I am such a water baby! It’s the Element I feel closest to. From my earliest days, my poor mother always had quite a challenge getting me out of or away from water! Since we had a lovely creek in the back of our home – and being a Pisces, the word “challenge” may be understated!
As my intimate knowledge of the Elemental World has grown, my love of Water has only increased. It is also the Element that stirs the activist in me…
The words of the beautiful Algonquin Water Song translate to “Water is the lifeblood of our Mother Earth. Water is the lifeblood of the human race.” In the deep ways of the Native American traditions, Water is revered, a flowing sign of Deity that carries memories and holds stories. Water sings its song. (If you are not yet aware of the wonders that await you at singthewatersong.com, you really need to go there! Visit the Grandmothers and listen to their wisdom!)
Water Born… We are Water Born! Cleansed and Purified… Water Born
We are all truly Water Born! It is our birth element, where we are nurtured and protected in our mothers’ wombs. In times of sorrow and frustration, we express and heal ourselves through our tears. We revel in water’s coolness, quenching our thirst and bringing respite from heat and stress. Water loves to play and we do, too. It is the element that cleanses body and soul. It is the “Elemental Necessity.” Without it, we do not live.
How close are you to the Element of Water? How well do you know it?
Water Elementals are the entities that interact with us. The Elementals of Water are the Undines (pronounced un-deens). We also call them the Merfolk and I include the Sirens of ancient myth, because… well, Music! When you find yourself out in Nature, start listening for the many voices of Water. I can hear them singing in a waterfall or in the lapping waves of Lake Erie. I ask the Undines to sing me to sleep every night when I tell Google to play the sound of a babbling brook. I have a friend in New Jersey who often gifts me videos of the Atlantic Ocean. One of my favorite listening moments is the sound of rain. I have always loved Water’s song!
We Flow from the Stars… From the Sky… From the Sea
Look out at the Big Water! The Oceans that cover most of our world, moving, flowing, feeding the life that, in turn, feeds us. The mighty currents not only provide sustenance for the world but they also control our weather. Do a little research on the food and weather chains of the oceans. The immense migrations of both the mighty whales and the tiniest of plankton have a direct effect on everything that lives on the land. Where the element of Water is concerned, the “butterfly effect” is very real!
Where did all our beautiful Water come from, though? I love that today’s science is showing us that this essential element actually arrived here from space! Galactic Travelers like comets and meteors have carried packages of Water to Earth over billions of years, literally bringing our planet Earth to life! (I do not use the word “literally” very often!) Water IS Star Stuff! (I’ve always loved that phrase that Carl Sagan used in the show, “Cosmos”!)
Now, look at the Small Water! The tiny drops of morning dew… the drip of a faucet… the salty taste of healing tears… the nurturing liquid that protects a baby before birth… our own blood… We ARE Water! We ARE Star Stuff!
Water… Honor it… Protect it… We are Water
Unfortunately, we have not always honored Water and its bounty. What is happening now to our birth element because of the plastics and trash dumped into oceans and lakes? How do we expect our Oceans to recover from oil spills and chemical dumping? What about the microplastics – not to mention the huge chunks of trash found inside whales and other large sea creatures?
If we remain silent about fishing methods that rake the seabeds, destroying animals and their habitat, how can we complain about rising seafood costs and unavailability? We keep using the older technologies that warm the planet, but loudly mourn the death of coral reefs. The list goes on…
The whole Earth is trying to heal from centuries of neglect. We are all soon going to become very aware of Water as part of that healing. Oceans are rising. Cities and even countries may be lost to humans as our planet works to repair the damage that has been caused. Humanity has brought about changes in only centuries that normally would have taken thousands of years to occur naturally.
What can we do to change things? Support legislation and regulations that are good for the environment, and especially our water world. We can educate ourselves and others. We can write editorials and blogs to help raise awareness. We can look at how we use water – and all our natural resources – and work out ways to do it better. For example, inspired by some commercials on TV, I developed a better way to wash my dishes. I use less than half the water, a tiny amount of environmentally friendly soap, NO hot water – and my plates, flatware, and pans are squeaky clean, in much less time! (I’ll gladly share my method!)
Pagans know and feel our connection to the Earth Mother is a deep part of our spiritual beliefs. As magickal folk, we can raise energy for our World’s Water! Do rituals large and small for the Oceans and Lakes and Rivers. Sing to the creek and the rain. Let the feel and sound of Water lead you in a meditation or daydream. Incorporate Water and all the Elements more deeply in your Circles and rituals. They are not just quarters to be called. In their Elemental forms, they are real and present!
Always remember The Flow!
Artists can paint pictures.
Musicians can write songs.
Parents can teach their children.
Water sings its song.
We can… We must sing along!
Check out the Pagan Song blog’s Book of Shadows Elements collection for lots of blog posts about water (and fire earth and air) in pagan music and magic.
For more information about Ginger Ackley, including her collected articles here on Pagan Song, her bio, and links to Ginger’s sites on the web, check out Ginger’s page on Pagan Song.
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