The Element of Water

“Water does not resist.
Water flows.
When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress.
Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you.
But water always goes where it wants to go,
and nothing, in the end, can stand against it.
Water is patient.
Dripping water wears away a stone.
Remember that, my child.
Remember you are half water.
If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it.
Water does.”

~ Margaret Atwood

The nature of water is that it is defined by the shapes of the of the solid objects that surround it, but that it has no shape of its own. Even when frozen into ice, this “solid” water depends on its environment for the form it takes, even down to the gravity that dictates the shape of icicles.

In The Sacred and the Profane, Mircea Eliade observes that form “manifests itself above the waters, by detaching itself from the waters.”

Water symbolizes a mass of possibilities, and it’s not surprising that most creation stories share a common theme of the earth arising from a primordial, whirling, watery ocean from which all other life was created. Part of the story of our own evolution was when amphibious creatures came out of this water and spent their whole lives on dry land.

Similarly, the story of a great deluge is universal, whether as an accident of nature or as an act of God. For many religions, this flood constituted a symbolic “washing away of sins” on a grand scale.

Recent images from flooded cities, such as New Orleans, are a sober reminder of the devastation that can be wreaked by water’s huge, formless mass.

Water is also one of the four elements essential to life in traditional Western philosophy. Its qualities are fluidity and cohesiveness. Flowing water usually represents change and the passage of time. The element of water is associated with the western quadrant and represents dreams and feelings.

Ways to work with this element:

Unseen influences. For many reasons, water meaning deals with intuition, psychic perception and dreams. What happens under the surface of water is a mystery to the unaided eye. It’s much the same with human emotions. Water reminds us to dive beneath the surface of our feelings and use intuition for better understanding.
Healing effects. For centuries, cultures around the world have viewed water as a sacred symbol of healing, cleansing and renewal. It’s a no-brainer, really. Water washes off the grime…not just mud, but also the crummy stuff that clutters in our hearts. Water can energetically cleanse us inside and out!
Get flexible. One of the most beautiful lessons water can teach us his how to be flexible and embrace change. Consider: Water always takes on the form in which it is held. It can also carve out mountains to make its way forward. Water reminds us to go with the flow no matter what the situation.

Working with the element of water in your every day life:

magickal baths for cleansing, love, healing, protection, and prosperity.
One method of water magick is to draw symbols on a sandy beach and wait for the waves to erase them and bring your spell to completion.
You can also draw with soapstone or natural chalk and allow the rain to wash it away.
Releasing things into a running stream is yet another method.

Water is a universal symbol of the unconscious mind and is linked to the moon, femininity, and irrationality. Oceans are equated with chaos as they are boundless and ungovernable. The conscious mind is more closely linked to the lake or pond. The ancient belief that the earth was created from primordial waters is a psychological metaphor for the birth of ideas in the unconscious mind.

Water is the primordial substance of Goddess Mother; one of the four elements; in Sanskrit “Va” is one of the primary mantras the brought the universe into being; the glyph for water is a circle with a horizontal line, like the sea horizon, called a diameter, which literally means “Goddess Mother”; the primordial Ocean of Blood, the Generative Womb of All, the Deep.

In Taoist tradition, water is considered an aspect of wisdom. The concept here is that water takes on the form in which it is held and moves in the path of least resistance. Here the symbolic meaning of water speaks of a higher wisdom we may all aspire to mimic.

The ever-observant ancient Greeks understood the power of transition water holds. From liquid to solid, to vapor – water is the epitome of metamorphosis and philosophical recycling.

Among the first peoples of North America, water was considered a valuable commodity (particularly in the more arid plains and western regions) and the Native Americans considered water to be a symbol of life (further solidifying the symbol affixed in many creation myths).

So it is also with the ancient Egyptians as we learn their beloved (and heavily relied upon) Nile river is akin to the birth canal of their existence.

WATER CORRESPONDENCES

Direction: West
Gender: Female
Energy: Receptive
Location on Pentagram: Upper Right Point
Season: Autumn
Time: Dusk
God: Dylan, Ea, Poseidon, Neptune, Osiris
Goddess: Aphrodite, Venus, Persephone, Isis
Sense: Taste
Cycle of Life: Maturity
Colors: Blue, Cyan, Black
Animal: Dragon, dolphin, fish, frog, toad
Trees: Willow, lavender, lilac, birch, apricot, apple, elm, rose
Stone: Aquamarine, amethyst, pearl, coral
Tools: Cup, cauldron, mirror
Positive Trait: Compassion
Negative Trait: Depression
Tarot Suit: Cups
Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Herbs: Not every one agrees as to the elemental properties of some of the herbs listed. When in doubt, go with what seems right to you.

Aloe, Apple, Apricot, Aster, Bachelor buttons, Banana, Blackberry, Bladder wrack, Bleeding heart, Burdock, Camellia, Cardamom, Catnip, Chickweed, Coconut, Comfrey, Daffodil, Daisy, Elder, Elm, Eucalyptus, Feverfew, Foxglove, Gardenia, Grape, Heather, Hibiscus, Hyacinth, Iris, Jasmine, Lady’s mantle, Lady’s slipper, Larkspur, Lemon, Lilac, Lily, Lotus, Lucky hand, Mesquite, Mimosa, Morning Glory, Myrrh, Myrtle, Orchid, Orris root, Pansy, Passion flower, Pear, Periwinkle, Plum, Plumeria, Poppy, Rose, Spearmint, Spikenard, Strawberry, Sugar cane, Sweet pea, Tansy, Thyme, Valerian, Violet, Willow, Wintergreen, Yarrow

Physical representations of the water element:

Cup: the medieval universal symbol of water, the mother element; represents the water of the sea womb which gave birth to the earth and all that lived on it.

