Boy can I relate...I love the water and used to be a body surfer until I almost drowned. I wasn't as young as I used to be and thought I could do it like I always used to, then I got caught in a rip-current and panicked...forgot all about swimming parallel with the coast...but I was so tired from battling a huge set of waves that had ripped off my fins, I felt myself going down, I started to cry as my 15 yr. old daughter and friend were on the beach, and I wondered how they would get home after I drowned,... with that thought the life guard was there and throwing me the life float...the first thing he said was what happened? I had been watching you and you were doing great!...I told him I lost my fins. I was grateful and humiliated all at once.
Water has the ability to calm one, and it is the essence of life.
When you stand on the beach in the day time you are surrounded by all the elements at once, you stand on the earth (bare foot) breathing in the air, bathed in the rays of the sun, and soothed by the water.
Water creates negative ions which is why it is so soothing...here is an article by the Web MD...
WebMD Feature Archive
By Denise Mann
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
May 6, 2002 -- There's something in the air and while it may not be love, some say it's the next best thing -- negative ions.
Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in certain environments. Think mountains, waterfalls, and beaches. Once they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy.
Recommended Related to Mind, Body, Spirit
And these are a few of the reasons we see negative-ion generators being sold in stores and all over the Internet, but do they really work as well as antidepressants? Can they also relieve allergies by filtering out dust mites and dander?
It's too early to tell for sure, experts tell WebMD, but that's not to say there is not some sound science behind the concept.
Science 101
Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge. . They are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, and moving air and water. You may have experienced the power of negative ions when you last set foot on the beach or walked beneath a waterfall. While part of the euphoria is simply being around these wondrous settings and away from the normal pressures of home and work, the air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions -- Much more than the average home or office building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero.
"The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods," says ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of Columbia University in New York.
In fact, Columbia University studies of people with winter and chronic depression show that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants. "The best part is that there are relatively no side effects, but we still need to figure out appropriate doses and which people it works best on," he says.
Vitamins of the Air?
Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy," says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.
"They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation."
And for a whopping one in three of us who are sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a window and breathe in fresh, humid air.
"You may be one of them if you feel sleepy when you are around an air-conditioner, but feel immediately refreshed and invigorated when you step outside or roll down the car window," Howard tells WebMD. "Air conditioning depletes the atmosphere of negative ions, but an ion generator re-releases the ions that air conditioners remove."
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/n ... tive-vibes (reference site)
Hope that helps
If you think about it, all the elements have the potential to be destructive...and yes water can be very scary, don't let it keep you from enjoying it though...I don't body surf anymore, but do splash about in the small waves.
many blessings, Firebird
