Friday, August 30, 2013

Water: Mind is Divine


Water  l                                                                                                                                        Mind is Divine

West, Waning Moon (Third Quarter) T, Autumn, September, October, November, Autumn Equinox (Winter Finding), Samhain (Winter Nights), Dusk (Sunset), Temperance, Truth, Blue, Ice, Blood, Fog, Heart, Harvest, Concerns, Rain
Crab

Crone Goddess

Dog

Dragonfly

Fish

Hela

Helheim

Sage God

Manni

Niflheim

Njord

Sif   

Skaldi

Vanaheim
 



Water is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H2O.  Water is a liquid at standard ambient temperature and pressure, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state ice and gaseous state water vapor or steam.  Water covers 70% of the Earth's surface and is vital for all known forms of life.  

The Ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles held that water is one of the four classical elements, along with fire, earth and air, and was regarded as the basic substance of the universe.  The classical element of water was also one of the five elements in traditional Chinese philosophy, along with earth, fire, wood and metal.

Water is considered a purifier in most religions.  Many major faiths incorporate ritual washing including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism and Wicca.  Immersion of a person in water is a central sacrament of Christianity, Judaism and Sikhism.  In addition, a ritual bath in pure water is performed for the dead in many religions including Islam and Judaism.

The waters of life run through our bodies in our blood, which is as salty as the oceans.  For many Norse dead, they were cremated on a funeral pyre together with all their belongings. The ashes were to be spread either at sea or on the ground.  Some higher ranked Norse, were honored with a sea burial. 

Many cultures feature water spirits as part of their folklore and mythology. To the Greeks, a water spirit known as a naiad often presided over a spring or stream. The Romans had a similar entity found in the Camenae.  For residents of the British Isles, many local bodies of water such as streams and wells were host to water spirits - and often these took on the role of local deity.

Many of these cultures also have several country folklore that goes along with the tales.  An English rural custom says that a woman who splashes too much water around as she does laundry or washes dishes will be cursed with a husband who drinks to excess.  In the Viking Age, water was sprinkled on the nine day old baby, it was named and thus admitted into the family.
According to Norse mythology, Ice was one of the two Primordial Elements. In the beginning, before the world was created, there existed only the great yawning void of Ginnungagap.  On either side of the void was Muspelheim, the primordial fire, and Nifelheim, the primordial ice. it was only when these two came into contact that the world was created.

The moon is tied to the ebb and flow of tides around the world. A phenomenon known as lunar tide occurs during the full and new moon phases - during these phases, the gravitational forces create a very high tide, and a very low tide.

Water is often associated with emotions, art, time and especially healing and philosophy.  In rituals, it is represented in the forms of pouring water over objects, cups, brew making, healing spells, ritual bathing, and tossing objects into of water.  The manifestations of the element of water are rivers, oceans, lakes, wells, snow, streams and all drinks.  Animals, especially the seal, dolphin, frog and all types of fish are also thought to personify the water element.

Water is a feminine energy and highly connected with the aspects of the Goddess.  Used for healing, cleansing, and purification, water is related to the West, the color blue, and associated with passion and emotion.  In many spiritual paths, including Catholicism, consecrated water can be found – holy water is just regular water with salt added to it, and usually a blessing or invocation is said above it.  In Wiccan covens, such water is used to consecrate the circle and all the tools within it.

On its most basic level, the whooshing sound of water literally drowns out all background noises.  By washing away our distractions, water gives us the space to become more serene, more peaceful.  Water opens us up to the possibility of receiving love.  Water flushes away our peripheral concerns and helps us in focusing on our work.  Water releases us from pain and removes harmful influences in our lives.

As do all the elements, water has a shadowy side we need to be aware of. Too much water in our magical lives puts us in the hands of our emotions, possibly causing our actions to be erratic, undisciplined and unfocused.  Water can also make us too sensitive, too easily impressed and too easily upset.
 




The Mind is Divine.  It has been estimated that the average person has sixty thousand separate thoughts a day.  It is noisy and busy, with a new visiting thoughts every second or so. The sage, Yogananda says that the mind is like an unruly child.  Each and every day many of yesterday’s thoughts cycle back around, as do thoughts about tomorrow or anything else about the future.  You need to vigilantly care take these thoughts regularly, clearing negative energies, sweeping up unworthy behaviors, cleaning insecure ideas and throwing out self-centered thought-moguls that prevent you from loving and serving unconditionally.  It puts thoughts and things in perspective and order.  This allows your mind to find refuge in the Divine.


 

Mead is a type of ale brewed from honey and water and thought to be the nectar of the Gods. It is the celebrated drink of Beowulf, made from fermented honey.  In certain European countries, mead is still a popular home-brewed drink and is very simple to concoct.

Mimir's Well is the source wisdom and intelligence,  This well lies under the roots of Yggdrasil and is guarded by the head of Mimir. Odin came there and asked for a single drink from the spring, but he did not get it until he had given one of his eyes to Mímir.

Njord is the God of seafaring.  His most famous children are Freyr and Freya.  He had eight more daughters.  He was briefly married to Giantess Skadi who picked him for his beautiful feet, by mistake, thinking he was Balder. Njord and Skadi could not agree on where to live. She didn't like his home and he didn't like hers, so they split up.

Jormungand is the World Serpent, who is extremely formidable but an essential part of the world's structure, and cannot be removed.  Odin, fearing evil intent, flung the serpent into the sea, where it grew so large that it surrounded the Earth biting its own tail.

 

Hagalaz is the name of the h-rune h, meaning hail, precipitation, transformation.  The Elder Futhark letter has two variants, single-barred h and double-barred h. The double-barred variant is found in continental inscriptions while Scandinavian inscriptions have the single-barred variant.  The Hagalaz rune, above all others, represents the concept of balance; yin/yang, male/female, positive/negative, black/white.  A hailstorm, may seem daunting and scary at first, but if you catch a hailstone you will realize that it is only water and is not to be feared.

Isaz is the name of the i-rune i, meaning ice, lack of motion, blockage.   In Ancient times, ice was a constant factor in the day to day lives of the Norse.  It threatened their crops, their ships and their livelihoods, almost throughout the entire year.  To the people though, it also served as a symbol of creation from which all life eventually springs forth.

Laguz is the name of the l-rune l, water, lake, flow, inner strength.  To the ancient Norse, water of all kinds including the ocean, lakes, streams and rivers were considered a source of wealth and fertility.  The Aegir, the Gods and Goddesses of the sea in Norse mythology, both gave and took life and offered fertility and wealth.

 

 

 

Water

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

The water understands

Civilization well;

It wets my foot, but prettily,

It chills my life, but wittily,

It is not disconcerted,

It is not broken-hearted:

Well used, it decketh joy,

Adorneth, doubleth joy:

Ill used, it will destroy,

In perfect time and measure

With a face of golden pleasure

Elegantly destroy.

 

 

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