irresistible magnetism
Of course, the Uruguayan poet is not the first to ask: the sea has fascinated human beings since we have memory, and in fact, is it not the sound of its waves that we evoke when we want to relax ? Is not his undulating blue profile the mere portrait of vacations, of happiness... and one of the most indecipherable secrets ? we talk to people especially linked to the ocean To understand.
mystery and peace
THE REASON FOR THE FASCINATION
"I would say that what attracts me to the sea is its mystery , his power, his beautiful ever changing face , the fluidity and connection you feel with all these things when you are in or near it. It offers us an opportunity to test our strength. And the psychological pleasure of being in the salt water reduce stress , gives you the opportunity to play , to exercise, to stretch... it's incomparable ".
The one who speaks like this is the Californian ** Liz Clark **, who with only 23 years she embarked to go find the best waves in the world. Before, she had passed three mending their boat with the help of local artisans, while she worked as a waitress to pay for the set-up. A decade later, one more cat and many, many adventures later, she still hasn't tired of the sea, which she has taught him who she is.
for the young Sofía de Tomás Ascanio, champion of the Canary Islands in the Women's Surfing Open , the reason that we feel so attracted to the sea is summed up in that "when we are in it, The world we live in stops. And she continues: " We forget about all the problems , and the only thing that matters is that moment, feel it and enjoy each wave, of those few seconds that we are surfing it, sharing a good time with friends. In the sea, we find our hole where escape and escape from day to day".
An incomparable feeling
For its part, Jesus Garcia , an ocean lover who He went around the world and to the Pacific on a cruise before embarking as editor-in-chief of cruise addict , theorizes: "The attraction of the sea lies in the almost magical influence that it exerts on us from the moment we see it, hear it or feel it. emotions like serenity, eternal change and mystery accompany our thoughts when looking at the sea", he explains.
"There is a special connection with our nervous system, because calms him down almost immediately , and at the same time, makes our soul enter a state of peace; instant serenity. These sensations, which we learn from our first experience of contemplating it, will follow us for the rest of our lives. It is a feeling that unites all human beings in one kind of adoration to the great blue of the sea ".
But what happens when his meek nature is turned upside down? "We are fascinated by his calm and we are impressed by his strength when he shows her in storm mode. It is the essence of constant change , with which it is possible to identify our own lives. In appearance, a simple body of water where the horizon does not seem to have an end, and that, however, hides a whole universe of life and states. The mystery of him traps us in hundreds of unanswered questions Garcia admits.
"In my case, this attraction brings all these emotions together in one word: freedom . The sea represents the freedom that the land does not give us," concludes the expert.
pure freedom
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS
the psychologist jara perez , in her explanation, she picks up the grains of sand that these lovers of the ocean leave behind: "The sea in our culture has very pleasant connotations . When we have vacations, we look for the best beaches to spend there. On the one hand, there is the issue of contact with the nature , something that, people who live in the city, look for com or form of leisure and relaxation. On the other hand, we have the characteristics of the sea, which due to things like the reflection of light on the surface, the lullaby of the water and the sounds we find innately pleasurable. There are many experts who think that bathing in the sea and the lullaby of a gentle current It reminds us of our mother's womb, and that is why it is so relaxing. I really don't rule it out."
One of those experts is Wallace J. Nichols, associate researcher at the California Academy Of Sciences, that he has dedicated a large part of his life to dispelling that magnetism that the great blue produces in us, and brings together in the interesting volume -a bestseller in the United States -The finds of it. blue mind: the amazing science that shows you how being near or in water can make you happier, healthier, more connected and better at what you do combine the latest studies in neuroscience, ecology and marine biology with personal stories of top level athletes, scientists, military veterans and artists.
He also does not forget philosophy and even the poetry and, with all these ingredients, to which are added tests to which the author himself has submitted -such as jump into the sea covered in electrodes -, Nichols unravels the reasons why proximity to the ocean can improve performance, increase calm, decrease anxiety and increase professional success.
There's something primal about diving into the ocean
One of them is precisely that, according to him, we understand, since we are born, that the sea is part of us . It speaks both of our own birth and of the beginning of life , which arose in water, and the fact that we are composed, for the most part, of the same liquid that makes the waves flow. In addition, he ensures something that we all already sensed: maritime scenes calm us down (when we observe scenes of nature, the regions of the brain associated with less stress and greater empathy are activated), and even the blue color gives us a certain peace.
In fact, a study conducted by the University of Michigan cited by the author also revealed that live in a place with lots of blue spaces , like a body of water, leads to lower levels of psychological distress. They found out by correlating the residents who could see the sea from his home in Wellington, New Zealand, and the country's health records. Thus, it was discovered that the being able to see the sea, a river or a lake from the window it was still more decisive for good health than sex, age or social position.
Likewise, Philippe Goldin, neo-scientist and clinical psychologist at Stanford University specialized in the effect of meditation on the body, ensures that the ocean induces us to a light meditative state that not only calms us down, but increase our awareness about the surroundings and about oneself. Or do we not feel much more connected to the world by the sea, under the sun, protected by the Piz Buin Protect & Cool Sun Mousse , which gives us a effective and immediate protection with a sensational and refreshing summer feeling?
Calm
Psychologist Jara Pérez also agrees with Goldin's vision: "I think that, due to cultural characteristics, being at sea makes us feel privileged Being able to have space in our lives for a pleasure like the sea makes us feel that our life is going well, that we know how to prioritize. In addition, due to the characteristics that I have already mentioned, it helps us relax, disconnect and be in the present. Beauty is something that always helps to be in the present and when in addition to physical beauty we can smell, touch and even taste the sea, the pleasure multiplies ", she culminates it.
However, no matter how much we philosophize, Benedetti already warned: " there will probably never be an answer / but we will still ask / what is the sea perchance? / why does the sea fascinate? What does it mean / that enigma that remains / over here and beyond the horizon?"