Our myths and legends are full of stories that share the mystical properties of water. From very early in our history, human beings have been fascinated with it. To us, water is magical and healing in all its forms. We drink it. We cleanse ourselves with it. We play on it. We play in it.
All life on Earth began in the oceans, making its way from the sea to land. Our bodies are roughly 70% water, and so we still carry those humble beginnings with us today.
There’s nothing more cleansing or soothing than water, no matter what form it takes:
From the Snow at the Mountain’s Top
Whether it’s Mount Hood or Mount Everest, there is nothing more majestic than a finely dusted mountain range. Alpinists scale to the heights of the mountain across compressed snow and ice, then descend again across fluffy, powdered water. Of course, when they’re done, they may even soothe their aching muscles with a hot bath.
Many people who have climbed Mount Everest describe an almost a mystical experience at reaching the summit. There, in the swirling snow and eddies of wind, they stand at the halfway-point of the greatest challenge they will ever undertake.
To the Wave Crested Upon the Sea
Scientists have developed a technology that can actually harness the energy of waves and use it to power cities. The ocean has long held people’s attention and respect. Waves come crashing down with immense force, enough to crush ships and destroy buildings.
And yet, surfers glide and skim across these powerful forces of nature. They thread their way through the central eye of the wave, making their way safely back to land. People swim across the English Channel, and deep-sea divers find treasures long lost to our oceanic beginnings.
And All the Places In-Between
Water is such an essential part of our lives that we have always sought to have it near us. Native Americans believed it served as a barrier across which the dead could not travel, Ancient Greece and Rome were full of bathhouses, and today we build pools right in our own backyards.
Whether we seek out water for protection, cleansing, healing, or just some good old-fashioned exercise, we always return to it. Ever the intrepid little explorers, venturing out into the open deeps. Gently stretching and gliding effortlessly through, or adrift in a rest that is momentarily unbound by gravity. We are inspired and nourished by its kind and buoyant aspect.
Water is a Powerful Force for Healing
Swimming is one of the most comprehensive forms of exercise, but it’s also a powerful force for relaxation and stress release. Water cleanses us: body, mind, and soul. We have always had a connection to this idea of water as healing, and it’s no wonder why.
The ocean is a meeting point between Earth and sky, a place where the turnings of our moon control the churning of the tides. It is the only place where we can experience the reality of this world for what it truly is: one small part of an ever-changing universe. And we carry that inside of us, every day. This thing that connects us to the Earth, the stars beyond, and to each other. This magical thing that makes all the life that surrounds us possible.
About Elemental Edge Training
Founded by former Navy SEAL Bill Atkinson, Elemental Edge Training offers highly organized, fast-paced half, full and three day workshops that enhance your ability to lead, follow, communicate and participate as an individual and on a team. Lectures, discussions and practicals, and a rapid fire “Plan-brief-execute-debrief” format hammer home why you’re here and what you must change to improve your personal and professional life. We also teach you a Navy SEAL mindset approach that’s a game changer for you and your team and includes direct and immediate feedback, along with “report card” to take home round out the experience, give pause for reflection, and inspire further change.
