There is a distinct memory I hold of one of my favorite smells as a child. That’s of the scent of the air as rain begins to fall on the clay of a dry field. It’s cool drops of water landing on the dry soil and the dust raising into the air, the screams of my friends as we run for cover and the cool feeling of the rain falling on our heads and shoulders. I still enjoy walking in the rain with my children and enjoying the cool drops on my face. Growing up on the edge of the Amazon, it rains quite a lot and I guess learning to love the rain and water is just practical. Being raised in a multicultural environment also made me aware of all the ways water is used in various rituals, and I was always fascinated by water and rituals.

 

Water is vital to life and is one of the most important elements on Earth. It’s purifying nature brings us calm and clarity and opens our senses down to a molecular level. Rain falling on our faces, the feeling of the ocean against our feet, the blissfulness of a cold glass of water on a warm day or the peace of a warm bath are memories that spark deep comfort. Water is the source of life on our planet and is a force that all cultures have acknowledged with our rituals. Water is used in many rituals to purify, guide, and bring harmony; and is respected as sacred.

 

The past few years has changed how we live and interact, and water has become a utility to help cleanse away a harmful virus. We have all changed in ways that are noticeable and some that aren’t yet noticed, but with the world beginning to get back to normal; I hope we can return to an appreciation of water, rituals; and the memories that shape us.