Sacred Waters

Water: by National Geographic. Day Two.

Today we bring you excerpts and photos from the article Sacred Waters, from Water: A Special Issue by National Geographic- April, 2010. You can find the article, pictures, and video here. Photographs by John Stanmeyer.

Sacred Waters

"From the droplets in a baptismal font to the scattering of ashes on a holy river, water blesses our lives."- Cathy Newman

"From our worldly entrance in a burst of amniotic fluid to the ritual washing of the dead (taharah in Judaism; ghusl al0mayyit in Islam), water flows through our lives, scribing a line between sacred and profane, life and death. We are doused, dunked, dipped, sprinkled-- and blessings flow, deep and wide as the River Jordan of Scripture, wondrous as the spring at Lourdes, cathartic as tears." -Cathy Newman

"The world, Genesis says, was brought to life by a God who created a "firmament in the midst of the waters."-Cathy Newman

The body thirsts. So does the spirit. "I must live near a lake. Without water, I thought, nobody could live at all." -Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung.

"If I were called in/ To construct a religion/I should make use of water"
Philip Larkin-1954

"Symbol of creation, harbour of all seeds, water becomes the supreme magic and medicinal substance; it heals, it restores youth, it ensures eternal life."- Mircea Eliade 1907-1986
Patterns in Comparative Religion

"May the waters from the snowy mountains bring health and peace to all people. May the spring waters bring calm to you...and may the rains be a source of tranquility to all." -Atharva Veda, Circa 200 B.C.

If you can donate to the charity: water project, please do. Click here to donate.