Water for Life
Recently while hosting a retreat in Mexico, I had the great pleasure of listening to ocean waves day and night. Swimming in the ocean reconnected me with waters ability to surge, recede, flow, spiral, undulate and occasionally be more still. Being rocked and buoyant felt restorative and being lifted, pulled, pushed and sometimes whirled around while body surfing the waves reminded me of of its great power.
Water is our home; evolutionarily and in the beginnings of our own life. We may not always realize it, but we are connected to all life and the history of the planet. As humans, we are mostly water – in fact we are like a hybrid in that we carry ‘the ocean’ inside our containers of skin. When our ancestors came from the water to land they needed to create a way to move in this new ocean of air and so laid down a sort of geology to allow them to move – more bone and new appendages. 97% of the Earth’s water is seawater and contains many minerals that are healing. For centuries, people have taken to ocean water for healing, detoxification and even for treating depression.
The water we drink is also healing. It is said that millions of people are suffering from diseases caused by insufficient absorption of water. Imbalances such as asthma, arthritis, angina, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity are signs of distress from the body pointing to water deprivation. The book “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water” shows that the majority of degenerative diseases can be avoided if we drink enough water on a daily basis. Water is the most indispensable substance for the proper functioning of the body. Dehydration is the starting point for numerous physiological disorders. Plus, daily intake of water also helps us to maintain optimal emotional and mental states.
The water element in traditional Chinese medicine: the kidneys and bladder are the organs representing the water element, and the corresponding season is winter. Kidney chi and water energies are likely out of balance if you feel you are always in survival mode and feel that fear and self preservation are controlling your life. Most of our fears are unfounded, habitual reactions, and the remedy for fear is to see the situation for what it is. Does it actually present a threat? Sit quietly, evaluate the situation and shine the light of awareness within to find your strength. Much of our fear is worry that we’re going to lose something or fail to gain something. Developing courage and self awareness helps immensely. Again, according to traditional chinese medicine – the symptoms of stress in the water element are fears, phobias, constant tiredness, impotence, high blood pressure and degenerative diseases. They see the kidney chi as key to general health and well being.
Try this:
Sit or lie down and fall into a comfortable rhythm of breathing. Place your awareness in your lower back ribs and have the intention to connect to your kidneys and adrenals. Practice breathing there and exhale long and slow. Think of breathing in rhythm with the waves of the ocean. Smile internally in this area of your body and feel the kidneys bathed in pure ocean water or healing light. Continue this for five to ten minutes.
Keep them warm throughout the colder weather by dressing properly. Drink lots of filtered water – 8 cups is the usual but it depends on your size. Lastly, thank water daily – when you drink it, when you bathe, even when it snows or rains. Send love to the lakes, rivers, marshes and oceans and spend time meditating by them when you can.