The Transformative Power of Water
Water is a key element that holds a strong significance in a wide variety of spiritual practices across the world. For many it symbolizes the forces of nature that are fluid, adaptable, and transformative. Because of its dynamic nature, this element can inspire us to be more flexible in life. While at the same time, teaching us to embrace change with more grace and ease. For these reasons, practioners gravitate towards using this element in relation to healing, purifying, and divination.
Beyond its physical properties, water holds a profound connection to our emotional well-being, intuition, and personal healing. If you find yourself grappling with overwhelming emotions, struggling to release emotional baggage, or you’re having a difficult time trusting yourself, consider connecting with the energy of water to restore your inner balance. You can also use it to guide you as you explore your emotions or nurture your intuition. Whatever way you decide to work with it, know that forming a relationship with water is bound to facilitate some profound inner healing.
Immersing ourselves in the water element can take many forms. Whether it’s by relaxing near a flowing river, taking a meditative bath, or simply gazing at the waves crashing on the shore, each experience invites us to surrender to the flow of life. Every encounter we have reveals a new level of understanding about this element and how important it is for the survival of all things. Nature has woven it so intricately into the fabric of our everyday lives, even though many of us have come to take it’s presence for granted. That’s why as we work on connecting with this element, we often find a deeper and more profound connection to ourselves.
Spiritual Practices
There are many ways in which you can incorporate water into your spiritual practice. I’ve listed out 10 different ways to incorporate the water element so there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re not sure where to start, try the one’s you feel most intuitively drawn to. If you’re new to this practice, don’t be intimidated. There’s something here for everybody!
Dream work
Dream work is the practice of interpreting and analyzing your dreams as a tool for self-exploration, growth, and guidance. If you’re interested in this type of work, a good place to start is by keeping a dream journal. You can use this to record your dreams, analyze their symbols and themes, and identify patterns or messages that may emerge. If you would like to amplify your dreams or have difficulty remembering them, try placing a bowl of water by your bed before sleeping. This simple task will invite more symbolism and help your subconscious visualize while traveling in the dream state.
Tears
Whether you embrace it or hide it, crying is a way to release strong emotions and keep them from getting stuck in your body. Your tears contain stress hormones and chemicals from a variety of emotional states. So it makes sense that when you cry it is helping you heal on a physical and emotional level. In spiritual circles, it’s the energy that we focus on that allows one to use tears as a form of purification or as a blessing. If you’re interested in trying this out, the first thing you need to do is collect your tears in a bowl, chalice or vial of your choice. You might try using them on their own to purify your tools. They can be added to a spell jar as an emotional offering or ingredient. Or added to water for something like a ritual bath or a healing/cleansing spray.
Astral Projection
This is where things get trippy. Literally! If you don’t understand the concept, astral projection is a form of out-of-body experience where one’s consciousness leaves the physical body and travels in the astral plane. The astral plane is often associated with the element of water because it is a realm of fluidity, emotion, and intuition. If you’re interested in attempting this, please know that it does take time and practice to pull it off successfully. If you want to truly center yourself within the water element using this technique, you can practice near a body of water, visualize yourself diving into a pool of water, or drink a glass of water before or after astral projection work to ground yourself.
Collecting Rainwater
Rainwater is something you can use in your practice for things like cleansing and charging for your tools, rituals and spell work. It’s pure energy can be cleansing as well as healing. One of the cool features of collecting your own rainwater is that it carries traces of the energy from the storm. For example, if the rain came on hard and fast, this would be a good ingredient to use in a manifesting spell. The energy in the rainwater can assist you in bring you what you want quickly. Collect it in a clean and sterilized container when the rain starts to fall. Use it as suggested above or purify your space by sprinkling it around any stagnant areas.
Moon Water
Moon water is created by leaving a jar or bottle of water under a full moon to absorb it’s energies. It is then used for a variety of different spiritual purposes. Some of these include: an offering in rituals, an addition to spells or potions, or to cleanse and charge crystals. Moon water’s energy is enhanced by the water element, because it acts like a conductor to absorb the energy of the moon. If you’re interesting in trying this one out, don’t forget to follow the moon cycles when you’re creating it. Each one has different energies and meanings which will affect the power of the water you’re making.
Scrying
Scrying is a divination technique that uses reflective surfaces, such as water, to see visions or receive messages from the spiritual realm. Water is considered to be an ideal tool for scrying due to its mirror-like and receptive properties. For this form of divination, you’ll want to fill a bowl with water or use a scrying mirror, and gaze into the surface. This allows the you to facilitate a connection with spirit to provide you with any answers or important information that you may need at this time. Incorporating this technique into your practice can enhance your intuitive abilities and skills over time.
Snow Magic
Snow magick is perfect for spells and rituals that involve cleansing or starting anew. You can even use it for protection, manifesting and healing. Among many other things, it is considered to be a symbol of new beginnings and purity. It’s not difficult to get if you live in colder climates. Otherwise you may need to ask a trusted friend to mail you some. But if you’re doing it yourself, it’s as easy as sitting down in front of some snow you feel drawn to, asking if it’s willing to work with you and gathering it in a clean, sterilized container. It’s great for ritual baths or charging your tools. Alternatively, you can use snow to create a sacred space by making snow sculptures or by inscribing sigils into it.
Ritual Baths
Ritual baths are a form of spiritual cleansing that involves immersing yourself in water to remove negative energy. Many people add herbs, salts, and oils to the water to infuse it with magical properties and enhance its cleansing and healing abilities. Your bath water can also be charged before you get in to direct your energy and intention. Just be sure that you completely submerge your body in the water in order for it to be effective. While you soak in the tub, something I like to do is incorporate a body scan to see where the negative energy is sitting or attached. And then use meditation or visualization techniques to disconnect if from my person and make the bath even more effective.
Swimming
Swimming is a form of exercise that helps to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind. It also helps you connect with the natural rhythms that are present in the water element. Any kind of water movement or sports can be used as a form of meditation to help clear the mind and enhance your intuition. Additionally, swimming in natural bodies of water, such as lakes or oceans, helps us connect with the peaceful and healing energy of water. As a former surfer, and a current landlocked lady, getting in the ocean for a bit was always a great way to shake off any negative energy from my day. And it was a great method for resetting myself emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
Seashell Divination
Seashell divination is a a fun divination method that allows individuals to communicate with spirit using seashells. It is said that sells hold unique energies and can offer specific messages. Each one has their own vibration and personality depending on the shell type as well as the ocean they are harvested from. This practice offers you a unique connection to your emotions, intuition, and feminine energy if you’re open to trying something new. It’s fairly easy to do if you’d like to give it a go. Simply meditate on the energy of the seashell, open yourself to any intuitive messages it offers, and incorporate those insights into your spiritual path. If you’re feeling more advanced you can try collecting a small batch of shells and using them the same way as a set of runes.