Water

Water and the Arrival of Winter

In Western Australia, Winter is the season where we get most of our rain, and Summer sees our land very parched, dusty and dry. Water is pooling and puddling now and rehydrating the soil. In the local Aboriginal dialect this Season is called Makuru and it is the Season of fertility. The arrival of the rain is celebrated as it sees the return of Life to the Land.

Nature of Water

Water initiates seed germination and growth in the plants and trees, and it refreshes, purifies, cleanses and flushes out our creeks, waterways and rivers. All the water that falls as rain, mist or fog, makes its way by flowing downwards and out towards our coasts to expansive deep oceans and seas: massive storage sites of water where the cycle begins again. Water cannot be created nor destroyed but is always transforming through the cycle when put under pressure. When it is undisturbed it remains still.

In Winter when the days are shorter, darker, and wetter we can say our external environment is more Yin. It is darker and our bodies receive less light as the Sun rises later and sets earlier. The energy of water is like the way water moves in our world, downward. Winter can be a time of inward contemplation and a good time to conserve our energy, slow down and consolidate so we can maintain our health and remain grounded until the longer days (and yang energy) returns. We can contain our energy and tune in to visions and our inner nature and the potential of our ideas (like seeds) yet to be realised. Taking time to reflect, vision and connect with our self and our desires sets us in good stead for manifesting our ideas (planting seeds) in Spring and helps inspire us to get through the dark, cold Yin energy of Winter.

5 Elements and Water

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), they refer to the five elements and this is a system or theory of understanding the cycles of Nature and our bodies. The five elements create a transitional cycle which we can study. Understanding which of the five elements has a dominant effect on you, can give you insight into your personal strengths and weaknesses. We can even discover our constitutional element which can determine how our system is likely to respond to our external environment. We can work with the elements, just as we work with the Warrioresses to bring ourselves into balance. Having balance in our bodies means we can respond to external stimuli without being ‘pushed’ off our centre. Being in balance (when all our other needs like clothing, food and shelter are met) allows us to be fully present in the moment and allows us to flourish and thrive.

Each of the five elements have their own individual qualities and attributes, however they work together to create an interdependent system – like any system in nature, they are dependent on each other. All the five elements exist and work in harmony and life needs all the elements to thrive. For example, a plant (wood) needs water, light from the sun (fire), earth, and metal (the minerals in the soil) to thrive.

In TCM, the element also has an organ/meridian pair associated with it. Water rules the Bladder and Kidney meridian and the emotion associated with Water is fear. Water is considered the most yin of all elements, representing the deepest parts of our psyche and being.

In TCM each of the organs houses a spirit and the Kidneys are believed to hold our Zhi, our Will, and the nature of who we are. The Will is the part of our consciousness that helps us move forward, grow and evolve. It gives us our courage to move through our fears. It is our ability to move through stressful situations and adapt. It is faith in ourselves that our vision will get us through and that we will grow and evolve from the experience.

I love this quote shared with me by my shiatsu mentor:

Of all the elements, the Sage should take water as his preceptor,

Water is yielding but all-conquering. Water extinguishes Fire, 

Or finding itself likely to be defeated, escapes as steam and re-forms.

Water washes away Soft Earth, or, when confronted by rocks, seeks a way round.

Water corrodes Iron till it crumbles to dust: it saturates the atmosphere

So that Wind dies. Water gives way to obstacles with deceptive humility.

For no power can prevent it following its destined course to the sea.

Water conquers by yielding: it never attacks but always wins the last battle.

The Sage who makes himself as Water is distinguished for his humility.

He embraces passivity, acts from non-action and conquers the world.

Tao Cheng

Women and Water

While writing this blog I also explored how the content of water in our bodies changes for women depending on their cycle. It is known that women can experience an increased water and salt retention around the time of menstruation. Progesterone, which increases at the time we are bleeding activates the hormone aldosterone, which causes the kidneys to retain water and salt. At the time of bleeding we are also said to be most Yin, most inward and most open to insights and I contemplated the fact that we are actually made up of more water at this time. Also during pregnancy we carry about 25% more blood (increased Water content) by the time our baby comes Earthside. Mothers are more Yin in nature and I wonder how much of this is due to the Water Energy in our bodies.

Water and the Warrioresses

Water is the element of the Protectress, the Banshee and the Merciful One, this is like saying it is the constitutional element of that archetype – they are all Yin archetypes. Working with Water, we will also get the ‘feel’ of the nature of these Warrioress and we can dive deeper into our work on these pathways. This is the gift of working with the Elements or her allies.

