Courtesy of Wallace J. Nichols, Blue Mind Summit 7, Wisconsin.

Wallace J. Nichols and his colleagues are discovering facts and phenomena about mankind’s relationship with the water that open water swimmers know intuitively.

As Dr. Nichols explains, “The human body undergoes remarkable changes every time you go underwater. The heart rate slows and the cardiovascular system shifts gears, allowing people to hold their breath much longer than they can above land.

Do you also know that, even when controlling for all other variables, people who live near lakes, rivers and oceans experience significant benefits in terms of happiness, longevity, and absence of diseases?

These are just some of the many fascinating ways that being near, in, on, and under water affects people.”

Dr. Nichols and his collaborators will explain more at Blue Mind 7 while engaging in the Blue Mind community at the 2017 Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention in Stevens Point between April 5th-7th. “We will ‘go deeper’ and explore the mind-body-water connection at the largest gathering of lake lovers in the [American] Midwest.

Blue Mind Life, Northwest Passage and the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership are teaming up for the 7th Annual Blue Mind Summit. Our 2017 theme is Minding Our Waters where we will explore the unique connections between our brains and water, including a special workshop on the Seven Ages of Water. We will form a working group to explore the creation of Blue Mind courses, curriculum and university programs with the aim of making theme available to schools, programs and universities around the world.”

Some of the talks and session include:

* Mindful Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
* Bringing Policy Makers to the Watertable – People, Policy and Politics
* Citizens Minding Our Waters
* Mindful Connections – Rivers, Lakes, Groundwater and Watersheds
* Water on Our Minds – Social and Psychological Connections to Water
* Minding the Science of Water Research
* Ecology – Learning How to Live Mindfully with Our Aquatic Neighbors
* Grants and Codes – The Making of Healthy Lakes

Online registration is here.



In the lead-up to the Blue Mind Summit, Dr. Nichols will head a #bluemind conversation. “Join us for a community read of the book 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. People will participate at their local bookstores and read a chapter a week from January 16th to March 25th 2017.”

The 10-week read-along event for waterfront communities and independent booksellers around the world is sponsored by Buxton Village Books in Buxton, North Carolina and Blue Mind Life. “Daily excerpts from Blue Mind will be broadcast on Radio Hatteras along with weekly interviews will feature questions from readers and guest protagonists from the book.”

For more information on the worldwide community read, visit here.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association