Happy connections

The past has proved that I'm not really addicted to write ups about published and bound materials otherwise known as books. 

Maybe self-inflicted. 

Or maybe there aren't too many distinctive books concerning hot springs enjoyment out there. Certainly not on Southeast Asia.

So if I mention that this review concerns a book entitled Blue Mind which delves into the psychology of water through popular science, one could question why take the trouble in reviewing it here?

I don't know how I came to decide to purchase this book, but the catchy subtitle

"The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do"

did vex my interest.

Now I believe that I need not be more happier nor healthier; the limits to both are fully understood by myself. 
Would I want more of either, I would need to trade in current circumstances with the possibility that I could get it wrong; playing it safe seems to work for me at this moment in time.

But it's more the fact that I'm seeking justification as to why I'm satisfied with my levels of happiness or health that I'm currently experiencing. 
In respect to being able to recreate with water: living near the sea, in winter I daily cycle along the shore even if only heading to work, while in summer I daily take a dive/swim.

I also purchased a hot tub not too long ago and currently spend every evening enjoying the sounds of the distant waves interspersed with the various calls of the nearby birdlife. 
I feel fit. Physically and psychologically.

Treatment
In Blue Mind, Wallace Nichols takes us on a journey passing various aspects of how water influences our mind and positively charges that same mind to counteract what he mentions as the red mind: that part of a brain which gets stressed out by various levels of modern day with it's 24/7 connected to screens and instant connectivity.

Certainly the introduction to neuroscience, neurology of happiness and bringing us up to date on how our minds (are supposed to) work is interesting enough. With science there to provide the backdrop, there's no doubting how water is positively influencing individual and collective minds.

"... the highest increase in happiness in an outdoor environment occured when people were near water".

Though Blue Mind hopes to attract more people to experience natural water, in the paragraph on immersion therapy, the author shows that simply experiencing water under a shower already results in increasing Blue Mind attributes. 
It's a pity that the same paragraph is the only paragraph which touches on soaking as such, though only regards to hot tubs not the natural soaks we crave.

"And as a sign of therapeutic potency, in Japan, where bathing is a social as well as a personal ritual, several contemporary studies have shown that hot-water immersion can increase activity in the parasympathetic nervous system while decreasing it in the sympathetic nervous system (an indication of relaxation)-..."

Blue feelings
The narrative is quite Americana-esque. Though proving through science that experiencing water and happiness are correlated, the author chooses to go beyond the conclusion and (in my understanding) seeks establishing a religion (WallaceJNichols.org) of worshipping water connectedness, complete with it's get-togethers and the passing on of blue marbles to prospective (happy) disciples.

In a time where public concern about our collective future is overriding (think climate change), Mr. Nichols fails to use the findings and his established movement to encourage protection of our natural waters. 
For instance, just view a recent episode of the popular BBC documentary Blue Planet II and you'll realise how action trumps words and why the lack of using his platform to encourage conservation is a major miss. 
Let's hope more Blue Mindfullness is to come ...

Off
Is there a message we can take from this book? 

Besides the individual pursuit of  happiness, there's precious little advice on how to protect and share the dwindling opportunities to interact with water. Especially in Southeast Asia where public access is easily sold-off for private gain, there should be more shouldering calls for expansion of nature parks and protecting pristine areas and keeping the few remaining natural (thermal) areas as pristine as possible.

But it is a very positive book which does encourage us to get out there and enjoy.

On internet you'll be able to find more reviews of Blue Mind. Take this from the Guardian (16 Jul. 2014):

'To be filed under "popular psychology", Blue Mind is a study in water and why it makes us happy. It's also, almost accidentally, a sort of autobiography.  
... 
Almost against my will, I liked this book for its mad spirit'.

A recent interview with Wallace (USAToday, 13 Nov. 2017):

'Blue mind is not achieved while you are on Instagram ... ever. It’s impossible. One of the requirements is logging out, turning off and putting the screens away'.

Notes:
Nichols, W.J. (2014) Blue Mind. Back Bay Books, New York, U.S.A.

