Using the Five Elements as a Creative Writing Prompt Pt. 3: Water
***Water element***
The Energy of Water
Water Scientist and Philosopher, Dr Emoto famously said that ‘the memory of life arrived on this earth carried by the soul of water. From this memory, life awoke, the human being emerged.’ Water is one of the few things about which we humans have very little knowledge of in terms of where it actually comes from and how it comes into being. Along with air, it is the element that we absolutely cannot live without (and, in my eyes, is therefore arguably the most exploited of all the elements). We can go a month without food but only a week without water. And it does so much more than nourish us, it cleanses and cleans, it provides much-needed sustenance and hydration for plants and wildlife.
Found in the West and associated with the setting sun, perhaps there’s an invitation here to watch the sunset and the moon rise, to feel fire being replaced by water. The moon governs the tides and affects us - ever felt a little ‘frantic’ over a full moon? It’s not a coincidence. A well-known fact is that labour wards and midwives prepare for the full moon as it’s the most common time for women to go into labour...water, water everywhere! The water element is located in the sacral energy centre of the body, also known as the Swadhisthana chakra, and is particularly abundant in the autumn when the wind picks up and the leaves blown from the trees to make space for new life come Spring. When we connect with water, we connect with our intuition and our connection with the divine in its feminine form.
Connecting with the Water Element
If you have a natural well, spring or water source like a river or the sea near you, perhaps spend some time just listening to its murmurs
Go outside at sunset and sit quietly as the sun is replaced by the moon
Go wild swimming - in the sea, a river or lake. Remember to ensure your own safety by checking tides and water quality before entering the water.
Take a mindful shower or bath by being slow as you enter the water. Notice the sensations in each part of your body as the water touches it, listen to the sounds, perhaps even take in any scents.
Dance to your favourite music or song!
If you don’t already, begin to connect with the phases of the moon. Use a moon calendar to learn about the energy of and note down how you feel at each phase: the new, half waxing, full, half waning and dark moons to begin with and then refine this understanding by learning about the more subtle phases such as the balsamic and gibbous moons.
A Meditation on Water
Find yourself in a quiet space in which you won’t be disturbed and get yourself in a comfortable, seated position with a glass of water in front of you. You can play the sound of running water as you do this, or even take yourself to the beach or to a flowing river if you have one close by. Spend around five minutes just connecting in with the breath and grounding yourself to the moment. Take the glass of water in your hand and spend a moment brining yourself into a state of gratitude for accessible, clean drinking water. Hold the glass to your lips and feel the water touching your top lip. Allow it to sit there for a moment and notice the temperature change as it absorbs the warmth of your body. Take a sip and allow the to stay in your mouth for a few moments. Notice how the inside of the mouth reacts to the water and any sensations that come up. Now swallow the water and see if you can become quiet enough to feel the water move from your mouth, down the oesophagus and into the stomach. Do this each time you take a sip and see how much more subtle your responses become as you get better at paying attention to each stage.
Using Water as a writing prompt
It is said that water likes to move in spirals, rather than be forced into straight lines through pipes. Create a piece of writing about water that is written in the shape of a spiral by turning your book round and round as you write
Create a piece of free writing prompted by the meditation above
Go to your favourite space that contains water - by the sea, a river or a lake, for example - and just sit, taking in all the sounds and sensations. Write about where you are in whatever way comes through for you in this space.
Write an ‘ode to the setting sun’
Write a series of writing from the perspective of each moon phase. Perhaps the full moon is an extrovert who loves dancing, and the dark moon is deep and mysterious; what would happen if they had a conversation over food?
Let me know how you get on if you use this one.
Happy writing!
Helen x
