Day 2 (d) Exercises to Explore the Water Element

[caroline brazier]

• Take a glass of clear water and an empty glass. Slowly pour the water from one glass to the other, watching the stream of water. Observe the way the water behaves. Does it flow continuously or does the flow change as it pours. What shape is the column of water? What colour is the water? If you were going to paint it, what colours would you need? What do you see through it? What do you see reflected in it?

• Wash your hands and arms and face, but do not dry them. Sit and observe the water drying of its own accord. Notice the sensation as it evaporates. Observe the surface of your skin becoming dry.

• Go for a walk out of doors and notice all the fluids which you pass. Find a stretch of water and stand for ten minutes observing it. Notice the way that water moves, either as a flowing stream or river, or through the rippling of wind on its surface.

• Observe the fluids in your body. See how many different fluids you can actually observe (as opposed to thinking about in theoretical terms). Notice your reaction to different body fluids. Which ones do you find acceptable and which ones disgust or embarrass you? Take time to examine different fluids (in private if necessary) and observe their colour, texture and smell.

• Have a bath or shower and explore the experience of being immersed in water.

• Take a pot of water and upturn it on the earth. Watch the rivulets as the run away. What happens to them?

• Practice washing up meditation.

• Write a poem about water.

[John Wylder]

Mostly, yesterday I learned how much I take everything around me for granted, not noticing how supported I am. All day long, I'd finish taking a drink of water or washing my hands and think, "I was supposed to be paying attention to that."

[Kreb Dragonrider]

I haven't done all the exercises yet, I intend to later this afternoon...

But this one....
"• Wash your hands and arms and face, but do not dry them. Sit and observe the water drying of its own accord. Notice the sensation as it evaporates. Observe the surface of your skin becoming dry."

When I am washing up and cooking at the same time, I don't bother to dry my hands. So there was a time, just a few minutes ago, when I went to get oven chips from the deep freeze with my hands still wet. I was actually thinking of this exercise at that moment, and placed my wet hand inside the deep freeze... it did not feel cold! I realised that still water acts an insulating layer (unlike flowing water which carried heat as in a heat exchanger), with heat supplied by the body. I tried placing my hand within the deep freeze for a minute, and I did not feel cold for some time. Eventually the water will evaporate and hand will feel cold.... bear in mind also evaporation takes longer when cold (now it gets complicated!)

Then... I experiemented further. Placed my wet hand on top of tray of frozen oven chips. Now hand does not feel cold for a few seconds, then cold! I hold it, until hand tingles. Then tried my right hand, in bowl of hand hot water (where I was washing up). It is hot! Then tried both left hand in hand hot water, and right hand on oven chips. Unusual combination of hot on one hand, and cold on the other. Then swapped hands, cold right hand goes into warm water, and warm left hand onto the cold chips for sudden change of temperature and sensations. (This is fire was well as water)

Always something new to explore!

Often we are distracted by thoughts, and not paying attention to here and now... for various reasons...