Water is life and water is the basis of all life. Water is the most important food, is used as a source of energy and serves as a habitat. Furthermore, water is magic – water is spirituality.
And water is extremely important at an open air. Not only as drinking water. Water suddenly has a completely different meaning after an open air visit. Running water from the tap, a toilet flush and above all your own shower will be appreciated all over again.
Water as Energy Source
Anyone who has ever drunk too much and had a hangover afterwards can confirm this: Water is a source of energy. Not only in the form of a shower that stimulates the blood circulation, but also in the form of an energizing cold refreshing drink.
And if you have a sore muscle, alternating showers can promote the blood circulation and thus help to transport the substances that have to be broken down faster out of the muscle and to bring the build-up substances to where they are needed.
As an energy source water is used in several hydroelectric power stations. Water is also used as a medium for heat generation and thus for heating houses. And this not only in Iceland.
Water as a Resource
“Water is the blood of the earth.”
Leonardo da Vinci
Water is nowadays one of the most important resources on earth. Researchers assume that clean fresh water will soon be a rare and valuable raw material. Hard to believe for us Central Europeans. Especially in the Rhine valley, where I live, there has always been talked of too much – in the form of floods – rather than too little water.
However, due to continued population growth, more water will be needed in the near future than is available in the world. Moreover, the simultaneous global warming will lead to deserts spreading and rivers drying up. As a result, clean drinking water will become a scarce commodity.
It is therefore possible that the alchemists of the future will be more concerned with the transformation into the element water than into the element gold…
Water of Life
Very clever alchemists in faraway Ireland, Scotland or America can transform water into water of life. Which is really very close to gold, at least in terms of colour (and also the value of some whisky bottles).
Water of life – that’s what the whisky is called. The Gaelic “uisge beatha” stands for the water of life and also the Nordic “auqavit” goes back to the Latin term “aqua vitae”, which also means water of life.
A fitting name. After all, whisky was used in earlier times for disinfection and anaesthesia during medical procedures. And both in the past and today it is immensely important which spring water is used to make a whisky. After all, whisky consists of 40% to 60% water.
The human body also consists of around 60% water. Water is a liquid component of blood, fascia and lymph, among others – a component of every single cell in our body.
Water an Element of Transformation
The water of life does not only stand for whisky, but symbolizes every spiritual and psychological process of transformation. Water means both rest and movement. In Germany a saying is well-known
“Silent waters are deep.”
in the vernacular
Which just means that silent does not necessarily have to be quiet. A supposedly quiet person can have a lot of depth and can also sometimes be bubbling over with passion.
So water can be everything: tranquility and constancy but also movement and power. Water is the only element on earth that occurs in nature as a liquid, a solid and in gas form. Thus ice represents the physical body, water the astral body and vapour the causal body in the yoga theory.
Water in spiritual Context
Water has a spiritual value not only in yoga. In the Christian faith the role of water is at least as significant. Just think of christening – the admittance into the community of faith. Today, only the forehead is wetted, but in the past, one was actually completely dived under water.
Water has a spiritual value not only in yoga. In the Christian faith the role of water is at least as significant. Just think of christening – the admittance into the community of faith. Today, only the forehead is wetted, but in the past, one was actually completely dived under water.
Water has a spiritual value not only in yoga. In the Christian faith the role of water is at least as significant. Just think of christening – the admittance into the community of faith. Today, only the forehead is wetted, but in the past, one was actually completely dived under water.
In traditional Chinese philosophy the elements play just as big a role. Each element stands for a certain process. The element water stands for the observation of the situation, for contemplation and for tranquillity.
Be like water…
A calm observation and tranquil contemplation. A difficult task in the present (Corona) time. That is why we should take water as a guide and adapt to the situation. To be calm and steady, but also flexible and powerful.
“Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. And yet it conquers the hard and the strong.”
Laotse
If we combine all this – calmness, steadiness, flexibility and power – we will survive any crisis.
…and drink plenty of water
But we only have the energy for the crisis and all the other demands of life if we look after ourselves well. That includes drinking enough. Depending on body weight, at least 2 to 3 litres of fluid a day – preferably water. With the currently prevailing hot temperatures, it may well be more.
If you have problems to drink enough water, I have the following tips for you.
Stay hydrated!
∇ Eat your water – for example in the form of watermelon or cucumber.
∇ Pimp your water – lemon, lime or a few leaves of peppermint will give you a change of taste.
∇ There is also an abundance of different flavours in the selection of tea. Tea can be cooked on stock and tastes very good even when cold – if no thermos flask is available.
∇ Make sure your drink is ready on hand! My first action in the morning (after doing yoga) is to make a pot of tea. It is always close to me and I have already drunk over a liter in the morning.
∇ A stylish water bottle makes you want to drink even more.
With this in mind… Cheers and stay tuned & hydrated!
