Emporiblog - Elements: Water

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Hi Guys!

We have covered the Elements in a previous post - Elements, but I have chosen to go a little deeper into each one, and add a fifth to the mix! bringing together as many aspects of the craft as we can.

From Altar items - Elements, to deities via superstitions and representations.

Today I am following on from the wells we visited yesterday with water (in case you couldn't tell from the pic - courtesy of Cat!)

General

  • Water is considered a feminine energy, and relates to aspects of the Goddess and the Moon.
  • Water is considered to be purifying, we often take ceremonial baths to cleanse before a ritual, and let's not forget the Judeo/Christian ritual of baptism, using Holy or blessed water.
  • Associated with the colour blue
  • Relates to the cardinal compass point of West (if I get these wrong, please shout, it is one thing I can NEVER remember!!)
  • Associated with the Tarot suit of Cups
  • Associated with purification, cleansing and emotions
  • Dowsing for water is considered (after the seventeenth century) to be an evil practice, but is still practiced in many places around the world, nevertheless. I, myself, have a set of dowsing rods, but that is for another post!

Folklore

  • As discussed yesterday in the Wells post, many ancient water sites have spirits, Saints or healing properties associated with them
  • the water deity often ascribed to these wells in Anglo pre-Christian teachings often have the same attributes as the Saints later linked to them (fancy that.....!!)
  • Tossing silver (coins) into the well was considered to appease the deities/spirits - personally, I feel that the silver was more to purify the water so that it was safe to drink, as silver has anti-bacterial, -fungal and -inflammatory properties (but that is just a personal hunch, not founded in research, don't come for me!!)
  • neither witches nor vampires are said to be able to cross running water, this is why witches, or those suspected of witchcraft, were ducked or waterboarded as a way to gain a confession, as the burning away of the sin was said to be torment to a witch. I did have the random thought that maybe, as water represents emotions, a vampire, as a soulless being, cannot cope with all of the emotions, so they do not cross water out of choice, as they cannot deal with these emotions? I believe that may be a discussion point, let me know what you know/think/feel in the comments below.
  • Spilling water from a well as you carry it home can lead to bad luck, unless you return to the well and leave an offering to appease the spirits of the well.
  • in some cultures, it is believed that if you dream of water, there will be an illness in the family. If this water is turgid or stagnant, then bad luck shall follow you and your family.
  • If you spill or splash water, some cultures believe that you are careless with paying attention to the things that matter in your life, or that a woman who wastes water will be cursed with a husband who drinks to excess!!

Deities

Beings associated with water are:
  • Poseidon - Greek
  • Ganymede - Greek
  • Hydrus - Greek
  • Oceanus - Greek
  • Pontus - Greek
  • Tefnut - Egyptian
  • Nu/Nun - Egyptian
  • Baal - Canaanite
  • Yam - Syrian
  • Amathaunta - Egyptian
  • Ur- henhenu - Egyptian
  • Ur-henu - Egyptian
  • Camanae - Roman
  • Nymphs - Greek
  • Fontus - Roman
  • Juturna - Roman
  • Lympha - Roman
  • Neptune - Roman equivalent of Poseidon
  • Salacia - Neptune's wife, or
  • Venilia - Neptune's wife (he got around a bit, but not as much as Zeus did!!)
  • Sedna - Inuit
  • Sobek - Egyptian (crocodile headed God, makes sense!!)
  • Njord - Norse
  • Llyr - Welsh
  • Gong Gong - Chinese
  • Yemaya - Yoruba
  • Namaka - Hawaiian
  • Thetis - Greek
  • Manannan mac Lir - Irish
Interesting side note -  most religions with written scripture have a Diluvian and Ante- (or Pre-) diluvian time or myth in their teachings, diluvian being a deluge or flood. Sound familiar??

These are just a few of the deities and beings associated with water, storms, rain etc. As always, before you work with a deity or being, first ask if THEY want to work with YOU!

There are a couple of discussion points above, so let us know what you think in the comments, and I'll see you all soon.

Kerenza x


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