Rivers

[JustGeorge]

There is a Great River that runs through my hometown. Whenever I visit, I cross it and utter blessings to the Spirit of the River. It is without much doubt the most powerful deity that dwells there, rippling through the heart of the city and is the reason the city was founded where it was. It is the principle guardian of the lands there, and capricious as all are.

I was there was a witness with the Spirit of the River tore through its banks and brought the entire city to its knees in one of the worst floods in the country outside of those crafted by Hurricane Spirits. It got some, but not a lot, of national media attention at the time - the Midwest isn't paid much attention to as a whole. I remember the city begging everyone to not use tap water, as only one water pump in the entire city was operating. I remember the distribution sites for drinking water so people wouldn't die of thirst. Ironic, because if we respected the Spirits of the Rivers the water wouldn't be so polluted as to be unsafe to drink. We had to boil everything and wash outside in the rains that wouldn't stop, exacerbating the floods. Always respect the gods, because they often have little care for humans that do not respect them and move aside.

2008?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

The Mississippi was very meditative for me. Walking and sitting by it, it's so beautiful and had always been a great place for introspection. I had lived near it around the time I made major changes to my perspective of life and behavior, and did daily walks alongside it, so I give much credit to the river.

 

[Quintessence]

2008?

Yup. It was particularly surreal for me because that's when I left my hometown and I've lived elsewhere ever since. There was this feeling of abandoning my homeland when it needed me, but as it turns out, that was a pretty self-centered way of looking at it; the city and its people recovered in ways that demonstrated some of the many important aspects of Elemental Water. Water mixes everything within it, sweeping away that which was to a primordial state of nonbeing. That breakdown of individuality can be traumatic, but it permits new individuals to form. The new public library that was built is nothing short of a spectacular upgrade, and I had strong childhood nostalgia for the old one. Old districts of the city that were long overdue for redevelopment? Many of them got it.

Rivers being carriers of cycles of transformation was respected more by our ancestors, I think. It makes me think about the fertile river deltas that were the cradle of human civilization - it was those cycles of flooding and "destruction" that made those lands so productive. We went with the flow (excuse the pun) a bit more, perhaps? Now it's often walls this, levees that, which on a dynamic planet will be swept away by wind and rain eventually. Nothing is forever, and rivers (water, more generally) are the sculptors of landscapes. Happens in our backyards, though if that doesn't drive home the point, a pilgrimage to the mighty River Spirit that carved the Grand Canyon is a great teacher. I took a trip there when I was a bit young to really appreciate it, but what I remember is how... incomprehensible it all was. Humbling.

 

[syo]

Mortal rivers have very cold water. At least, the ones I've seen.

 

[Hamilton]

No rivers of significant significance.
But rain, now.
Rain is God's way of washing the entire earth and everything on it. Even rivers, I guess.
Rain is worshipful.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I like peninsulas bits of land jutting out into water. Ok, they are difficult when there are storms, but when the water is calm they are the best. A peninsula with lots of trees is just the best on a calm warm evening with a gentle cooling breeze. You feel like you are a part of it.

 

[River Sea]

What are your thoughts on freeing the "Ganga River"?

For more information, watch the video below.

 

[River Sea]

The Volga River between Europe and Russia was important to the Germanic tribes. And is probably etymologically where we get the Spiritual title of Volva (Seeress).

If you know more, can you tell me more about the Germanic tribes that you mention about the Volga River between Europe and Russia, and more about spirituality from them?

 

[The Hammer]

If you know more, can you tell me more about the Germanic tribes that you mention about the Volga River between Europe and Russia, and more about spirituality from them?

Yeah, so the Volga river travels north to south on the far eastern side of modern Russia.

The closest tribes to this river are the Slavs, and the Finns as of 476 AD.

These groups unfortunately, are the ones I am least familiar with spiritually. But if you have a question about it, if be willing to look for an answer .

 

[idea]

"Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. The current of the river swept silently over them all - young and old, rich and poor, good and evil, the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks at the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, 'I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom.'

