In maritime lore, seawater was thought to cleanse a person thoroughly, absorbing any bad luck, due to the salt content of the water. Throwing salt into a fire for nine consecutive days was thought to break any chain of bad luck, while throwing salt at a person was sure to bring her grief.
The Water Witch puts great store in the powers of her holy waters. Natural waters on which she performs a blessing are usually the best for use as holy water, as they are pure. Clear quartz is often added to boost the power of the water even more. A blessing from a Water Witch removes all negative vibrations and recycles them within the water. In effect, she is using the power of water to cleanse the water. The Water Witch knows that all water is blessed from the start by the Goddess. All that is required of a Witch to bless water is a simple statement of intent, something along the line of, “I cast out all negativity and proclaim this water as pure and good. Blessed am I to have access to it, and blessed is it, for it is my mother’s tears and love.” She might choose to be more eloquent at times, but usually she goes with the flow and follows her instincts.
Water collection methods can be elaborate or simple. A jar placed outside during a thunderstorm, a special gourd dipper used to pull water from a crystal-clear brook, or simply cupping your hands under a natural spring-all of these methods are proper.
The properties of water are both constant and variable at the same time. Water exists on the Earth in three forms: solid (ice), liquid, and gas (evaporated). Water magick is very versatile; it incorporates techniques that bring about changes both within and without. For water magick to occur within, one must consume the water or call upon that aspect of the self. For it to occur without, one must bathe in it, swim in it, cleanse with it, etc.
Not all liquid magick belongs in the realm of water. For instance, brews that incorporate vinegar or alcohol as the primary ingredient fall in the domain of fire.
The magickal properties of particular types of water can be used for the following purposes:
Creeks and streams: Purification, harmony, cleansing
Dew: General health, eyesight, beauty. Dew is said to be especially powerful if gathered at dawn on Beltane.
Fog and mists: Creativity, balance, partnerships
Ice: Transformations, balance, creativity
Pond or lake water: Peace, contentment, relaxation, self-reflection.
Rain water: Energy, protection, cleansing. The first rain that falls in the month of May is considered sacred to the Water Witch
River water: Cleansing, moving forward, protection
Seawater: Health, magickal power, manifestation of goals. An old Welsh belief states that a spoonful of sea-water a day will ensure a long and healthy life.
Snow: Transformations, balance
Spring water: Growth, holy water, cleansing, protection, prosperity
Swamp and waste water: Banishing, binding
Waterfalls: Power, energy, success
Well water: Healing, wishes, intuition
The Water Witch also has an attachment to the ares surrounding the water, which can be used for the following magickal purposes:
Beaches: Rituals, spells, fascinations, meditations
Harbors: To promote abundance and prosperity; to serve as an aid in banishing things
Riverbanks: To increase personal power
In Santeria practices, water from particular environments is offered as food to specific Orishas, as follows:
Ogun and Babalu-Aye: Pond water
Oya: Rain water
Oshun: River water
Yemaya: Seawater
In addition, Santeria incorporates the use of a special cleansing water called omiero. Omiero is comprised of sacred herbs, belonging to the Orisha being petitioned, and water. It is steeped upon coals to bring out the magickal properties. The making of omiero is complicated and has a full ceremony attached to it. The resulting product is used for initiation purposes.
Here is yet another dark little tidbit about water. In Celtic regions, there was a creature called a water horse. This creature was so powerful-looking and enchanting that once see, a person could not help but wish to ride on its back. If he tried, he would soon regret it. It would run so fast that a human would not be able to catch his breath, whereupon the horse would plunge back under the water, carrying the rider with it to a watery grave.
Thought to be most prevalent in the month of November, these magnificent creatures could shapeshift into human form. In this capacity they were known to eat their victims. It was said that the only way to kill a water horse was to hold it over a roaring fire until it melted.
In Scotland, this creature was known as the water bull and was a guardian of the entries into the fairy realm.
River in general have some rather dark folklore about them. In Scotland and Ireland, superstition holds that each river demands one life as its due each year. Rivers are a common theme in mythology as gateways to the other side, the land of death. The river Styx, for example, was the portal to the land of the Underworld.
Styx was considered so holy that to swear by it was sacred, even for the Gods. The person making the promise was bound by the river to tell the truth. The water was undrinkable – it would cause even a deity to lose their voice for nine years. If one swore an oath by the Styx and did not keep it, Zeus himself would force the oath breaker to drink from its waters.
