Lessons from Water ~

If I may share Johannes/Sevaji’s latest wisdom and spiritual inspirations ~

“Lessons from Water

Listen to my song “Flows Like Water” as you read:
http://www.nimbitmusic.com/johanneslinstead.1/promos/PROMO_6030_email

Zen and Taoist Masters of the East have always viewed water as the perfect example of The Tao, or The Way. They seek to reclaim the Natural Way of living, free of stress and free of the mental constrictions and barriers we create for ourselves, to move in harmony with the elements, the body, the cycles of the earth, moon, sun, and planets, and of course water. When water fills a cup it becomes one with the cup but is still water. If the cup is broken, the cup is no longer a cup but the water remains water. Water is moveable, changeable, and adaptable – just as our emotions should be.

On the surface, water may look like water but upon deeper inspection the water molecules can be dead or vibrantly alive. You may have encountered a person who like this, one who appears alive on the surface but inside has so little zest for life that he or she seems more like a walking corpse rather than a robust living being. Not only can a chronic disease can suck the life right out of us, but so can sadness, sorrow, misery, and depression.

There are several things that affect the structure of a water crystal. Water needs to move and circulate to prevent stagnation. The container in which it is stored also has an affect. If it is stored in plastic and the rays of the sun penetrate the plastic the molecular structure is damaged. Obviously if there are too many toxins in the water – and isn’t one toxin bad enough? –  the water is not safe for consumption. Water goes through a natural purification system including transforming into rain and also passing through stones and carbon help to filter out unwanted bacteria and filth.

The human body is very similar to water. If we don’t move our circulatory system suffers. We can be gentle or very strong. We have a filtration system that filters out toxins through various organs. And just like water, sometimes our bodies absorb more toxins than the organs can handle. If we become too toxic we become ill and face the onslaught of disease.

Since the human body is over 60% water, perhaps we can learn a lot from water. Keep moving. Consume only what your body can filter out easily. Don’t toxify yourself. And do not create self-imposed dams that stunt you and prevent you from expanding, growing and flowing. We do that, don’t we? We create our own inner dams that stunt our growth, that hold us back from accepting the beauty that surrounds us and is within us, that lock us into belief systems that don’t serve us. But worst of all, we create the dams that withhold our own self love.

Perhaps this is the most important lesson from water: to learn to flow. It is the river that flows freely that makes a memorable journey. It travels from its source along an etched out path and along the way it sees and experiences many wondrous things; the rising and setting sun shimmering on its surface, the harvest moon reflecting in the night sky, the many different trees that occasionally drop their leaves to become travel companions, it caressing rocks of different shapes and colours and all through the journey it provides support and sustenance for many other creatures. It is only the flowing river that reaches the ocean.

If you feel you have become stagnant, today is the day to begin your journey. Be like water and drink in each experience – every star in the heavens, every cool breeze that caresses your skin, every joyful smile, every act of kindness – and let it reflect back into your heart, let it pour into your entire being filling you with life! Then when the moment arises just before the river of your life meets with the vast ocean, you can pause with a smile and exclaim “Ah this!”

Sat Nam,

Johannes ~ Sevaji
www.johanneslinstead.com

PS: Yoga is the art of flow, of flowing with life. Through meditations, postures and kriyas blood flow improves, the flow of energy pathways are enhanced, the body’s movements become more fluid, the consciousness flows into expanded ways of thinking, and best of all, the Divine flows into you.”