of water affects my brain, I notice what emotions it awakens in me. I am well aware that the ocean causes fear and tension in some people, but I have very different feelings for it - awe and a deep, all-encompassing and rejuvenating sense of calm and peace. Taking a deep breath, I imagine myself diving and starting to plunge into the waves surging around the pier, with black cables trailing behind me. And like the moment my feet touch the water, the electroencephalograph sensors show fear and excitement. I imagine Dr. Sands staring intently at the monitor, watching the data continuously flowing into his computer.

Water is filled with light, sound, air - and my mind.

OUR (EVOLVING) ATTITUDE TO WATER

Thousands of people lived and live without love, but not one without water.

There is something in the water that attracts and fascinates us. Not surprisingly, it is the most ubiquitous element on Earth. Without it, as well as without air, life is simply impossible. Take the fact that oceanic plankton is the source of more than half of our planet's oxygen. There are about 535 million cubic kilometers of water on Earth, and 96 percent of it is salty. Water covers over 70 percent of the earth's surface; 95 percent of the depths of the sea are still unexplored. From a distance of more than one and a half million kilometers, our planet looks like a small ball. And the photograph of the Earth taken by American astronauts from space is called "Blue Marble". From a distance of 150 million kilometers, our planet appears to be a tiny, pale blue dot. “It was rather strange to call this planet Earth, if it is definitely the Ocean,” the famous English futurist writer Arthur Clarke once deftly remarked.

This simple metaphor - blue marble - serves as a reminder that our planet is predominantly aquatic. “There is water sine qua non, that is, an indispensable condition for the existence of life on Earth, and, apparently, in the entire Universe. Thus, it is quite justified that NASA, in its eternal quest to find life in the Universe, follows the strategy of "seek water." Lynn Rothschild, astrobiologist at the Ames Research Center, NASA's Mountain View, California, says: “It may not be the only liquid medium in which life can arise and sustain, but its abundance in the universe gives it a head start over alternatives. ... Water remains liquid over a wide range of temperatures, and does not sink in the solid state; therefore, reservoirs are covered with ice. And we, the people, need it. "

People have always sought to be near water. According to experts, 80 percent of the world's population lives no further than one hundred kilometers from the coastline of oceans, lakes or rivers. More than half a billion people make their living from water. Two-thirds of the world's economy is based on activities related to water in one form or another. Around one billion people worldwide use water-grown foods as their primary source of protein. (It's possible that the omega-3 fatty acids that come from fish and shellfish have played a decisive role in the evolution of the human brain. and imagine.) We use water for drinking and washing, at work, rest and travel. According to the US Geological Survey, every American uses 300 to 400 liters of water every day to "meet his basic needs." In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared: “Clean and safe drinking water is one of the fundamental human rights. It is necessary for a fulfilling life and for the exercise of all other rights. "

However, our natural connection with water is not limited to economic considerations - in other words, the fact that we need it for cooking or prefer to settle closer to it for reasons of convenience. In time immemorial, our ancestors came out of the water and evolved first from waterfowl into crawling ones, and then into bipedal ones. In the early stages of development, the human embryo has a branchial cleft, and we spend the first nine months of life in the womb in an aquatic environment. At birth, our bodies are almost 78 percent water. As we age, this figure drops to more than 60 percent; the brain is 80 percent water for the rest of life. The human body as a whole has almost the same density as water, which allows us to swim. In terms of its mineral composition, the water in the cells of our body is comparable to that of the sea. The renowned popularizer of science, Lauren Eisley, once compared man to "the path that water can take if rivers are inaccessible."

Water inspires us. We love to hear its sound, breathe in its scent, play in it, take walks around it, paint it on canvas, surf, swim and fish, write about it, take pictures and capture it in memory for a long time, walking along the shore of the reservoir. Throughout the history of mankind, you can find many examples of the close relationship between man and water, described in works of art and literature. For example, "I'm beautiful in the water," wrote Kurt Vonnegut. Water gives us all kinds of energy, whether it be hydraulic energy, hydration, the invigorating effect of a handful of cold water splashed in our face, or the refreshing effect of the soft, rhythmic sound of waves crashing onto the shore. Immersion in warm water has always been used as a means to restore bodily and mental balance. Water drives many of our decisions, from the choice of seafood we eat to our most romantic moments in our lives, from where we are located and how we spend our leisure time to the sports we do. “Humanity has respected water from the earliest days of its history, and for everyone it means something different,” writes archaeologist Brian Fagan. Instinct tells us that being by the water we become healthier, happier, suffer less stress and feel at peace and harmony with the surrounding reality.

In 1984, biologist, naturalist and entomologist at Harvard University Edward Wilson proposed a new scientific hypothesis, which he termed "biophilia". Its essence boiled down to the fact that the human genes are literally "built" at the level of instinct with nature and living organisms with which we inhabit the planet together. Wilson suggested that since b O Most of evolution - three million years and one hundred thousand or more generations (before humanity began to form communities and build cities) - people spent in the bosom of the wild, which means that they must love the natural environment from birth. Like a child dependent on its mother, human survival has always been linked to nature. Therefore, just like love for a mother, we also have a connection with nature at the physical, cognitive and emotional levels.

You have not come to this world. You came out of it like waves from the ocean. And you are not a stranger here.

Love for mother nature is also filled with deepest aesthetic meaning for man. The philosopher Denis Dutton, who studied the relationship between art and the theory of evolution, believed that our vision of the beauty of nature is the result of our deep connection with natural landscapes, against which in the past, human survival as a biological species took place. In a 2010 TED talk called "Darwin's Theory of Beauty," Dutton substantiated his findings from an evolutionary psychology perspective and validated them with a 1997 survey of contemporary art preferences. In particular, the scientist noted that when people were asked to describe a beautiful, from their point of view, landscape, they called the same details - an open space covered with low grass, with few trees. And if there was water in it - either a reservoir or in the form of a blurred bluish haze in the distance, indicating the proximity of the water surface - the landscape became much more attractive.