Natures Ions and Ocean Vibes
Through many years of teaching classes and one-to-one sessions outdoors I have loved the anecdotal feedback of the benefits people feel from outdoor sessions compared to indoors.
This really landed earlier this year when on our first adventure outdoors after lockdown. Although it had been mild and sunny all day in Strandhill, at 7.30pm, when we were mid beach yoga session, the skies opened up and rained torrentially down on us. I attempted to stop the class but was told quite firmly by the group gathered ‘no, keep going’! I was eventually allowed to call a halt to our madness when the hailstones and thunder started!!
There were squeals and laughter as we all scurried off the beach, but despite the joviality I was quite concerned that people didn’t catch cold or regret coming out. I messaged everyone after and the feedback was jaw dropping… ‘that was amazing thank you’, ‘I felt so alive’, ‘energised’, ‘invigorated’, two girls from the group had even gone into town after to get Ice cream, despite my orders to get home and dry asap!!
Natures Ions
I put the positive vibes down to the joy of our first group gathering, but later that week I glanced across an article that I’d ready before about natures ions and the how they benefit us. But this time it caught my attention because it listed the environments in which ionisation of the air is more concentrated. Starting with On the Beach with pounding waves, then in torrential rain and more so in the thunderstorms! Waterfalls and forests were also high on the list but considering we had 3 top ion producing environments that evening I felt inspired to find out more about what these ions do in our bodies to have such an uplifting effect.
The benefits of ionised air are accepted, so much so that larger office building will often have ionisers built in to help keep staff alert and focused. As it turns out pretty much every aspect of our physiology requires hydration and ionisation.
The Nervous System
Our nervous system is a complex electrical communication system in our bodies. Electrical impulses travel in water. And in the gap between nerve cells, messages are carried from one cell to the next across and ion bridges. When we are de-hydrated or ion depleted communication breaks down in the body. Any break in communication can cause a loss of energy and can cause cells and organs to not receive the maintenance or nutrients they require.
Healthy Cells
This perspective and belief was deepened upon further reading into what actually happens at the surface of every cell, not just nerve cells. According to Bruce Lipton in his book, ‘The Biology of Belief’, the activity and healthiness of our cells is determined by what is happening in the environment surrounding our cells. Biochemical messengers, i.e. hormones, neuropeptides etc. arrive at the surface of the cell, are recognised by cell receptors, receptors and biomolecules react to each other and then a ‘signal’ is passed into the cell that starts a kaleidoscope of activity. The activity inside the cells is diverse and fascinating but for now its sufficient to say that whatever that activity is, it is determined by the cells external environment. The external environment of our cells is suspended in ionic fluid that is our blood, 60% water with ionised particles. The signals that travel cross the cell membrane, do so on ion channels, the gateway of the ion-channel being the receptor site. It is known that during prolonged periods of stress that certain receptors can become dormant, for example the Serotonin receptor which is responsible for recognising and reacting to the serotonin molecule when it passes by a cell. When the serotonin receptors become dormant its possible for serotonin to be released in the body but for the cells to not recognise it. As serotonin is our primary ‘happy hormone’ if our serotonin sites are dormant we will have difficuly maintaining a sense of wellbeing. When we have healthy active serotonin receptors moments of joy come more easy and moments of stress are easier managed. So the question then becomes how to we ‘wake-up’ the dormant serotonin receptors? And this is what brings us back to the ocean.
Ocean Vibes
As mentioned above the pounding waves of the ocean release ionised particles into the air, so when we breath deep whilst walking the beach or sitting on a bench, we are enriching our bodies with ions and enhancing communication and receptiveness of our cells. These effects are felt long after your trip to the ocean and are enhanced the more often you visit. Another aspect about how to keep our cells healthy is through vibration. The receptor sites and biomolecules that react with receptor sites are not static, they are constantly oscillating and vibrating. They need to be vibrating in order to recognise each other, so dormant receptor sites are receptor sites that have stopped vibrating.
‘In the beginning there was sound’ the ancient texts say. Sound is in-fact vibration. There are many studies done on the beneficial effect music can have on wellbeing. Most studies support the cognitive benefits of the associations we make with music, but emerging is now the vibrational effect music has in our bodies. Yoga Sound baths for example create a resonant and vibrational environment to achieve energetic outcomes in the body. A good practitioner can create an environment to support heart-healing or focus or creativity as some examples. At the Ocean the sound of the pounding waves can seem to some to just be like white-noise, one continuous cloud of sound. However the sound the pounding waves make has within it all the vibrations from high notes to low, all being played together at the same time. So maybe not cognitively melodic but it is beneficial to your body all the same. When you spend time by the ocean, listen for just high pitch sounds, take your time and keep listening. As you tune in to the high pitched sounds you may even start to hear something that sounds like a distant whistle. Then tune in and listen for the deep low bass like notes. They are all there, from high to low and everything in between. What is wonderful about these vibrations being released from the ocean is that you do not need to hear it with your ears. The vibrations are felt by every cell in our body, reactivation dormant receptors and enhancing your bodies ability to receive positive vibes.
The next time you go out into nature, know that simply being present and breathing is benefiting you and the more often you do it the better the effect. I’m glad to say that that Friday in May was our last Yoga-Thunder-Storm experience. Despite requests for a repeat the sun stayed strong for the rest of summer. And we were blessed in our location in Strandhill to have both beach and forest to take our practice to so that while we breath and move, natures healing ions could travel deep to the surface of our cells.
Blaithin Sweeney is the Owner at your Wellbeing Warrior
You can learn more about her and find Yoga, Meditation, Healing and Outdoor Wellbeing Activities: www.yourwellbeingwarrior.com
She is also the co-founder and current owner at Anois Yoga: An Online Yoga platform established during first lockdown by three Sligo teachers coming together in another teacher led collaboration. www.anoisyoga.com
Additionlly, she is the co-founder and Chair at Havin’ a Laugh: Mental Health Charity providing life-enhancing activity vouchers to people coming through mental health recovery. www.havinalaugh.com
I started life growing up in Sligo, surrounded by mountains, lakes and the Atlantic ocean, frequent outdoor excursions were not seen as unusual. It became a natural tendency to spend time outdoors when in need of fun, or relaxation or social time or just about anything. Outdoors, fresh air and activities were the common denominator through all of my life’s highs and lows.
Up to my early 30’s I followed the academic path and having achieved a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry I went on to work as projects manager in pharmaceutical industry. 10 years ago due to life changing circumstances I was called to dive deeper into my yoga practice and I completed Ashtanga Vinyasa teacher training in India in Jan 2012. Since then I have completed numerous continual development courses diving into the philosophies, the science and the healing aspects of all yoga-related practices.
The Yoga philosophy and training that I have integrated into my life supports me through all my endeavours. I love teaching and thrill at having the opportunity to share these practices in all environments. I also founded the local mental health charity Havin’ a Laugh, we provide life-enhancing activities to people coming through mental health recovery.
