Wallace Nichols. Closer to the water

There are books that grab you from the first page and you literally swallow them in a couple of days... I can’t say the same about the book “Closer to the Water.” The first hundred pages were boring, the next fifty were just boring, and then... Then I didn’t even notice how the book captivated me and made me rethink my attitude towards water...

Have you ever wondered why water attracts people so much? Why is relaxation always associated with water? Why are people so attracted to fountains, waterfalls, lakes, streams, seas and oceans? Why do we like to look at the smooth flow of a river or raindrops, inhale the aroma of salty sea air or the smell damp earth after the rain?...

How does water influence our lives, heal from diseases and bad habits, inspire creativity, relax after a hard day, relieve stress, make our thoughts clearer, bring calmness and make us happier... The author gives an answer to all these amazing facts with scientific point view based on different scientific research and the experience of outstanding athletes, scientists, and creative figures.

If you want to broaden your horizons, look at the concept of “water” more broadly than just “a glass of water” or “daily water procedure,” this book is definitely for you!

And finally, a few quotes from the book:

“Water gives us the most energy different types, be it hydraulic energy, hydration, tonic effect of a handful cold water splashed in the face, or the refreshing effect of the soft, rhythmic sound of waves rushing onto the shore..."

“Water determines many of our decisions - from the seafood we eat to the most romantic moments of our lives, from the location of our homes and leisure activities to the sports we play.”

“...Water simultaneously affects all five human senses with very positive and powerful images and memories. Good memories about the days spent on the water, they help erase the terrible images ... "

“Humanity has revered water since the first days of its history, and for everyone it means something different...”

“Instinct tells us that when we are near water, we become healthier, happier, suffer less from stress and feel at peace and in harmony with the surrounding reality.”

“Water sports and careers related to water improve brain function and have a huge therapeutic effect on both healthy and sick people. For those of us lucky enough to live, enjoy, or benefit from water, this eternal source of health, wellness, and healing power may be obvious, or it may be subtle or have benefits that are not yet fully understood. One thing is clear: the more we recognize and appreciate what we have, the sooner we will multiply the benefits we receive from it.”

“Water, and especially in it, has bodily sensations - touch, blood pressure, temperature, movements, position in space, balance, weight, vibration - as if they come to life"

“...Water is both mother and lover, it kills and gives life, it gives and takes away. It is this endless changeability, amazingness and suddenness of the constant change of colors and moods that so strongly attracts artists, musicians, writers, directors and thinkers. Water releases the uninhibited child within us, releasing creativity and curiosity..."

Buy the book "Closer to the Water"

A 2010 study demonstrated that the anterior cingulate cortex and insula (regions involved in empathy) were activated when subjects viewed natural landscapes. And the urban landscape increases activity in the amygdala, which triggers a reaction to danger and ultimately often leads to chronic stress.

Connection with nature

Harvard University biologist Edward Wilson discovered the phenomenon of biophilia. According to him, a connection with nature is “built into human genes.” Like a child who depends on his mother, man has always depended on nature for his survival. Therefore, just like love for a mother, we also have a connection with nature on 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 a favorite. Although it is extremely rare in nature (only in some plants and the color of a few animals), every sunny day we can admire the dazzling blue of a clear sky.

Research confirms

Studies have shown that people living no more than two kilometers from water are much more likely to high level life satisfaction than for others. In addition, an area with an open water surface has a positive effect on a person’s level of self-esteem and mood.

Why water heals

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 even for a moment and just look at the water, you will surely feel peace and tranquility.

ocean shore

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

WALLACE J. NICHOLS

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

Scientific editor Oleg Martsinkovsky

Published by permission of Little, Brown, and Company, New York, US, and Andrew Nurnberg Literary Agency

Legal support for the publishing house is provided by the Vegas-Lex law firm.

© Wallace J. Nichols, 2014

© Translation into Russian, publication in Russian, design. Mann, Ivanov and Ferber LLC, 2015

To my parents - natural and adopted, brothers and sisters, daughters, and my beloved.

I wish you clean water

Of the many famous sayings of my grandfather, the two most often I hear, see in texts, or read on city walls and pages on the Internet are the following:

Once bewitched, the sea holds you in its enchanting nets forever.

People protect what they love.

What did he mean by saying this? Of course, I can only guess - you can’t ask my grandfather himself - but I think there’s no need to complicate things. The first case speaks of the enchanting magic of water. In the second, we are talking about survival, because protecting what we love is one of the basic human instincts (any parent will tell you this). These two ideas together explain the lives of many scientists whose work is related to water. Her world attracts them, they fall in love with it and devote themselves to its protection. However, in order to remain as objective as possible, they do not try to understand what lies behind the passion that drives their work. The same applies to millions of ordinary people who prefer to spend their holidays by the water. Most of them do not think about why it is there, on the shore, that they are best able to recuperate and relax; they do not wonder what exactly they get from sitting on the beach with a book in their hands. They just know that they love to relax by the water and need it from time to time.

