Have you ever found yourself singing in the shower? Maybe just humming or speaking positive affirmations? If so, you are part of a widespread cross-cultural human phenomenon. Many people have speculated about the reason for this: from natural exuberance brought on by an oxytocin release caused by streams of water stimulating bare skin to the seduction of extra resonance provided by a tiled enclosure that mimics a microphone and makes one sound more like an opera or pop star.
I have another theory and it comes from many years of learning from indigenous teachers and ceremonial leaders, and deep listening to the epigenetic whispers radiating from my own 1/8th indigenous DNA. The wisest of these indigenous teachers and medicine people like to remind us that, despite the color of our skin or cultural heritage, or what shows up on a 23-and-Me test, all of our most ancient ancestors were indigenous. They “belonged to the Earth”, lived in close communion with Mother Earth and all her elements, plants and animals, and innately understood that the interconnected web of “all their relations”, not their own egos, made life possible. And they all recognized that one element, Water, was most critical for biological life to exist. A planet can have its rocks and soil, an atmosphere and fiery volcanoes, but without Water, biological life does not happen. Therefore, Water has always had their highest respect.
And now, thanks to the water protectors of Standing Rock and social media, the Lakota phrase, Mni Wiconi – “Water is Life”, has found its way into our modern global dialogue. Like a verbal seed or meme, helping to remind us all of the special sacredness of Water that has always been recognized by indigenous peoples. And just in time, as Mother Earth herself is providing a more urgent reminder of the critical role of Water as we become witness to the growing imbalance of Water through serious droughts in many parts of the world, and intense storm systems and flooding in others. But perhaps the understanding of Water as the sacred source of all life has been deeply embedded in our genetic memory all along. And perhaps when we have the impulse to sing in the shower, that understanding and appreciation is welling up from our ancient indigenous roots, albeit unconsciously.
Indigenous peoples see all of life as relational, a vast web of communication, mutual support and exchange. A circular flow of giving and receiving that requires reciprocity or “giving back” whenever humans take anything for their own use. They believe that all of the elements and other beings of Nature actually require this support offered through human gratitude and reciprocity in order to continue thriving and providing their gifts to the whole web. The indigenous ways of being in reciprocity (giving back) are many: prayers of gratitude, songs, making offerings and creating special ceremonies, and they believe that all of Nature’s beings are part of a living system of intelligence that allows them to perceive and respond to these acts of reciprocity.
But they have always given special attention to Water as a living presence. Whether through careful observation or some form of “intuitive communication”, they believe that Water carries important information, i.e., the “sacred codes” of life that sustain all other beings. Because of this they have always taken special care to thank it, bless it, help to take care of it and maintain its purity. For thousands of years, indigenous elders and medicine people have gathered around mountain springs, creeks, rivers, lakes and the ocean to offer their special ceremonies. They understood that the Water would receive the energy of reverence and gratitude they sent to it through their spoken prayers, blessings, songs and rhythmic drumming. And that the Water would be helped to stay pure and healthy, and to deliver its sacred codes to all living beings.
In direct contrast, the mainstream modern view is an entitled, human-centric one in which the elements, plants & animals are merely “resources” that are here to be harvested/mined/used. Humans are considered the supreme intelligence on Earth. The only other concessions to intelligence are given to some animals, the rest believed to exist through instinct only, and plants considered to have only simple “tropic” responses to light. The elements, such as Fire, Water and Minerals are not seen as being “alive” and certainly not possessing intelligence.
But recently, the cutting edge of contemporary science is beginning to reveal a picture of reality that supports the traditional indigenous view. A leading scientist in the new field of Unified Physics, Nassim Haramein, describes the Universe as an enormous living feedback system of energies that is constantly exchanging information at all dimensions. Self-correcting and self-organizing, it appears to exhibit a complex intelligence or consciousness that can be influenced by our own consciousness when we are coherently focused. He explains that coherence is a key to coming into resonance with whatever element within that living field of consciousness we want to communicate with. And when we can come into resonance (match frequency with) any aspect of that intelligent field, we can exchange information and energy with it.
Hmmmm…sounds a lot like the indigenous practices of prayer and focused intention, rhythmic drumming, singing & chanting—all methods that bring consciousness into a coherent focus. And could make it possible to send energy and intention into Water (or plants or Fire or microorganisms or weather patterns) and create a response.
