Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Artist's statement
- Contributors
- Preface
- Invocation
- Introduction: sacred waters
- I Entering sacred space
- II Divine connections
- 5 Creature of water
- 6 Saltwater feet: the flow of dance in Oceania
- 7 I am the river bleeding
- 8 Deep blue religion
- III The sacredness of water
- IV Waves of energy: in defence of water
- Eco-logue: and in me you find peace
- Close
- Index
5 - Creature of water
from II - Divine connections
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Artist's statement
- Contributors
- Preface
- Invocation
- Introduction: sacred waters
- I Entering sacred space
- II Divine connections
- 5 Creature of water
- 6 Saltwater feet: the flow of dance in Oceania
- 7 I am the river bleeding
- 8 Deep blue religion
- III The sacredness of water
- IV Waves of energy: in defence of water
- Eco-logue: and in me you find peace
- Close
- Index
Summary
Like a fish rising to the surface, slowly I drift to awareness. I have slept on the beach, in a sandy nest beneath the saltbush. My eyes are still closed as I open almost awakened ears and body to the world around me. The voice of the sea insinuates itself into my conscious and unconscious psyche, penetrating my mind completely. The breathing of Tiamat, the sea, becomes my own. Throughout the star-filled darkness, the rising and setting of a sickle moon, close to the dying embers, She has spoken to me. I am attuned and in Her soul embrace. Slowly, eyes still closed, I breathe my morning prayer:
Rise and fall gentle tide,
Moon and Sun, your fates entwined.
From light to dark and back again,
I thank Thee Gracious Goddess for all your bountiful gifts.
The ravens which had left the beach at dusk last night have returned. Raucous conversation between them, and the twitter of smaller saltbush dwellers, curious and disapproving of my presence in their domain, tell me the day is well begun. Slowly I open my eyes and find my face turned to the water. My focus begins close and gradually stretches forward, pausing on a new web enclosing me in my nest, mildew strewn and glistening in the low light, hung with tiny, white flowers that have fallen from the saltbush above. I close my eyes again and feel Her embrace. I am safe. She is with me. We are One and together. She knows me.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Deep BlueCritical Reflections on Nature, Religion and Water, pp. 89 - 106Publisher: Acumen PublishingPrint publication year: 2008