Muck

jennifertwang on Flores:

 @meeshull masterfully bargained a taxi ride to moni, a little town of waterfalls and rice paddies and clusters of wooden houses ... also this small & strange "hot springs" where we dipped our feet, slapped at mosquitos, and politely stared at the locals who stared back, soaking and taking selfies. #wonderfulindonesia

It's pretty often that we are delighted with the good news concerning geothermal power generation. Take this from Think GeoEnergy (Sep. 12):

'With ongoing geothermal development and 345 MW of geothermal power generation capacity to come online next year, Indonesia is soon to overtake the Philippines as the second largest geothermal electricity producer in the world'.

Don't get me wrong, generating power from the earth's inner heat is a good and sustainable way to harness nature without decimating the earth's resources in the pursuit of economic gains. 
But geothermal power development doesn't necessarily equate sustainable development. 
Too often local concerns / local development is ignored. Mongabay reports (Aug. 22) on protest on Java:

'This January, the people of Karangtengah Village in Central Java were surprised to find that the river running past their homes had turned murky. Not only do the villagers rely on the Prukut River for freshwater, it also tumbles down in the scenic Cipendok Waterfall, the centerpiece of a local tourism industry.
Before long, the villagers identified the source of the muck polluting the waterway: mud and debris from a once-forested plot of land that had been cleared to make way for a planned geothermal power plant in Baturraden, a tourist resort on the southern slopes of Mount Slamet.
...
The Baturadden power plant, the development responsible for muddying the Prukut River, demonstrates that while these projects can bring tremendous benefits, they are not entirely without social and environmental costs.
...
PT Sejahtera Alam Energy apologized for the incident, and said they would install filters to clear up the water, after the Banyumas public works department told the firm about the pollution.
...
Despite these promises, the river turned brown again in July, prompting even stronger protests.
...
In 2012, PT Sejahtera Alam Energy obtained an IPPKH — a permit which is required for firms wanting to carry out economic activity in forestry areas — from the then-Forestry Ministry for 44 hectares of land. But in October 2016, area covered by the permit was expanded to 488.28 hectares, according to a report from local news site Braling.com — although the Banyumas district office, which admits that 90 percent of the total concession area is indeed protection forest, insists the power plant and its related infrastructure will only span 137.5 hectares'.

It seems that despite all the positives locals are still being sold short.

chepybennington at Talaga Bodas, Garut (Java):

Its time to relax 😌.
.
Emang udah paling enak kalo cuaca lagi dingin,berendam di air hangat,apalagi kalo viewnya Telaga Bodas,waah ajib bener dah.
.
Nah buat kalian yg punya masalah penyakit kulit seperti jerawat dll,mungkin harus nyoba berendam di sini karna di sini airnya mengandung belerang.
.
Dan untuk menikmati semua ini kalian cukup merogoh kocek Rp 15rb 😊.
.

📷 @rezamaulanamalik

B(r)agging
Other news.
As old sites are apparently on the verge of disappearance (Soakersforum), new ones appear. Ultimatehotsprings has just launched and notes: 

'This Website is dedicated to everything Hot Springs'. 

Despite this, it's all Americana with it's hot springs. Nowadays, even babies (Willy Cosmo's guide to hot springs) are blogging and dispensing advice on hot springs.

the_hot_springs_trail shows a copy of his book

Win a FREE COPY of the newest version of the guidebook when it comes out! For details, see the most recent post on my Facebook page - The Hot Springs Trail.

Good luck!

#thruhiking #wilderness #thrusoaking #hotsprings #hotspringstrail #guidebooks #longdistancetrails #bikepacking #packrafting #peakbagging #ridgerunning #farmersmarkets #wildlifeencounters #offthebeatenpath #thetraillife #getonthetrail #yougotthis

Hot spring resorts are opening in Taiwan (source and source).

And in Japan spamusement park has opened (kyodonews, Jul. 29):

'A Japanese city [Oita] boasting one of the world's largest hot-spring resorts opened a special amusement park on Saturday with a hot-tub merry-go-round and other rides featuring immersion in its famous thermal water.
The "spamusement park" will operate for just three days at an existing amusement park in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, after the southwestern Japan city successfully raised funds to set up special rides featuring the local hot-spring water'.

