More and more we are learning that water is an important resource. For many of us clean water and water supplies were not anything we had to worry about. However, more and more, we are realizing that an adequate clean, healthy water supply is not a given.
Reservoirs are drying up and oceans, lakes and rivers are being polluted with pesticide runoffs (among other things). Human activity has really wreaked havoc on the waters of our planet and it's not looking (or smelling) too good for us. And yet, every living being–human and the more-than-human need water to survive. Clear-cutting and mono-cultured farming are not helping because the health of our soil is being depleted as well contributing to other environmental catastrophes.
We already have climate refugees. Islands are being sunk. The state of California is either flooding or so dry that they can't put out the fires. Land masses are disappearing in the mudslides.
Companies have begun draining some of our natural resources for profit, taking advantage and selling as a commodity rather than viewing water as a right everyone should have. Even people who have clean tap water are buying water in plastic water bottles which often end up in landfills, in our landscapes and in our waters. Instead, these folks could simply purchase a filtration system for their homes if they're worried about water quality.
There are many solutions to some of these problems. Let's look at something simple we can do. We can give gratitude. We can acknowledge the blessing we've been given to have water to drink, to look at, to swim in, sail on, etc. We can ask for forgiveness for the devastation we, as the human species, have placed upon the waters. And we can do all of these things by participating in a water ceremony.
Heal the Waters is a day set aside to do just that - use our intentions and prayers to send healing to the waters of our Earth Mother. I'm inviting you to host a ceremony and invite your friends and family! Next year, you might consider casting your net a bit further and posting it on your social media sites or let your local news outlets know about it.
The Heal the Waters website offers some resources for you in case you need some ideas on how to get started. But the ceremony is really up to you. It can be something as simple as being thankful that you have clean water to offer the birds (and other beings) in your backyard. Pray that the water blesses them and that through this water, other beings are blessed in places that aren't as fortunate to offer clean water.
If you don't feel like hosting a ceremony convince someone you know would be good at it and attend theirs.
Spread the word, too! The more ceremonies around the world, the better!