Water is Elemental
Summer can be hot, dry, and stagnant here in North Carolina. The contrast of cool water reminds me of how elemental and essential water is to both our bodies and souls.
The quenching rainfall after the monotony of hot, dry days. The mist off a beautiful waterfall. Putting your feet in the cool flowing water and feeling the river rocks of a mountain creek. And, of course, walking along the threshold of sand and sea at the beach.
All of these experiences replenish my body and nourish my spirit. The cool touch of water on my skin, the sound of running water to my ears, and the flow of water shift my inner rhythms. What was once still and stagnant now has movement.
Sometimes the soul’s remedy is simply flowing water.
Each of us is drawn to particular elements and landscapes that soothe or speak to us in perhaps sacred ways. For me it has always been the water. As a child, I was drawn to the sea and would crawl to the shoreline before I could walk.
When I’m in the mountains, I seek out waterfalls. And when I’m in the woods, I get giddy when I find a small creek or stream.
Water’s Invitation
We can explore more deeply the wisdom and wonder of water with our heads, hands and heart.
When you are feeling parched, stagnant, or disheartened, I invite you to seek the water’s edge—this could be a lake, a creek, a waterfall, or beach. Or a puddle after rain.
Be in this space however you’d like—maybe it’s sitting, walking, observing, or playing. Maybe it’s a “dip your toe in” experience or a deep dive.
What do you notice about your external environment?
Does anything shift for you internally? What thoughts, memories or feelings arise? Maybe you are soothed or energized.
Does the water whisper any wisdom to you?
Feel free to write down any thoughts.
You may even want to create art …
Perhaps by exploring the shades of blue or green in the water with crayons, pastels or watercolors.
Or taking a photo.
Or sketching a flora or fauna you encounter while there.
Or creating an image that represents the way you feel at the water’s edge.
If you are inclined, take a moment to offer gratitude for the water. You may be moved to write a hope or blessing for it.
I offer thanks to the quenching water for earth’s creatures and flora. I am eternally grateful for the way flowing water buoys my soul. May we treat this precious natural resource with wisdom, kindness and tenderness.
“To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh, to watch the flight of shore birds that have swept up and down the surf lines of the continents for untold thousands of years…is to have knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be.”
~ Rachel Carson, Marine Biologist & Conservationist