In order to cross the river Styx into the land of Hades, one had to pay the ferryman, Charon. The ancient Greeks buried the dead with coins under their tongues to ensure that their loved ones would be carried safely across.
Styx, which translates to “river of hate,” was only one river in the Greek Underworld. The other four rivers in the Underworld were as follows:
Acheron: The “river of woe”
Cocytus: The “river of lamentation”
Phlegethon: The “river of fire”
Lethe: The “river of forgetfulness”
In Norse folklore, the Underworld was known as Niflheim. It was ruled over by the Goddess Hel. It was said to have eleven icy cold rivers, which eventually emptied into the river Styx. The river Slith was a combination of floating blades, blood, tears, waste and poison. The river Gjall was called the “river of echoes.” It had many waterfalls, strong currents, and bones floating in its waters.
Though the connection between rivers and the Underworld in folklore may be a dark theme, rivers have their light side too. It is said that no vampire, demon, ghost, or attacking spirit can follow one across a river.
Rivers with an inspirational overtone far outnumber the darker rivers of myth. The Nile, the Ganga, and the Niger just to name a few, are thought to be life-giving. Millions of lives depend on the waters from these rivers. The Nile River is said to be responsible for Egypt’s existence, as it could never be what it is without her power. The people also credit the river with growth in the areas of friendly personalities, generosity, and love. When it comes to rivers in general, the Water Witch understands that sitting on a riverbank and watching the sun sparkle on the water is actually a way of soaking up the love of the universe.
In the Camelot legends, the Lady of the Lake is a mysterious personage. Foster mother to Lancelot, it was said that she raised him beneath the water, grooming him to become the powerful knight he became. She also gifted Arthur with the magickal sword of Excalibur, at the behest of Merlin, and later took it back when it was thrown into the lake. She was one of the three ladies who lead Arthur to Avalon after his death.
Because she is identified as many different women in various texts, it is argued that “Lady of the Lake” may have been a title instead of a name, used to identify a high priestess. It is further suggested that the lady was a water Goddess or a creature from the fairy realm.
Judging by her actions, we can perceive that the Lady of the Lake’s essence was wise and benevolent and tends to function according to intuition.
Whole books have been written about mermaids and mermen. The mermaids are the female version of this race of water beings. They are said to be exceptionally beautiful and have the upper body of a human woman and
the lower body of a large fish. Scottish folklore states that human legs are just beneath the fish scales.
Merfolk are usually spotted by fisherman, most often while the merfolk are sunning themselves on rocks. They are said to have enchanting singing voices and have been credited with leading many sailors to their deaths. They are also said to be portents of particularly violent storms.
As members of the fairy realm, merfolk are thought to be soulless. It is a common belief that they can gain a soul by marrying a human and remaining on dry land. Moreover, it is also commonly accepted that to gain a mermaid wife, a human must steal her comb, cap, or mirror and then hide it. If the mermaid cannot find et, she will remain on land. Eventually, she will be overcome with homesickness and slip quietly back into the water.
Merman, in stark contrast to the beautiful females of the species, are said to be ugly. They have green hair, large mouths, snub noses, and green teeth. They reportedly give off a “wild” vibration. They are said to be adversarial and cause storms or large waves unless offerings are made to them. Frequently, the ship’s captain would tend to this by placing any dead bodies with the offerings and then tossing them overboard.
One well-documented merfolk encounter took place in Denmark, in the year 1723. It seems that a royal commission had become so plagued with merfolk tales that they set out to disprove their existence. Along the way, they themselves encountered a merman. He was said to have risen from the water and stared at them. After a few minutes of this, they were so disturbed that they turned the ship around. Once they did, the merman growled at them and dove back into the water.
There are hundreds of accounts from people claiming to have seen a mermaid. Even Christopher Columbus claimed to have encountered mermaids in his voyage to the West Indies.
Some tales of merfolk-type creatures are quite ancient. The Babylonian God Oannes, who was human from the waist up and a fish from the waist down, was popular around the year 300 BC. Oannes was credited with imparting knowledge and culture to humans. Other deities of the merfolk type were worshipped in India, Greece, and Rome.
In Ancient China, around 3322 BC, the deities of Fuxi and his wife, Nu Gua, were thought of as the founders of Chinese civilization, after the great flood. Half-human, half-fish, they created the system of the I Ching.
