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Introduction
In the world there is nothing more
submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is
hard and strong nothing can surpass it.
--- Lao-Tzu
From the amniotic fluid we swim in before birth, to the
cleansing power of waterfalls, rivers, oceans, fountains, and
our own tears; from baptismal fonts to the healing pools of hot
springs and natural grottoes; from the sacred waters of Lourdes
in France or the Dead Sea in Israel, to the birdbath or swimming
pool in your backyard – water contains a unique spiritual
energy.
Water shape-shifts from ice to liquid, from snow to steam. It is
essential to our survival and covers much of the surface of our
planet. Water’s power can destroy or give life, can heal our
spirits and soothe our bodies, can be a source of great awe,
beauty, and inspiration – as well as a source of fear and
terror.
Water connects us to ancient powers existing from the beginning
of creation. All cultures throughout time have revered and
protected water’s life-giving properties. Western myths give us
Neptune and Poseidon reigning over the oceans, Venus and
Aphrodite rising from the sea, and thousands of nymphs and
sprites ruling over rivers, creeks, springs, and fountains. The
Japanese brought offerings each year to Kawakami and Kibune –
Japanese rain gods. Egyptians worshipped the Nile as a source of
fertility and abundance, and believed death involved the soul’s
journey across another river – the Styx.
Brazilians still celebrate on January 1 the festival of Yemanje,
an ocean goddess whose origins go back to Africa. In Rio, more
than one million celebrants dress in white and wade into the
ocean at dusk to give homage to her.
These are only a few of the hundreds of deities connected with
the recognition of water as a source of spiritual power and as
an element basic to our very existence.
In Sacred Waters you’ll find true stories, meditations, and poems
about the power and mystery of water in many forms. These
stories show how water can be a source of guidance and
inspiration to illuminate our life journeys – even when it comes
in the form of a flood or a near drowning.
You’ll learn ways to incorporate the spiritual energies of water
through ceremonies and rituals. You’ll read about the healing
power of oceans, lakes, and hot springs. You’ll see how water
intersects with human experience in surprising and even mystical
ways. These stories show how water’s sacred qualities still flow
through the universe, a source of life and spiritual wisdom for
us all.
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