And I'm no exception. I was born into a family with close ties to the ocean. Thanks to television, Grandfather Jacques introduced millions of people to the wonders underwater world. Water has become an integral part of my life, an important line in my DNA. True, there is another side of me - the one that does not want to know why I love water so much, but prefers to see in its influence something magical, unknown, truly unknowable and at the same time deeply personal.

Actually, I don't think that everything in life needs an explanation. But given what's at stake this time, I have to agree with my dear friend Wallace "Jay" Nichols: it's time to talk about water magic. After all, if we want to improve the health of the world water resources, we need to convince people to change their position, and the state to change its policy towards them.

In many other situations it would be more useful to appeal to human feelings, but in this case it is necessary to appeal not to the heart, but to the intellect. In addition, we need to convey our message to different audiences. You will have to speak to a legislator, fisherman, surfer, real estate agent or mother in different languages, from time to time reinforcing your emotions with precise figures and facts from the field of biology and neurochemistry.

As shown in the book, today neuroscientists and psychologists give us this opportunity. Thanks to their research, we are learning that humans are naturally programmed to respond positively to water, and being in and around it can calm them, strengthen connections with others, enhance creativity, intuition, and even heal illnesses. Pure water is extremely important for human physical and mental health, as well as for the economy and ecology of our planet. Each of us has a so-called Blue Mind who can make us the happiest different ways, going far beyond the pleasure of riding a surfboard, enjoying the sounds of a babbling brook or swimming in a pool.

Our love for water is so pervasive and constant that the question of why this is so seems rhetorical. However, as soon as you start to delve into it (no pun intended!), you realize that everything is not so simple. People love the rhythmic sound of waves crashing on the seashore, but why exactly? this Is sound the best way to calm and relax them? How is the attraction for modern man Is the smooth and flat surface of the lake related to the hunting of prehistoric ancestors? How does understanding the mechanism of somatic tension help explain the pleasure experienced during deep-sea diving? Well, and so on in the same spirit. After reading this book, you will see that the list of questions can be continued indefinitely. And the answers to them give not only understanding, but also inspiration. Here we can draw an analogy with the force of gravity: we know that it exists, but if our curiosity had stopped at recognizing the fact that an object thrown into the air would certainly fall to the ground, man would never have flown to the moon. And the influence of water also deserves more careful study.

Fortunately, as I began to become more actively involved in my friend’s Blue Mind project, I quickly realized that understanding the physical processes underlying a person’s love for water in no way weakens this feeling. As Jay likes to say, “Understanding the science behind miracles and love does not diminish their magic.” Some scientists may feel uneasy about such statements. Many people are afraid of this kind of “sentimental nonsense,” as they call it, that often accompanies the study of human emotions. In 2013, when I attended the third annual Blue Mind Summit on Block Island, I found myself surrounded by people from a variety of backgrounds: neuroscientists, psychologists, educators, divers, artists, musicians. We argued a lot, trying in every way to explain the feelings and sensations common to all people. I must say, as a regular visitor to a huge number of environmental forums and conferences, I notice that participants, as a rule, leave their personal experiences and experiences with nature at the door, saving them for closing remarks or one-on-one exchanges of opinions during breaks. Therefore, presenting neuroscientists have to explain their work in the context of this multidisciplinary event and talk about its connection with human emotions. Many scientists admit that writing reports with maps, data, diagrams, fMRI brain and chemical formulas does not cause them the slightest problem, but how tell their science is popular, they don’t know. Nevertheless, their words almost immediately resonate with listeners: those who are usually not too interested in such issues think: “Wow! So this is what's really happening. This is all the work of my neurons! My brain is initially, naturally programmed to love water!”

In my opinion, the results of all these meetings and research should be disseminated as widely as possible until they become the common property of mankind. Already today, old borders are being shifted—even pushed—to new territories. And in this process it is necessary to involve more and more more people. Blue intelligence is born from human curiosity, our desire to understand ourselves more deeply. If Jay didn't have these qualities, we wouldn't have made as much progress as we have.

About the book
This is a landmark book from a renowned marine biologist, water conservationist, and public figure, in which he talks about the impact of water on our health and well-being.

Why are we drawn to the sea every summer? How does being near water affect the brain and body? Wallace Nichols answers these and other questions, revealing all the benefits of being in or even near water, using the latest developments in neuroscience and biology and the experience of the most different people: leading athletes, top scientists, former military personnel and talented creative figures.

After reading this book, you will learn 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 ocean and want to learn more about how proximity to water affects health.

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User QQPLESG writes:

Tokareva, as always, is at her best. Small stories contain large pieces of life, or even the whole life. In some places with philosophical overtones, in others with direct meaning. Tokareva needs to be read, because the generation of competent writers and, as she says about herself, “virtuoso command of the language,” people, unfortunately, are passing away forever... And people who so vividly describe (oh my God!) the last century of the last millennium (yes, yes , they are so “ancient” (c)) that we begin to literally see and feel that long-standing atmosphere ourselves. It's valuable. Very. That's why I recommend it.
The book is a small format, “pocket” version. Soft smooth binding, newspaper pages. The book contains 8 stories.