The other creatures laughed and said, 'Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you shall die quicker than boredom!'

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, 'See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!'

And the one carried in the current said, 'I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure.'

But they cried the more, 'Saviour!' all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left alone making legends of a Saviour."

-- Richard Bach, from "Illusions"

 

[idea]

I've heard people refer to rivers as "female energy." Is there a reason for rivers' female energy?

I know nothing about those rivers. Sorry. As to female energy, rivers do seem that to manifest way, but I'm not sure why. Mother Ganga is a good example, so maybe that's a hint, and it could be about nourishing.

Childbirth involves water. I've given birth 3 times, when your water breaks, it's a river.

 

[wellwisher]

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum.

Rivers have always held meaning for me, and for Hindus. The Ganges, especially is known as India's sacred river, but there are more. There are many legends and ideas associated with it, and the essence of it's waters gets invoked all over the world in daily ritual. The Cauvery, Yamuna, Saraswati, are also important.

People, as individuals, can often say 'my river' about a particular river, small, large, etc.

The Nile was sacred to the Egyptians.
So ... which rivers are important to your religion, what about it makes it important, and do you have a particular affinity to any river, or do you feel spiritually connected to one in some way?

(Maybe there's more that one thread here.)

I used to live in North East Florida, not too far from the St John's River. This river is unique since it is one of the few rivers that flows from south to north. The Nile River in Africa is also one of the few large rivers that does this. The St John's River flows from the southern Florida swamps, northward, to the Georgia-Florida border into the Atlantic Ocean. It is about 3-4 miles wide near where I lived; Mandarin Florida. I thought it was a huge lake when I first drove over the bridge that spanned the river, at that point.

The flow of the St Johns River is weird in that it is impacted by the coastal tides. It was bizarre the first time I saw the river go backwards; north to south, with the high tide and reverse at low tide. Ponce De Leon, who was the first European to discover and explore Florida, was looking for the fountain of youth near the river in the early 1500's. Florida has a lot thunderstorms; lightning strike capital of the world, with the St John's moving a lot of storm water. One year we had a tropical storm that gave us 18inches of rain in less than 2 days. Flooding was minor with the river handling the flow.

What is also odd about the northern region along the river, is the river provides a NE safe zone that rarely sees hurricanes. More hurricanes have hit NYC than NE Florida. I remember, while living in Florida, huge hurricane came toward toward Florida from the Gulf and devastated SW Florida; Cat 3. It then headed north, expected to get us. But strangely, the hurricane split into two, one part on each side of us, and missed us. It reformed in the Atlantic, strengthened to Cat 2, and then headed north toward the Carolinas. The river seems to buffer hurricanes. There is no real elevation in Florida to help steer hurricanes. Florida is full of aquifers, which are unground rivers, many are connected to the St Johns River.

 

[pearl]

There is an amazing mini-series on hulu, 'Secrets of the Elephants' and the importance of rivers, the risks taken reach them.

Secrets of the Elephants (TV Mini Series 2023) ⭐ 8.2 | Documentary, Adventure

| TV-PG

www.imdb.com

 

[River Sea]

Childbirth involves water. I've given birth 3 times, when your water breaks, it's a river.

That's interesting that words came from association, so placing gender energy into
Are there any male energies associated with rivers that you can think of?

 

[idea]

That's interesting that words came from association, so placing gender energy into
Are there any male energies associated with rivers that you can think of?

No quality is attached to any gender, I should have said waters of life - rivers can be attached to birth, baptism, washing, new beginning. In Taoism, yin/yang are balanced, mixed into one another - yin: receptive, nurturing, connecting, flowing, gentle, soft, empathy. Yang: courage, strength, willpower, assertive - the rocks and riverbank.

