"Blue Mind": A reaction

A note from Kristy Medo:

Blue Mind is a book written by Wallace Nichols and here I am providing a reaction to his presentation held at The University of Wisconsin Stevens Point 4/4/17.

If you are interested in knowing more about the book click on the link below:

Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do

My reaction to his presentation is as follows:

                Wallace Nichols opened his presentation using a blue marble to draw our attention to how small and blue the Earth would look if we were able to see it from outer space which gave me that sense of “awe” and “wonder” that I often feel when pondering or surrounded by nature. He then shifted the focus to the importance of human connections and stated “we cannot accomplish anything alone”.  I was deeply touched and “triggered” because I knew what he was speaking of as I have personally felt the power of what happens when the two principals are combined.  The neurochemicals (a.k.a “love”) that are simultaneously connected with purpose and even service to the earth and its inhabitance is the most powerful emotion I’ve ever felt in my own life.  When Nichols began to ask us to think about and answer questions like “What is your water?”, “What’s your dream of water?”, “When did you fall in love with it?” and “Who took you there?” I appreciated hearing him acknowledge how water stories are the most “emotionally rich” because in my case what was once a beautiful “water story” had become a deep sadness triggered by what had formerly brought me deep peace and joy. Nichols posted a picture of his daughter and said that she frequently mentioned and recalled their special moment on the water together, he also posted a picture of his father holding him as a boy near the water and appeared to get emotional because he recently lost his father. He the stated that sometimes the question “What is your water?” can easily be “Who is your water?”, which illustrates the question I would pose, “Beware of who you share your water with”.

                Nichols story presents an important concern that we need to educate and involve the emotional understanding of what our connection to the environment, “water”, plays on the stimuli and imprinting of memories within our brains. We are comprised of a complex system of neurochemical reactions which impact our behavior and love is, in a sense an elevation of “positive” neurochemicals. Again, the deep love that is shared with another human on the basis of “water” or nature can easily be turned into deep sadness and depression when triggered by simply viewing or re-viewing images of ones previously positive experiences in “water” or nature, and what is one to do when those images are everywhere? Having observed the beauty of a lover in the open air or “water” is a mental and neurochemical imprint that is very hard to escape and is not water and air everywhere? Nichols fails to address this topic, and even when he feels the suffering himself he simply clicks to the next slide in his presentation. Modern day Buddhists would call this suffering “attachment”, and therefore it is best not to allow yourself to become attached. Spinoza might say “let it go, it is what is.”  But why does Nichols not address this matter? After all, this is where our internal environment (the mind and neurochemicals) meets the external environment and people around us. It is vital that we give this topic fair attention, especially in the troubled world we live in today, where a lot of harm and destruction is caused by depression and mental illness. I would encourage Nichols to elaborate more on the dangers of depression that are built into sharing a “blue mind” with a lover or companion, one who we build our lives with as it can cause a hardship that is incredibly difficult to heal when the love you have built is reflected in the depth of “awe” that one feels and is triggered by anything natural or simply in the essence of appreciation for life. When alone one can be in awe of the profound experience joy and pleasure in the simplest of things found in water or nature.  In solitude with nature there is no attachment to another human being that can cause the sadness that even he began to feel as he recalled his father whom he had just passed away. His own tears were proof that he was neurologically “triggered” by his speaking of the meaning of the photo of his father and him. The image within his mind clearly caused great pain. When we share the deep personal awe of nature with another, we build connections just as he asked us to do at the onset of his discussion, but he failed to do justice for those of us (as well as himself) who experience deep suffering and sadness. He should have shared more about the polarity of neurochemical destruction that can be caused by bonding with another so deeply with a “blue mind”.  He says “water is a healer” and with another click of a slide he says he recalled water making him feel good and he “wanted to feel this way a lot more”, well what happens when the sight of “water” brings about deep sadness and tears? In his defense, I will give credit of his mention that “love has a chemical basis” and oxytocin does indeed, need to be present to develop trust, but he should lay out fair warning that one should not allow themselves to develop bonds with people who run the risk of carelessly exiting our lives which leaves behind nothing but pain, emptiness and sorrow at the very sight of one drop of his beloved idea of “water”.  The field of science should always evaluate all possibilities that are made known, thereby giving true understanding to one’s theory and he should give fair observation to both positive and negative outcomes of his suggestion to unite with others in the spirit of a “blue mind”.

#wallacejnichols #bluemind