In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans; in one aspect of you are found all the aspects of existence.
Kahlil Gibran
This is one of those phases in life where drab as it may sound, I am discovering the depth of the age old adages ― there is pithy yet incredibly deep wisdom condensed into small that loaded sentences and phrases! Being draped in ubiquitous clichés, they get dismissed with an air of nonchalance and it is hard to see what lies right under our noses. Nothing holds truer than this when it comes to the water element. Also known as apah/ neer/ jal, water is the element which is all about emotion, sensitivity and moistness in the scheme of human composition. The element brings softness, ability to empathise and nurture.
It is the one element which changes form several times over to existing in different states of matter but in essence remains the same. Human body is composed of over 70 per cent water and among the panchmahabhootas or the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), it has an extremely important role to play and an equally if not more important one in preserving the delicate balance. Among the five elements, it is one that needs to be consciously consumed in order to keep the body systems functioning smoothly. It is that essential medium that is required not just for outer, but for inner cleansing as well.
Imagine not having access to a glass of water when you are thirsty or not being able to take a shower! Individuals who have suffered dehydration, oedema (water retention) or water toxicity/ water intoxication will be able to attest the importance of maintaining this balance. While there are tangible/ outward effects of imbalance of water there are also emotional difficulties and inner turmoil that may be strong pointers to this situation as well.
But then again, too much or too little of anything — a state of imbalance — is a problem by itself. The numinous nature of the elements cause this balance to be delicate — it is prone to getting disturbed easily and therefore requires conscious effort and mindful living to maintain it.
Water has been the element associated with the moon and this element has its seat in the Svadhishthan or the Sacral Chakra. Individuals who are easily disturbed by the emotional ups and downs in relationships, tend to be swayed emotionally too easily or have fluctuating moods can benefit quite a lot from restoring and maintaining balance of this element.
A good water balance enables a steady flow in relationships, there is ease of connecting with people with fine awareness of the transactional/ karmic nature of these equations. Lack of it, definitely impacts the kidneys and adrenals causing a fight, fright or flight reaction. There could be blocks to creativity, conception and in many cases melancholia.
Water helps eliminate toxins from the body and even remove negative energy from its primary territory of the mind. It is not for nothing that meditation is also referred to as swimming in the waters of consciousness.
So if you are looking to create harmony within, then do go for a swim, have that glass of water, have that glass of juice if you must (sometimes the body is calling attention to set the electrolyte balance right), sing in the shower and enjoy your rain.
And the next time, don’t be surprised if someone tells you that they get the best ideas and inspirations in the shower.
(This is the second article in the Elements Series. You can find the first article on Earth here.)