The benefits of the ocean for creativity

What draws me towards water?

..When I was a little girl, I swam in the vast ocean that lay just under the surface of the bath water or the filled sink. I would swim in my imagination, with a vast horizon stretched out in front of me. I could feel the glistening sunshine dappled on the surface. I could hear whales singing in the dark distance. I felt so at home in this familiar place. An underworld, keeping me afloat, bopping along on possibilities. Even then I could sense the benefits of the ocean for creativity.

I remember being afraid of a lot of things as a child. Like many sweet little souls with a view beyond the physical world, I was bullied, for my slight build and friendly demeanor? For appearing introverted and shy? Who knows. It’s funny how a little flower who felt so afraid could perhaps pose a threat to others.

….but the water.. the water set me free, free from it all. I would power through laps during swimming class, utterly in love with the blue waters of the public swimming pool. Moving fast and steady, leaving negative comments in my wake. I didn’t realise at the time, that being in the water connected me to my true self, where thoughts can’t hurt you, and the water soothes you.

Healing properties of water

During times of grief, joy, love and loss, the ocean gives or takes which ever you need. It can mirror your rage and sadness or equally, your love and joy.

Just walking in its company, it know exactly what to say- unspoken words whispering in the ebb and flow of emotions, one of the many benefits of the ocean.

When I walk into the sea, I am immediately …….alone, blissfully removed from thinking of anything but feeling the present moment. Feeling, not thinking. The pleasure pain of the Atlantic’s bite is so harsh that I can only thank it for blanking my mind in an instant, a thousand times over. This feeling is one that I appreciate so much. In a world that has so much noise in it, to just switch it off, in an instant, just like that is just amazing to me. I am pausing right now, hovering my fingers over my keyboard….giving thanks for this. There is a world of ocean all around us, that is there for us, without judgment, an element that can free you in a moment.

…And as an artist

well, as an artist I can only say that the ocean has enhanced my creativity. Not just because I paint the sea as well as misty and moody forests but because, it fuels my imagination. For any creative person reading this, stay connected to water, the water in you and the water around you. The ocean is in the tears you cry, the rain that you run from, the water that quenches your thirst. It’s in the child you hold in arms, the lover who kisses your lips. It’s in the workout that fueled your day, it’s in the trees that you climbed as a child. It moves in you, around you, beneath you and above you. I love to close my eyes, and sit with this thought- of true connectedness.

For me, when I paint, it feels like I am painting self portraits. The viewer sees what I feel when I paint, the painting is a mirror into my soul. There is something so honest about painting the ocean, because it is a part of me, that moment becomes the truest expression of myself. Wild and free. Slow and steady, again I move through the laps of the pool that is my canvas. I move forward, focused, in a state of bliss. The ocean gives all of this to me and it continues to give.

Benefits of the ocean for body and mind

• listening to the songs of the sea can relax the mind and reduce stress. The sound of the sea can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure, slowing heart rate and relaxing the body.
• A recent study by the University of Cambridge reveals that a chilly swim in the Atlantic sea could help protect the brain by reducing the risk of developing dementia.
• Bathing in the sea, improves skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and soothes sensitive
• The deep tones of the sea invites a sense of calm and
• encourages creativity.
• Iodine is a mineral found in the salty sea. it is absorbed through the skin when swimming which is important for healthy thyroid function and immunity.
• I could write forever about the benefits of the ocean for creativity or health but I will end it with one benefit that I wrote about above. It can switch your mind from thinking to being in a state of feeling, in an instant!

So there you have it, so many reasons to be in the presence of the ocean.

I feel so grateful to live near the sea, it is my place of serenity. For many of my clients who buy my art or commission me to create a piece for them, they bring a piece of wildness and tranquility into their homes or work space. The pieces become their own self portraits, a part of them that connects with the sea being revealed to them through my art. It is a great gift to continue to provide this for people. Gratitude really is everything, so thank you, thank you for reading this, thank you for being a part of this journey.

Until nest time,

Be Wild. Be Free.