Exploration
The Guardian (Aug. 18) has a photographic expose about

'The joy of naked bathing.
The young, the old, the slender, the majestic … Ruth Kaplan travelled the world taking shots of bathers lost in thought in hot springs, saunas and public bath'.

More nudity and soaking, a call to enjoy the nakedness of Japan (Gaijinpot, Sep. 11)

'The traditional onsen is a good place to start exploring the simple joys of getting naked — not for anyone else, but for ourselves'.

Less hot, the Beijinger (Aug. 14) reports:

'A newly-cleaned river located along Beijing's south Fourth Ring Road has been turned into a public bathing area by opportunistic nude bathers.
...
Public nudity is frowned upon in China, but that hasn't stopped some people. Last month, security guards were assaulted by a group of seven men they attempted to stop from nude bathing in Fuyang, Anhui. In March, a group of men was spotted swimming in the nude in a clean water reservoir in Hui'an, Fujian'.

Authorities in Vietnam are more relaxed. ChannelNews Asia (Jul.29) 

'I first heard about people swimming in the nude at the banks of the Red River two years ago. Nudists in Hanoi, Vietnam’s conservative capital? Bizarre, but true.

...

The origins of the club are unclear, but bathing in the buff is not new in Vietnam. The practice is common among ethnic groups in the rivers and streams of the country’s mountainous northwest, but it is still largely considered an oddity in big cities. Nudity is not illegal except in crowded public places, cultural or religious settings, which explains why the Red River nudists have never been bothered by the authorities'.

Strict
Over to the local tidings.
Heading for Marobo hot spring, Timor? Atlas Obscura (Sep. 28):

Know Before You Go
The roads from Maliana or from Bobonaro are paved but dangerous, with massive potholes and segments of road that have collapsed. The dirt road leading down to the hot springs is very steep and slippery. To reach this location, you need a 4x4 vehicle or a motorbike, but most of all, you need an experienced driver.

A list (WellandGood, Aug. 18) of global hot springs dreamy and rejuvenating. Thailand's Pai is one of the eighth.

ammbertrekked at Pong Dued:

Hot springs chilling
#thailand #hotsprings #hot #chillin #jungle #chiangmai #trekking #fnez #livefree #green

lookped_ya at Romanee hot spring (Phang Nga):

สวัสดีพังงา แช่น้ำร้อนกัน.😛🙃

yeklakwatsera What to do this weekend 🌿 🤔 .

.
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#livealittle #rain #hotspring #redrocks #river #wander #wild #nature #awesome #wilderness #adventure #wanderlust #travel #free #islandgirl #naturephotography #traveler #fresh #naturelover #gopro #hero4 #photography #isla #philippines #love #livetoexplore #yeklakwatsera 👣

A note to nature lovers on visiting Poring (Malaysia) hot springs (and nature reserve):

abdullahhashim719

 #Poring #Hotsprings #SabahParks

Does this mean it's encouraged outside the park? 

lleewoon at Panchor, Sarawak:

 | 暖 |
The smoky air is real. Cold and rainy season definitely makes you need a remedy like this.🔥#hotspring #MalaysiaDay #thankful #讲去就去 #roadtrip

Coconuts Jakarta (Jul. 31) has this curious and rather depressing news:

'On Sunday, local police arrested 9 men at a hot spring located in Songgoriti, Kota Batu, East Java. Police allege the men were skinny dipping in the pool when the police raided the facility.
...
The men, ranging in age from 18 to 42, were subjected to, according to media reports, “marathon questioning” by the police. But in the end, all were released after the police said they could find no evidence of any crime having been committed'.

To finish a couple of Indonesian photo's:  

bellajoy93 at Penantahan:

Jumping in between the hot springs and the river 💦🏞#hotsprings #river #girlieday #naturesspa #relax #chilling #bali #baliretreat #wildswimming

 

iceteaworld at Berastagi:

After hike therapy #vulcano #hotspring #gadventures #gadv #sumatra