Have you ever felt instantly calmer near water? Maybe you’ve sat by a stream, strolled along a beach at sunset, or simply let a hot shower wash over you after a long day. Water has a way of clearing our minds and refreshing our spirits.
As a matter of fact, as I write this Bible study, I am sitting by a large pond with a beautiful flowing fountain near my neighborhood.
Water just does something for me.
The gentle ripples on a smooth surface…
The splash of animals playing in it…
The rush of a babbling brook…
The ebbs and flows of a waterfall in nature…
Great, now I have to go to the bathroom!
In all seriousness, there’s a pretty profound effect that being near water can have on our mental health, Creative juices, and our spiritual growth.
In fact, science confirms what many of us suspect… being around water can reduce stress and boost creativity. (There’s even a term, “blue mind,” for the relaxed, meditative state we enter near water .) It’s often in these moments of calm clarity that new ideas strike or deeper insights surface.
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“I get my best ideas in the shower!” – We’ve all heard this, or said it ourselves. It turns out there’s truth here: in the shower, your brain gets a break from overdrive. White noise, warm water, and routine actions (shampoo, rinse, repeat) help your mind wander freely. “When you’re in the shower…your executive processes diminish and associative processes amp up. Ideas bounce around, and different thoughts can collide and connect,” explains cognitive scientist John Kounios. In other words, a relaxed mind under the spray can lead to those “Aha!” moments of inspiration.
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It’s no wonder that water and spirituality often flow together in human experience. Many people report feeling closer to God in water-rich environments, whether in nature’s cathedral by a lake or simply in the quiet of a morning shower.
Years ago, I worked for a boss that talked a lot about this. He was very wealthy, and he often took trips all over the world. Pristine beaches were some of him and his wife’s favorite places to go, but he also enjoyed a few secluded places in the mountains.