By Rev Dr Margaret Somerville 

We are vessels of water. The make-up of our bodies, our brains, our beings is water. Studies from the NIH find that our intake of water goes far beyond supporting the functioning of our physical systems. Adequate hydration lowers our risk of developing chronic diseases. Beyond alleviating headaches, water intake mitigates depression and anxiety. All in balance, of course. Too much water and we mess with our sodium levels and can just as easily end up in the hospital for over-hydration as well as dehydration. Every day then is the practice of taking in what we need. 

Water is necessary for our health and mental wellbeing. But is it not also a key component of our spiritual wellbeing? Explore the sacred texts of any tradition, and it is easy to find water as a basic element not just of life but of divine being. But perhaps these texts are also leading us to spiritual practice. Can I turn my daily intake of water for my physical and mental health into one of my daily contemplative practices? 

Water, Not Just for Drinking 

Since my earliest years, I have been fascinated with the idea of flowing water. I couldn’t pass a stream without begging my parents to stop the car and let me dip my hands in, even for a minute. In college I found Heraclitus, the pre-Socratic philosopher, and his philosophy of πάντα ῥεῖ (everything flows) and the notion that one can never step into the same river twice. The image of the river, never static, always new to each person who steps in it, became symbolic for me of the need to flow. Through difficult times of life-transitions, I have relied on the river for comfort, viewing life as the waters that must flow and not stand. 

Be the water. 

A note found on a friend’s Instagram post. Advice from her therapist as she approached the impending holidays feeling anxious about impending tensions. 

Be the water. 

Drinking Water as a Contemplative Practice: The Basic Elements of Prayer | Margaret Somerville (patheos.com)