May the stillness of spirit and the delight of nature’s water bring you joy!

Every month, the team at the Linn Academy pulls an oracle card. The card for November is Reflecting Pool – Stillness. I then peer into the deeper energy of the card to see what thoughts or memories emerge. Here’s what came forward for this month’s card.

As a young girl, there was a substantial amount of trauma in my family. At times, it was overwhelming. When it was too rough, I took refuge in the woods. There was a small creek that ran through the trees and around boulders. I would sit in absolute stillness next to it, sometimes for hours, watching the water flow over the rocks. An occasional fish would emerge out of the shadows, glisten in the sunlight, and then dart back to the safety of a rock. Sometimes I would see crawdads shuffling along the creek bed. Sitting by the water, I could relax, and the difficulties in my family would seem to fade away. The water was my salvation.

As an adult, I learned there were scientific reasons why sitting in quietude next to the water could be so soothing. Here is what I found out.

Research has shown that the sound of running water has profound physiological and psychological effects. Stress and anxiety are dramatically reduced, relaxation increases, and your concentration and ability to focus increase. “Happiness hormones” like dopamine and serotonin increase.

The sound of running water has also been shown to increase parasympathetic activity, which in turn lowers the stress levels of the hormone cortisol. This, in turn, can make you feel relaxed. Additionally, the sight and sound of running water induce neurochemicals that decrease blood pressure and heartbeat.

Psychologists believe that the body’s positive reaction to water is hard-wired into our DNA because historically, water sources were vital for human survival. The ancestral soul within each of us, remembers this.

Sitting in stillness next to any natural source of water can have an instant effect on your wellbeing; however, here are some things that you can do to gain this same effect if you are not near natural water.

• Visualize yourself sitting near a creek or still pool. In many respects, your body responds in a similar way to actually being next to the water. It’s remarkable how effective this method can be.
• Play the sound of running water in the background to your normal everyday activities. This has been also shown to have a positive effect on your wellbeing.
• Put a home water fountain somewhere where you can hear it. Take time to adjust the sound until it feels best. You’ll know because you can feel your body relax.

May the stillness of spirit and the delight of nature’s water bring you joy!

Denise