One of the most obscure and most exciting natural phenomena is colored rains. During the evaporation process, the rain sometimes picks up colored pigments in the dust or dirt near an area or in the atmosphere. The result is rain that leaves a colored stain on the ground or on exposed objects. There have been reports of green, yellow, black red, and brown rain in various places all over the world.
In 2001, almost the entire country of India was visited by colored rain. Scientists theorized that it was due to a meteorite stirring up dust in the atmosphere. A few years earlier, Afghanistan was visited by yellow rain, which was thought to be caused by a heavy concentration of pollen in the air.
The red rains have been referred to as “rains of blood” by many and can be quite alarming if one does not know what they are. The red minerals picked up over clay-laden lands can cause this rain to be bright scarlet, exactly like blood. Cases have been investigated for hundreds of years in the southeastern states of the United States. The most amazing part of the blood-rain cases is that man eyewitnesses claimed that actual tissue matter fell along with th rain. Scientists ay this is an exaggeration due to a hysterical reaction to red rain, but other reports speculate that it may possibly have been bird tissue.
The red rains are thought to be more dangerous than the other colors of rain. It has been said that the red rain burned those it fell upon. As red is also the color of anger, this is not at all surprising. but what is surprising is the sudden appearance of swarms of butterflies directly after a red rain.
In parts of the world that boast of extremely high mountains, red and pink snow has been known to fall. This is commonly called “watermelon snow” and has been said to even smell like watermelon. Aristotle mentioned this type of colored snow in one of his works. Other colors of snow include green, yellow, and orange, although they are not as common as watermelon snow.
The Path Of The Water Witch
Water Witches are sometimes called Sea Witches, but many of them find a calling with inland creeks, rivers, and lakes. It is rare for them to limit themselves to any one type of body of water. They generally align with all forms, including rain.
In most mythologies, human sprang from the Earth, but the gods themselves came from water. Egyptian theory states that the sun god Re was born from the primordial waters. Today, scientists can back that theory, NASA scientists theorize that water exists in heavy quantities in the universe. It works as a coolant. The water vapors in outer space for the condensing of clouds. Once a cloud condenses enough, it becomes a star.
Water reflects, the Water Witch does the same. If you yell at her, she will yell back at you. If you are kind to her well, she will be kind and treat you well in return. She is very fair. She shares many qualities with her sister Earth Witch, as the Earth is 90 percent water. Among those qualities is the core belief of taking complete responsibility for her actions. The Water Witch accepts that every move she makes can cause ripples across the surface of the water and moves accordingly.
Water is considered a feminine force, and the Water Witch may prefer an alliance with the Goddess, all the while recognizing and maintaining that the God is within the Goddess. She cans sometimes relate closely to Dianic Witches in this preference.
The Water Witch can see things that those on other paths cannot. In fact, the human sense of sight belongs in her realm. Just as the seas teem with life that we have yet to discover and understand, the Water Witch know s that there is much more to our world than what is within our eyesight! While she can be highly superstitious, for the most part she simply knows that there is more just waiting to be discovered, as well as some things that humanity has known about and forgotten over the ages. The old phrase “out of the blue” speaks volumes about the ability of the Water Witch to tune in to her intuition. She is often very gifted in divination practices. Tarot is usually her divinatory tool of choice, but she also has a talent for dowsing.
The Water Witch sees little that she considers an obstacle. She understands that her fate is in her hands, and if she cannot flow through something, she will flow around it. Once her mind is made up, very little can stop her from obtaining what she wants. Because water exists in three forms on Earth, The Water Witch can be considered a formidable force. She will not admit to any weaknesses.
The Water Witch has a close link to the feminine side of nature. She understands reproduction and is akin to her sister Earth Witch in this manner as well. Menstruation falls in the realm of the Water Witch. Because of this, she is instrumental in moon-lodge practices and coming-of-age rites. Her sister Earth Witch may focus more on the rebirth cycle, while the Water Witch is more in touch with creation.
The Water Witch specializes in healing, cleansing, beauty, emotions, intuition and energy. Her magickal style is usually based on instinct. If the feeling hits her to perform a cleansing, she will. She does not necessarily worry about correspondences and timing. Her timing is completely her own–she will not be rushed by others into decisions or action. Schooled in water magick, ice magick and snow magick, the Water Witch can tell you all about the role of water in the metaphysical and physical realms.