I think about these Warrioresses and how they would move through life: yielding and powerful.

In the shamanic realm, water is aligned with love, compassion, and intuition. Water is associated with healing and is often connected with cleansing our energy, purification, and renewal. The gifts of the Water element include strength, clarity, and persistence. Water flows around obstacles set in its path with grace and moves into the unknown with power and determination. Yet is also can be deeply reflective and still when it is undisturbed. When our water is in Balance, we feel grounded and we know our true Nature and our Will is easily expressed. In its depths we can find fear and out of balance we may get stuck in the flight or fight response or trauma.

What might a Water influenced Warrioress look like?

In balance with water, she is determined, self-sufficient and independent and like a flowing river has a strong Will but will move around obstacles with flow. She can also find peace in stillness. She can manifest her desires into reality. She believes in herself and does not sway from her path. She will seek to understand things and herself. She values inner peace. She is a sharp critical thinker and expresses herself well. When faced with scary situations she is not ruled by fear but is able to make objective decisions to move through the situation.

Out of balance she can be too introspective and inward, becoming withdrawn from others. She will not see open doors or will choose not to go through them. Fearfulness may dominate with other emotions like mistrust, suspicion, and insecurity creeping in. Fears can flood and make movement forward difficult.

Nourishing the Water Element

What ways can we nourish the Water element:

• Yoga poses that stretch the Bladder/ Kidney meridian or squeeze into the kidneys like cobra pose, seated forward bend or bridge.
• Journal Questions to cultivate introspection: How do you respond to a potentially scary situation? Are you able to objectively choose a way forward or do you allow fear to guide your response to the situation?
• Affirmation to repeat: “I deeply love and accept myself with my fears and insecurity” (from Emotion Balance, by Dr Roy Martina)
• Honour our cycles: in Winter find activities that allow you to rest and restore. Yin yoga, Qigong, mindfulness meditation. Rest and allow your energy to come inward and contemplate. Cultivate periods of stillness in each day. Honour your moon cycle by resting and regenerating during the most yin part of your cycle, while bleeding.
• Take time to Explore your True Nature and cultivate your Will.

I remember arriving at a campsite by a slow-moving river with a friend in the heat of Summer. It had been a scorcher and we decided to go for a dip before entering the busy exciting yang energy of the festival we were there for. The water was still and reflected the sky like a mirror. It was incredibly peaceful after the busy drive. My feet felt the squishy softness of mud and algae creep up my legs as I walked in. The water was black and dark with tannins, and you could not see the bottom or even your hand in front of you. We were silent as we entered with reverence. I was slightly apprehensive of the unknown; how deep, how muddy, sharp things, logs, eels? But the feeling of the soft cool water on my skin and pushing through the feeling of fear toward the experience of Joy encourage me to enter. As I pushed off and ripples formed out in front of my nose and Water enveloped me, I felt held in the womb of the Mother and it was Cool, dark and deep. We left feeling refreshed, cleansed and rejuvenated.

May you enjoy this Winter and take time to explore the gifts of Water.

By Lisa Smith

Huntress Clan Mother

References

Seasonal Living: 5 Element Empowerment program. Jo Hafey, https://www.ezense.com.au/the-foundations-of-seasonal-living I would like to acknowledge that a lot of this information included in this blog is from a course I studied with my shiatsu mentor Jo Hafey.

Blood, https://www.britannica.com/science/pregnancy/Blood

Weight Gain during the Period; What to know https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327326#overview

Going with the Flow: The Yin and Yang of Your Menstrual Cycle, Dr Grace Jones, 2017

https://www.sunshinecoastacupunctureclinic.com.au/yin-yang-menstrual-cycle/

Five Elements and Your Menstrual Health. J. Jing 2018.

https://cycleharmony.com/remedies/menstrualhealth/five-elements-and-your-menstrual-health

The Hydrological Cycle: Water Is Neither Created Nor Destroyed, It Is Merely Transformed. Qatium https://qatium.com/blog/water-is-neither-created-nor-destroyed-only-transformed/#:~:text=The%20Hydrological%20Cycle%3A%20Water%20Is,Destroyed%2C%20It%20Is%20Merely%20Transformed

Emotional Balance, The Path to Inner Peace and Harmony, Dr Roy Martina 1999.