WATER: NO.12 SACRED WATER

Japanese culture uses water for purification, and Christian culture for baptism.  I think it is a representation of both cultures, which respect water as a source of living beings.

Water knows no border!

In Japanese culture, water plays an important role at big moments in people’s life as medium between life and death.  Starting from the first bathing, the water is used for many ceremonies such as when visiting Shrines, New Year’s special drink, offerings for gods in temples, shrines, or houses, and so on.

People would exchange a glass of water instead of drinks when they apart, or give water at people’s death bed for the departure.

Water purifies itself, and gives lives to other living creatures at the same time.  Therefore, water is sacred.

Spring is around the corner.  There is a famous ritual called Omizu-tori, or receiving water, which announce spring.  It is believed that the ritual gives the country a new life; that is a proof of Japan being a land of water.

WATER: NO.11 AMNIOTIC FLUID/ WATERS

Amniotic fluid in mothers’ body is like a home for all the living beings.  I wonder how it is made.  Does it come after the life is created in a womb, or does it exist already in women’s body when they were born?

I heard that the constituents of amniotic fluid are very similar to the one of ancient sea water.  If that is true, it can be said that women are holding sea in their body.  I wonder that living beings in the fluid are floating on, or soaked in it.

I like to be in a swimming pool and stretch my legs and arms while floating; the slow movements of my body, rocking, and playing with the water make me feel as if I am in a womb.  I breathe with my lung, but my life form does so with branchia.  The shift of breathing happens at the first exhalation with the initial cry of the baby.  Then, the baby inhales the oxygen for the first time on the earth.

Photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER: NO.10 GOOD WATER

People often ask me what kind of water is good for the health.  I am not an expert in the area, so I tell them that “the one you think is tasty is good for you.”  This sounds ambiguous; however, I think this is right.

Even the regular water you always drink, will surely help your body becomes lively if you become thankful while you drink it.  I think being conscious of the water is the key.  When you drink water, wash your face with it, or take bath, consciously be thankful to the water.  That will make the water happy.

If the nature and human beings can benefit each other by coexisting, all the natural creatures should understand the meaning of our thankfulness.

WATER: NO.9 UNBOILED / SPRING WATER

When you hear “unboiled” water, you may think of germs or uncleanness.  However, this “unboiled” water is the natural water, and best for our body.

People used to drink the water which directly wells up from the earth.  At some point of the history, however, they started to say that do not drink water directly from the well but to boil well once.  It may have started when the industrial chemicals were used by humans in the natural world.

Since then, unboiled water became the enemy of a good health.  As a result, our bodies have run out of minerals which we could take in from the spring water or plants without special consciousness.

Even so, there are still places where you can enjoy spring water.  Moreover, some use the water for tap water without boiling it. 

I really think those people who can drink spring water as if it were air are very lucky.

WATER: NO.8 PONDS AND SWAMPS

A pond we talk here is not as big as a lake.  We can find a pond and a swamp close to where people live, and it has a trait as somewhat spooky.

For example, some legendary monsters, such as “Kappa”, big snakes, and big frogs, may live there as a guardian of the area.

When I was a child, I was eager to see the guardian from my adventurous spirits.  I even wanted to catch it if I had a chance, and explore ponds and swamps for that purpose.

Ponds and swamps generally situate so-called “Satoyama”, or secondary forests.

That is a place where water flows into and stays from the nearby hills.  It is used by farmers for their cultivation and daily chores.

The place has a unique habitat with many insects and birds where you can see many competitions for existence.  Therefore, it is a battlefield for them.  They gather close to water to live; it nurtures lives, offers straggles for survival, and the dead body brings out new lives.

The condition would not be changed even the water surface becomes ice.  That makes the ponds and swamps alive.

WATER: NO.7 MIST OR DIAMOND DUST

The air contains massive moisture though it cannot be seen.  Humidity is expressed by percentage.  When it exceeds 100%, it forms condensation.

You will see mist when the condensation is cooled down in the air as very small dues.  It covers everything and you even cannot see the things around you.

When it gets colder, say -20℃, crystal vapor in the air start to sparkle while it reflects the light from the sun.  It is cold “diamond dusts”. 

Both mist and diamond dust is a phenomena caused by the change in temperature of the water in the air.

If the air contains no moistures, we cannot breath.  Also, it connects people together and coveys feeling among us.

Our feeling can be shared, and we feel the joy and sorrow even with a distance because of the moisture in the air.  The moisture is a mediator to convey our feeling of “likeness” to each other.

Photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER: NO.6 ICICLES OR DUES

It is worth listening to the sound of dues which come down from a roof.

Also, the sound of Suikinkutsu, an ornament and music device in Japanese garden, is amusing.  It has a different flavor, and the sound greatly stimulates my imagination.

“The drop bores the hard rock.”

I remember the saying about a drop of water; by continually falling for long time, the water even makes a hole on a hard rock.  I was surprised to see the actual rock with a dent.

The icicle, a frozen form of the due, receives a light from the sun, and sparkles while it shows the strength inside.

Photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER: NO.5 SLEETY RAIN

When it rains together with snow and ice, it feels like as if whole the city will be frozen.

It makes trees, birds, and flowers cower with the cold.

And, the thought that someone is wet with this sleety rain makes me sad, and I hope s/he will be able to feel warm soon.

The water supports life on one hand, but here it shows different aspect.

The water maybe begging to be warmed up; its small wish before the spring….

Photo : Yu Nozaki