Falling in love with the way she dances-- her long reaches toward the sand that stay for only a moment. Limbs that recoil back into the deep hues of cerulean, Aegean, and teal with elongated breaths. Her body gives life, her movements smooth the rough, and her spirit brings ritual to the soul. She is the ocean.

It’s in our nature to feel a sense of ‘coming home’ when we connect with our oceans. Our mother’s womb was our first meeting with sea-like water. It held us, nourished us, and cleansed us. Amniotic and spinal fluid hold almost precisely the same make up of minerals as seawater. And as many healers will say, our souls swim in our salty, cerebrospinal fluid.

Blue Mind Rituals

Weighing out your morning pour over, breathing into your favourite morning yoga routine, or paddling out into the morning surf are all forms of simple daily ritual. We incorporate ritual a surprising amount into our everyday lives. Rituals help us to slow down, live out our values, and connect with our interests. They have symbolic meaning to us, whether it be to cleanse, to calm, or to energize. 

The ocean has become a source of ritual for many cultural and religious communities. Oceans are used for symbolic washing in some cultures while other cultures see the ocean as a home to gods and goddesses, or a place to recharge supernatural powers. 

When we learn to use rituals in our daily life, we teach our brains symbolic repetition that calms our nervous system.

Practicing rituals can calm our brains into learning a constancy and slowness that helps to lessen the uncertainty and anxiety of daily life. Ocean rituals specifically can help to improve circulation, increase life expectancy, and uplift our moods. 

Wallace J. Nichols, author of Blue Mind, defines the title of his book as a “mildly meditative state characterized by calmness, peacefulness, unity, and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life in the moment.” Exposure to wild water, or ocean water, has this sincere influence on the human psyche. 

7 Ocean Rituals for Overall Well Being

01:  SEASIDE ORACLE OR TAROT DECKS

Our oceans have both the power to cleanse and cause disaster. Spiritual practitioners have been said to perform their rituals close to breaking waves to harness the fertile and overtaking power of the sea. Next time you bring a blanket to the shore, bring your oracle or tarot deck, and sink into the depths of this ancient, Cambrian energy. 

02: HAVE A CLEANSING RINSE

Walk along the shore to the edge of the water and think about something that you are ready to release. If you’re ready to wade into the salty pool, imagine the water rinsing off any negative energy that’s clinging to you. Maybe you’re even ready to submerge enough to feel the water suspend you. Embrace this weightlessness to help you feel physically lighter and ultimately, more free. 

03: OCEAN EMBODIMENT

Saltwater has the power to nourish our skin and enliven the natural texture of our hair bringing confidence into your day. Mist your hair in the morning with a sea salt spray to uplift your hair with an effortless, wavy beach look. Our Sea Mist Hair Spray is the perfect, invigorating addition to your hair routine. 

04: FIVE SENSE GROUNDING

Mindful meditation can help us feel mental calm and balance throughout our day. Practicing mindfulness encourages us to become keen observers of the world around us. A simple, oceanside ritual you can practice is the Five Senses Mindfulness Meditation where you ask yourself, “What do I see?”, “What do I hear?”, “What do I smell?”, “What do I feel?”, and “What do I taste?”. Try to name three things for each sense. 

05: EFFERVESCENT NEGATIVE IONS 

Negative ions reduce allergens, increase serotonin release, boost mental energy, charge cell metabolism, and strengthen our respiratory system. Negative ions are in their highest concentrations in places with moving bodies of water (oceans, waterfalls, rivers). Create a negative ion environment by sitting in your tub while it’s filling with our Tidal Soak all-natural bubble bath as effervescent aromatherapy.

06: BEACH DAY MOISTURIZING

Saltwater’s therapeutic effects on the skin have been used since the ancient Greeks discovered soaking in mineral rich water. Its anti-inflammatory and acne reducing properties have attracted dermatology clinics and spas alike. But the drying potential of seawater is not to be underestimated. Grace your hair and skin with a freshwater rinse then our Solstice Hair and Body Oil after a visit to the deep blue. 

07: BLUE MIND AFFIRMATIONS

Find a quiet place to sit by the sea and gently scan your surrounding area for seashells and rocks. Choose an affirmation you feel you need for today, such as: I spread love to those around me and it returns in abundance, or My confidence grows a little bit stronger every day. Make a stack of the rocks and seashells around you while you repeat your affirmation with every new stone or shell you hold.

Written by Robyn Jin.