Fountain: the fons vitae, or fount of life, was the source of the life force, the primordial “nether upsurge” of blood/water from the womb of Mother Earth.

Lapis Lazuli: traditionally symbolized water as the primordial element of creation.

Lotus: Hindu womb of nature; symbol of the four elements, water being the surrounding support for the stalk of the lotus blossom.

Ocean: equated with the Tao as the primordial and the inexhaustible.

Pearl: created from the union of male (fire) and female (water); the merging of water and moonlight.

River: symbol of purification, death and rebirth; dwelling place of gods, goddesses, water-spirits, nymphs, and naiads (in Greek mythology a type of female spirit).

Sea: the eternal deep; Egyptian name for the sea is Temu; symbol of birth and rebirth; holy baptismal waters; in Scandinavia called “the Mother’s Womb”; associated with ancient goddesses the world over; global universality of the sea goddess.

Streams: sacred, life-giving water; curative; restorative.

Well: the feminine principle; womb of the Great Mother; sacred portal to the “other world.”

Water Associations and Symbols

Water is sometimes represented by undulating lines, or a triangle pointing down. Colors commonly associated with water are blue and green.

Life
Motion
Renewal
Blessing
Intuition
Reflection
Subconscious
Fertilization
Purification
Transformation

Magical properties and purposes:

Just as you would expect various types of herbs to hold specific energies that could be used for spellcasting, and your rituals, the same could be said for the properties of water.

Blood: offerings, cursing, magical power, adding energy
Creeks and streams: Purification, harmony, cleansing
Dew: General health, eyesight, beauty. Dew is said to be especially powerful if gathered at dawn on Beltane.
Fog and mists: Creativity, balance, partnerships.
Ice: Transformations, balance, creativity.
Pond or lake water: Peace, contentment, relaxation, self-reflection.
Rain water: Energy, protection, cleansing. The first rain that falls in the month of May is considered sacred.
River water: Cleansing, moving forward, protection.
Seawater: Health, magickal power, manifestation of goals. An old Welsh belief states that a spoonful of seawater a day will ensure a long and healthy life.
Snow: Transformations, balance.
Spring water: Growth, holy water, cleansing, protection, prosperity.
Swamp and waste water: Banishing, binding.
Waterfalls: Power, energy, success.
Well water: Healing, wishes, intuition

The areas surrounding the water can be used for the following magickal purposes:

Beaches: Rituals, spells, fascinations, meditation.
Harbors: To promote abundance and prosperity; to serve as an aid in banishing things.
Riverbanks: To increase personal power.

Water In Astrology

In western astrology, the following signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are considered to be “water” signs.

Cancer – The Crab

Cancer is a cardinal water sign and it represents clarity, purity, trust, refreshment, and regeneration. The crab’s shedding of its shell for a new one represents the rebirth or renewal aspect of water. Its contentment to flow with the natural cadence of water represents motion and trust.

Scorpio – The Scorpion

Scorpio is a fixed water sign. Water deals with the subconscious and holds endless mysteries like the obscure world thriving inside vast murky oceans. The sign Scorpio associates with water to symbolize stillness, reflection, and mystery.

Pisces – The Fish

Pisces is a mutable water sign and representative of life, motion, depth, and understanding. Water is believed to contain knowledge of the infinite unknown and is known to be the source of life. As a water symbol, the fish represents wisdom, creativity, and fertility.

Water In The Tarot

In the Tarot we find water is symbolized by the entire suit of cups. As water symbols, Tarot cups represent intuition, emotion and inter-connected energy flow between all living things. Just like water is formless and takes the form of the vessel it is put in, Tarot cups are elusive, seductive and difficult to interpret. Their meaning depends on the person viewing them.

Tarot cups deal with complex issues related to the heart, psyche, and emotions that can be fluid as water.

Besides the suit of cups, water is also symbolized by some other Tarot cards, including the Moon, Star, and Temperance.

The Moon Tarot card represents the subconscious, emotion, reflection and clarity. The Star Tarot card symbolizes intuition, guidance, motion, fluidity, cleansing, and rejuvenation. Meanings of The Temperance Tarot card deal with maintaining fluidity, keeping in motion, going with the flow, creating harmony, and striking a healthy balance between the conscious and the subconscious.

Magical tips using the water element:

Crossing Water -If you are ever out walking or driving and feel danger or ‘evil’ nearby, try to cross over water. This can mean driving over a bridge or stepping over the water running down a gutter or stream. Evil and danger cannot cross over water, for it purifies and neutralizes it, thus rendering you safe.
Similarly, water collected from the first rainfall in June was said to cure skin complaints and to get rid of freckles.
In Germany, it is strongly forbidden to say ‘cheers’, or ‘Prost’ with water. Even for a joke. Because it is said you are literally wishing death to all your drinking buddies.