Mystical and Ever-Changing
Water is so crucial to our survival that we can last three days without it before we die. Air is the other obvious critical component to life; we can last three minutes without it. But, today we are celebrating water and all of its amazing properties. Nothing on the planet survives without water. Its presence gives life while its absence takes life. It has the power to move mountains or turn land into a dust bowl. Water is mystical and ever-changing.
Water is mystical because it can take so many forms, most of which we can readily see. It can be in the form of:
- ice like polar caps near the Arctic Circle,
- mist sitting over a lake on a cool spring morning,
- condensation on the car window on a humid day,
- vapor in the air like the clouds in the sky or
- just plain water in your glass.
Water can do something that most things cannot – change quickly before our very eyes. For example, if we put ice cubes in a pot on the stove and turn up the heat, the ice will quickly turn to water and then change again into steam. If we put a lid on the pot, we will see steam turn to condensation and if we let the condensation fall back into the pot, it will be water all over again. All of these changes happen in a matter of a few minutes. Water is just cool!
Water is also elusive because it runs right through our fingers and it tends to find the tiniest cracks to seep through only later to find it coming out somewhere completely different. It shows up in the most amazing, though sometimes inopportune, places. Water is constantly moving and changing; a lot like us. We are, in fact, about 65% water. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, 90 pounds of you would be water. Water exists in every single one of the 100 trillion[i] cells in the human body. Just as water moves and changes, our cells do the same. But, water has a property that many of us don’t know about. It heals.
The Ultimate Healer
Water has been used for centuries to heal the sick and we can use it today to do the same. Water is cleansing and refreshing which are some of the properties that make it such a powerful healer. Below are five ways to use water to help heal what ails you:
- If you are feeling stressed, stand in the shower and wash your frustrations away. Feel the water rushing over your body, taking all of your issues with it. Imagine all of your stress washing down the drain. The pulsing water is like a mini-massage which aids in the reduction of stress in your body. Dry off, put on your PJ’s and hop in bed for a good night’s sleep.
- Take a bath. Power up that bath with Epsom salts which are loaded with minerals. This soothing combination helps pull the toxins and soreness from your body. You could add a few candles and peaceful music to your bath experience to create a true evening of total cleansing and relaxation. Super healing!
- Hydrotherapy can be used to help treat a specific disease or maintain optimal health. The many properties of water make it a great resource for healing, such as its ability to carry heat and energy, its ability to dissolve other substances used for healing and the fact that it comes in many different forms, as mentioned above. Water used in hydrotherapy helps increase blood flow and has a calming, soothing and relaxing effect on people. Of course, exercise in water takes pressure of joints and allows for faster healing. All good news.
- Play in it. People of all ages have fun in pools. Next time you are at the pool, look around. There are more smiles on faces at the pool than just about anywhere. While there, join in on the fun. Play Marco Polo or float around on a big blowup Nessie (Loch Ness Monster). You may not notice how much stress relief you are getting until you go to bed and fall asleep like a 3 year old.
- Drink it. There is hardly anything more soothing to the inside of your body than a nice tall glass of room temperature water. Water helps keep your body pH balanced which is great for the reduction of inflammation and preventing disease. If you are trying to lose weight, drink a glass of water before meals. If you are British, mix boiling hot water with your favorite tea bag, a teaspoon of sugar and a little milk – a cup of tea makes everything better!
There are many more ways we can use water to heal us, but these will get you started. Perhaps it will change your outlook on water. It seems so many of us tend to take water for granted, at least in countries like the United States where it is readily available to us. But, water is actually more precious than gold. If you don’t believe that, try drinking a glass of gold next time you are thirsty and see how you feel.
[i] Zimmer, Carl, (2013, October 23) How Many Cells Are in Your Body, Retrieved from
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/23/how-many-cells-are-in-your-body/