Winter is the season when the Water Witch’s power is at its peak. She holds within herself the ability to transform fluidity to solid form during the winter, the same way that water turns to ice. It is during this season that the Water Witch should turn her view inward and evaluate her goals. She often redefines herself through the process. Because of this, a Water Witch grows stronger every year. She understands that just as dry ice is sticky, it is her role to hold thing together.
Throughout the winter months, the Water Witch is abnormally busy, even for her active lifestyle. Because she is at her highest power and incarnated in all three of her forms during these months, she may be short of temper. When you add to that the fact that artificial heat (fire, an evaporating influence on water) is usually pumped into the home during this time and families tend to be cooped up in the same space, you may have one cranky, stressed-out Water Witch on your hands. She longs for room to spread out and flow. A simple snowfall can ease her mind and soothe her spirit; she draws strength from it. If that is not an option, a long bath or a cup of hot tea usually helps. Rest assured that if you visit her in the winter months, she will be a very gracious hostess, regardless of the timing. The Water Witch is known for her generous hospitality.
Her home décor is usually unthemed, with whimsy being the main rule. The Water Witch may have a quirky collection of glass objects, prisms (she tends to like sparkly things), tons of throw pillows and an aquarium. Cool blues and greens are often primary colors in both her wardrobe and her home.
Due to her busy lifestyle, the Water Witch frequently has to let the housework slide somewhat. Although she prefers all things to be clean, she also understands that there must be “salt in the sea.” In other words, a small amount of dirt is inevitable, and she is able to live with that comfortably. She absolutely cannot stand clutter, though. It drives her to distraction.
Another common trait of the Water Witch is a quirky sense of humor. It simply cannot be defined. Some of the things she says seem to come from outer space in their relation to the topic, yet they can make you laugh as nothing else will. This is intentional–the Water Witch is lighthearted. But just when you begin to think she has never had a deep thought in her life, she will prove you wrong. When it comes to serious conversation, the Water Witch can often put her finger on an aspect of the situation that the other Elemental Witches do not see. The Water Witch is very wise.
Like her mythical brethren the mermaids and water nymphs, the Water Wise tends to love long hair. She may keep it pulled back in a ponytail due to a lack of time, but she lets it grow nonetheless. The effects that water has on the body are directly in line with the metaphysical attributes of the Water Witch. Usually beautiful, she is often younger looking in appearance than in age and has a long memory and attention span and bright, shining eyes.
Because the Water Witch always considers every side of an argument before making up her mind, she may be slow to assume a position. Rest assured that when a Water Witch states her opinion., it has been well thought out. She open-minded and fair. Her strength lies in her dual nature an a ability to see the points or view of others. And like water, she will find her way into all of the small nooks and crannies of a situation. She may initially choose an answer based on instinct but if new facts come to light, she will often change her mind. She is flexible.
Those on the water path often find a calling in helping others. They make wonderful therapists, psychiatrists, obstetricians, pediatricians or service personnel. Often people are attracted to their soothing nature and come to them for advice. Like a waterbed, a reflecting pool , or a relaxing bath, Water Witches project an aura of serenity and comfort.
The Water Witch may be seen as moody, but like the sea herself, she is often in motion. She rarely slows down She is full of energy and always on the go. And like the sea, her moods swing with the tides. The moon holds sway over the tides, and one can easily draw a parallel between the moon and the Water Witch’s emotional patterns.
Meditation to Meet Your Water Guide
Create a simple altar with a bowl of water and floating blue candles. Use a rain-scented incense. You may keep a chalice filled with wine or a favorite herbal tea on the altar. Take several deep, cleansing breaths. Cast your personal circle. Close your eyes. Visualize the gateway to the elemental realm of water. What does it look like? How does it open? Focus on your breath. Keep your breathing deep, slow and steady. See the gate open, and walk through it. Amazingly, you find yourself walking across the bottom of the sea, yet you can still breathe easily, encased in your own personal bubble. The sand is firm under your feet. Around you are bright coral shells, starfish, sea horses, and dolphins. Schools of brightly colored fish swim by. Walk slowly toward the figure you see in the distance. Focus on your breath. You are calm, relaxed and happy. Greet your elemental guide for the realm of water, and listen to what he has to say. When you have heard all you wish, thank him. Begin to walk back toward the gateway. Stay focused on your breath as you take on last look at the beautiful world beneath the waves. Walk through the gateway and see it close. Take several deep breaths and then open your eyes slowly. Write down what you learned in your journal. Close your circle.
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