Blue mind and the science of calm
‘We are nature, and everything we need is within us’
We live in a world that is fast, overstimulated, and relentlessly demanding of our attention which seems to be constantly pulled in many directions. Nervous systems are more in fight or flight mode than ever before and yoga teachers know this as we see it on the faces of our students as they arrive, in the quality of their breath, the conversations, it’s plain to see..
However, long before meditation apps, wellness trends, and nervous system charts on Instagram, there was the original regulator in human history: Water.
Blue Mind describes the calm, clear and gently focused state that arises when we are in, on, or near water. This science and the effects on physiology hold extraordinary relevance for yoga teachers.
Why Water Changes the Mind: The Physiology Behind the Calm
We often assume the Ocean feels calming because it's beautiful or nostalgic, but the truth is more foundational: human beings evolved around water. Early humans settled near coasts, rivers and lakes because water meant food, survival, navigation, safety. It is argued that our brains still carry this inheritance.
Research shows that simply being near water can: reduce cortisol, slow the heart rate, increase serotonin and dopamine, soften the breath and shift the brain into a more meditative alpha-wave state.
The sound of waves, the smell of saltwater, the colour blue; these are sensory cues that tell the nervous system, ‘you’re safe here’. This is why the body intuitively relaxes before the mind even understands why. Nichols refers to this as ‘involuntary attention’. Water holds your attention gently and the prefrontal cortex gets to rest as the mind slows.
Blue Mind & Yoga: A Natural Partnership
If you’ve ever taught a class outdoors, near water, or even with a soundscape of gentle waves, you’ll know how quickly students drop into presence. The ocean is an ally for the internal work we guide our students through.
Why?
Because water does half the job for you; blue mind helps create the ideal internal conditions for yoga: nervous system settling, slower breathing, deeper interoception, soft focus (perfect for dharana), increased emotional regulation and capacity for connection and compassion.
In many ways, the Ocean mirrors what we teach: presence, fluidity, adaptability, oneness and the intelligence of natural rhythms.
The Deep Psychology: Water, Safety, and Human Evolution
One of the most fascinating things about Blue Mind is that it exists below cognition. The calming effect begins before conscious thought.
Water is a safety cue as our ancestors used water to orient themselves. It was a source of food, travel, community, and predictability; the rhythmic patterns of tides and waves were early timekeepers.
This is why so many people feel a deep pull toward the Ocean, even if they can’t explain it. The body remembers what the mind forgets. When you teach yoga with an awareness of this connection, you begin to tap into something ancient, powerful and deeply human.
Blue Mind as a Tool for Yoga Teachers
Blue Mind isn’t something you switch on at the coast and leave behind at home, it’s a way of teaching from a regulated, peaceful state of being. When, as teachers, we embody calm, our students can feel it, this is where teaching yoga is not just instruction but education by example, complete connection to the room, to our students, embodied, conscious presence.
Whether leading retreats by the Ocean or teaching in a studio miles inland, Blue Mind can be part of our practice through breath, rhythm, and intention. It becomes a quiet form of leadership, guiding from presence rather than performance.
Why Blue Mind Matters Now
We are living through times of ecological urgency and collective burnout. People are disconnected from nature and therefore from themselves and Blue Mind invites us to return to the places that regulate us and remind us that we are part of something so much bigger and completely magical.
When yoga teachers embody this, when we bring the wisdom of water into our practice and teaching, we help students experience: presence, connection, regulation, spaciousness and belonging. It’s not that we can’t do this through our asana practice normally, but nature, water and the Ocean help facilitate these states of being.
If You Feel This - You’re Not Alone
There is a growing community of yoga teachers who feel called to bring Ocean wisdom, Blue Mind science and regenerative principles into their teaching.
If this speaks to you, I explore it in my masterclass on Wednesday 21st January 12.30-13.30pm.
👉 Learn more here: subscribepage.io/masterclassjan26
The future is blue.
And we are nature.