 

[River Sea]

No quality is attached to any gender, I should have said waters of life - rivers can be attached to birth, baptism, washing, new beginning. In Taoism, yin/yang are balanced, mixed into one another - yin: receptive, nurturing, connecting, flowing, gentle, soft, empathy. Yang: courage, strength, willpower, assertive - the rocks and riverbank.

I'm going back and forth from physical to spiritual with language and how interesting words are.

I like your words about when women give birth being like a river.

And interestingly, about the waters of life, I would use the word "spiritual drinking from light," but I'll also understand that fire actually burns in my spirit heart, and yet this fire is how my spirit drinks water. The Holy Spirit (ruach ha-kodesh) and I learned from this forum about shechina, that tunnel light. Hey, I wonder if I could call that light river, shechina, a guide through the light tunnel, and that light also lives in us and feeds us. That is the "river water" of life that overflows. And oh, I think that'll be an energy gender female too, an energy gender though. Another word is Shekhinah.

I think language is interesting. Words are used to help people validate. And I find it interesting that in spirituality, one borrows words to help articulate.

I'm learning, so even with rivers, I'm new and processing how others use words.

I learned that rivers have memories, but I still do not understand all of the meaning of rivers having memories.

Have you ever heard about rivers having memories?

I wonder what people thought when using the word "memories" with rivers.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Old Father Thames

Mixed bathing pond on the River Fleet

Men’s pond in winter, River Fleet

 

[idea]

...

I wonder what people thought when using the word "memories" with rivers.

Within Eastern thought, impermanence is embraced. Forgetting material possessions, forgetting biases and moving on from incorrect teachings, forgetting oneself, letting go - detached. Nothing remains the same, everything changes.

The rocks seem permanent, but the impermanent river washes everything away.

 

[JustGeorge]

I'm going back and forth from physical to spiritual with language and how interesting words are.

I like your words about when women give birth being like a river.

And interestingly, about the waters of life, I would use the word "spiritual drinking from light," but I'll also understand that fire actually burns in my spirit heart, and yet this fire is how my spirit drinks water. The Holy Spirit (ruach ha-kodesh) and I learned from this forum about shechina, that tunnel light. Hey, I wonder if I could call that light river, shechina, a guide through the light tunnel, and that light also lives in us and feeds us. That is the "river water" of life that overflows. And oh, I think that'll be an energy gender female too, an energy gender though. Another word is Shekhinah.

I think language is interesting. Words are used to help people validate. And I find it interesting that in spirituality, one borrows words to help articulate.

I'm learning, so even with rivers, I'm new and processing how others use words.

I learned that rivers have memories, but I still do not understand all of the meaning of rivers having memories.

Have you ever heard about rivers having memories?

I wonder what people thought when using the word "memories" with rivers.

There was an experiment done on water to see what effect speaking into it would cause.

Apparently, saying wonderful things changed the molecules into beautiful patterns, and saying angry things disformed them.

How Words Change Molecules

Dr. Emoto theorizes that human consciousness has an effect on the molecular structure of water. Here's how words change molecules.

miriamlaundry.com

Water 'remembers' what you say, or at least the spirit you say it in, according to the study.

 

[River Sea]

There was an experiment done on water to see what effect speaking into it would cause.

Apparently, saying wonderful things changed the molecules into beautiful patterns, and saying angry things disformed them.

How Words Change Molecules

Dr. Emoto theorizes that human consciousness has an effect on the molecular structure of water. Here's how words change molecules.

miriamlaundry.com

Water 'remembers' what you say, or at least the spirit you say it in, according to the study.

Thank you for bringing Dr. Emoto's research here.

What baffles me is how water knows to appear. Is it the subtlety of energy or the subtlety of sound tone that does this? Negative words have also had a negative impact on me. But how can water tell?

It's puzzling what Dr. Emoto discovered while conducting this study and observing.

I'm in the midst of learning about welcome and unwelcome. So water knows when it is welcomed or unwelcome. But what about hydropower dams? Is that not welcoming the flow of rivers? I wonder how water appears due to hydropower dams if you microscope a photo like how this study was done.