Here at Paraiso Wellness Center, we are strong proponents of nature’s healing power. Having moved into the jungle years ago, we have felt the firsthand benefits of being surrounded with nature: tropical plants, trees, animals, and the big(gest) one — the ocean. Most of us recognize that feeling of peace of standing at the ocean’s edge, but what many of us don’t know are the reasons for it. Neuroscientists have pinpointed some physiological changes that happen in the human body when it is near the sea. We are so happy to live by the sea as we have felt firsthand the ocean’s benefits, and that our very own Paraiso Wellness Center is blessed with a beautiful view of the tropical Pacific Ocean.
Getting back to the basics
“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.”
– John F. Kennedy
Human beings are comprised of nearly 70% saline water, and the world’s oceans are approximately 72% of the earth’s surface. Biological anthropology tells us that humans, like all life forms, emerged millions of years ago from the sea. When we get into the water, there are a series of temporary physiological effects that occur, some almost immediately: decrease in heart rate, blood flood into essential organs, slowing of the breath. There is something so primal feeling about being in or near the ocean, it’s impossible to ignore its effects.
Stress reduction benefits
What is it about being near or in the ocean that just seems to draw out the stress from our bodies and minds? The sound, the smell, the breeze of the ocean; the immensity of it, the way it moves, and even the color; the negative ions, and how walking barefoot at the beach grounds you deeply to the earth. All of these factors contribute to the soothing and stress-relieving nature that the ocean possesses. There is a reason that so many landlocked travelers visit the ocean annually, that real estate with an ocean view is so sought-after, and that we find excuses to just get to the beach. When we are around it, it’s easier to disconnect from the stresses of this fast-paced, technological era and just be [by the sea].
Childlike feelings and freedom
If you haven’t recently played in the waves, we would highly recommend it. Whether you’re surfing, bodysurfing, or just frolicking in the white water, there is something so liberating and laughter-inducing about being in the ocean, and particularly in the waves. Remember when you were a kid, and you would stay in the water for hours, until your skin was all wrinkly and your parents had to drag you out? While most adults don’t feel that way anymore in a chlorinated pool, those same feelings are easily replicated in the ocean. Combined with the stress-relieving aspects, just being and playing in the ocean will make you feel years younger.
Inducing mindfulness
Make no mistake, being near or in the ocean can and should make you more mindful. For one thing, the ocean is not our natural environment. In fact, the majority of human adults feel a deep fear of not just the ocean, but any large, deep body of water. On one hand, if it is not allowed to get out of control, a healthy fear of the ocean can prevent any near-drowning incidents. On the other hand, being mindful of the ocean, learning to be in and around it, and developing a level of respect for the ocean, is far better. It is easy on land to live in a dreamlike-state or to be on autopilot. This is simply not a possibility in the ocean. Therefore, the ocean, when enjoyed responsibly, can itself elicit mindfulness.
Paraiso Wellness Center in Ojochal
We have been graced with a great deal of fortune in this lifetime, and we consider the location of our home and wellness center to be at the top of the list. Paraiso Wellness Center is located in Ojochal, a small town at the edge of the Talamanca mountain range in the Southern Pacific zone of Costa Rica. Our property overlooks the magnificent Pacific Ocean, and from our pool, yoga studio, and main home, we enjoy sunsets over the ocean more days than not. We can attest to the validity of all of the above-mentioned reasons why being near the ocean can be so life-changing. For these reasons and more, we are pleased to offer lodging, yoga classes, chiropractic and bodywork, and wellness retreats and workshops at the ocean-facing Paraiso Wellness Center in Costa Rica.