My mind wasn’t empty; it was just at ease. According to Dr Adatia, meditation itself has been associated with lower stress and anxiety, improved emotional regulation and better attention, while slow breathing can support the body’s relaxation response. Water immersion and sensory reduction may amplify some of these effects.
Psychologically, Archana Singhal, counsellor, family therapist and founder of Mindwell Counsel, describes the experience as a kind of temporary mental timeout. “The world around us can have a powerful impact on our minds, more than we think. Even when we sit down to meditate, familiar sounds, thoughts, phones, sounds of the home, conversations, work-related thoughts, and obligations surround us on land.”
It was only when I was nudged to resurface that I realised how unusual the experience had been. It was the first time I wasn’t waiting for the session to end. For those 15 minutes, I was just breathing. And somehow, that was enough to quiet my busy mind.
The ‘blue mind’ theory
I’ve always been a water baby, so perhaps it wasn’t surprising that I found calm beneath the surface. But I wondered if there was more to it. Dr Bansal points to the ‘blue mind’ concept, popularised by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols to describe the calm, mildly meditative state many people experience when they are near, in, on or under water.
While the experience may sound like scuba diving or freediving at first, the intention is quite different. “Firstly, open water is a completely different environment — currents, temperature, depth and visibility all introduce additional risks,” says Dr Bansal. “Scuba is usually about exploration. You’re looking around, moving and experiencing the underwater environment. Underwater meditation is deliberately different. There is nothing to achieve and nowhere to go. You settle comfortably, breathe and allow yourself to be still.”
Curious about what meditating in open water might feel like, I reached out to Alex Julie, a meditation teacher and founding director of UMI, a non-profit organisation that conducts underwater meditative immersions. “Our programs begin in the pool, learning the skills we will need to really let go while remaining safe and relaxed underwater,” he explains. Out in the open ocean, the experience becomes more dynamic.
“We return to the same spot beside the reef, watching the current move through the sea fans and sand, becoming more attuned to the ocean and our surroundings. Over time, this creates space to slow down, listen and reflect.”
For all its appeal, the science behind underwater meditation is still developing. “What I have seen personally is that people start recognising the feeling of calm more easily. They have a reference point. They know what it feels like when their body is not constantly switched on,” says Dr Bansal.
While there is established research around meditation, controlled breathing, water immersion and so-called blue spaces, underwater meditation itself remains a relatively new area of study. Dr Adatia also cautions against assuming water affects everyone equally. For someone anxious or uncomfortable in water, immersion could amplify stress rather than calm. Singhal also stresses that it shouldn’t be considered a substitute for mental health treatment.