Although there is much that science does not understand about Water’s unique and anomalous functions, the fields of molecular and cellular biology have begun to understand that Water is the primary intelligence of the body. It facilitates rapid intercommunication between cells and connective tissues so that the organism can function as a whole, and it does this through electrical impulses faster than is possible through the nervous system. Victor Schauberger, an Austrian naturalist and researcher in the 1930’s, found evidence that Water also performs this role of intercommunication between organisms, groups of organisms and populations, creating a network of sensitivity throughout all of life. One example that even skeptics can understand is the Water Cycle of precipitation, absorption by plants, transpiration and return to clouds, then back through precipitation.
A recent scientific validation of the indigenous understanding of Water as a living intelligence that is responsive to communication came through the research of the Japanese physician, Dr. Masuru Emoto. He exposed Water to a variety of energetic stimuli including music, mental intention, emotions and written words. Then by a process of flash freezing the Water, demonstrated that Water exposed to positive or coherent energies (classical music, emotions or words of gratitude & love, and beautiful images) created beautiful symmetrical ice crystals and Water that was exposed to negative energies (heavy metal music, insulting, hateful words or emotions of anger or fear) did not form crystalline structures but appeared as disorganized blobs. Dr. Emoto’s research and photographs of water crystals have been published around the world, creating a new wave of awareness of the special magic of Water and appreciation for the indigenous cultures who intuitively knew how to work with it.
Water has a memory and carries within it our thoughts and prayers.
As you yourself are water,
no matter where you are, your prayers will be carried to the rest of the world.~Dr Masaru Emoto
The new field of cymatics, or the study of the visual effects of sound, has demonstrated that coherent or harmonious tones and music can create beautiful mandala-like patterns in liquid water. They have actually made visible the effects that the indigenous peoples intuitively knew their drumming, singing and chanting were having on Water and they can now demonstrate it in real time! And because the human body is 70-80% water, new healing technologies have also been developed that use coherent sound and coherent light (lasers) to re-structure the biological water in the body into its highest crystalline molecular patterning, thus enhancing the ability of the Water to hydrate the cells and carry nutritional, chemical, hormonal information to the cells to accelerate the healing process.
Dr. Gerald Pollack, PhD, a bio-engineering professor at Washington State University and Water researcher has identified a 4th phase of Water. We all know that Water exists as a liquid, a gas and a solid, but Dr. Pollack discovered that Water can also exist as a type of slightly viscous plasma when it is in its most highly structured state consisting of tiny hexagonal crystalline shapes. It is in this phase or state that Water is capable of receiving and transmitting the most precise information, and thus the Water in our bodies is 4th Phase. Much of the Water on Earth was originally 4th phase, but the impact of pollution and restricting Water’s natural movement in pipes and reservoirs has degraded it. A number of cutting-edge scientists and engineers have now developed a variety of methods to re-structure Water in order to restore it’s critical function of carrying information and energy to all life forms. They are finding new ways to do what the indigenous peoples did with their sacred practices of directing coherent intention to the Water.
All of these “new” perspectives of Water and its life sustaining functions are not really new at all. It is just forgotten wisdom, that many of the contemporary indigenous peoples are trying to bring to our attention at this critical turning point on Planet Earth. Nothing is separate, everything is interconnected, and Water is the Grand Connector. Weaving the understanding of the indigenous peoples with a modern perspective, we can begin to imagine the role of Water functioning as a living physical internet, supporting the exchange of information and energy among all living beings. Perhaps Water’s ubiquity and capacity for carrying even subtle energetic information might explain telepathy and healing at a distance. Who knows what mysteries Water will reveal as we turn to it with renewed respect, reverence, gratitude and curiosity?
Next time you step into the shower, you might choose to join in the practice of reciprocity, giving back to Water by consciously thanking it for supporting your life and maybe belting out a song from your heart to nourish it with the vibration of love. And then, if you dare to open to the idea of Water as a living intelligence, you might close your eyes and listen to hear if it has a message for you in return…
If you would like to join in with a global movement to support and protect Water on a global level, go to: https://www.codes.earth/waterlaw
and learn about the World Water Law, how you can support it and also discover a number of events you can participate in during World Water Year 2021.
You can also watch this short video clip to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6UjAepcOv8
Maya Shaw Gale is the Vice-President of the Tribal Trust Foundation Board, as well as a Water Advocate, Mindfulness-based Life Coach, Somatic Therapist and poet.