Water Is Life

To be mindful of our water, our need for water, and to celebrate the gift of water is to cultivate awareness and help preserve and conserve this precious source of life for all beings.

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It’s always important to keep hydrated when you live in the desert, and in the summer, when the temperatures and humidity are higher, it’s easy to remember to drink enough water. But as we approach autumn and winter, as it cools off and grows drier, it’s all too easy to forget to drink enough water. After all, we no longer feel that we are sweating as it dries before we can even be aware of it!
 
While us desert dwellers spend much more time outdoors in the winter than our neighbors in more temperate regions, even we spend time indoors at night, perhaps with the heat on and the windows closed. Since moving to Tucson, I’ve found that between the low humidity for most of the year, and the drying nature of gas heat, my sinuses can get so dry that I get nose bleeds! Dehydration can also lead to headaches, fatigue, constipation, physical stiffness and other unpleasant effects.

Then, there’s also the stresses of the holiday season to contend with as well! So, here’s a simple practice that won’t take much time, but may help you weather the season in better health, spirit and mindfulness! And you can start it now so that it becomes a 'healthy habit' by the time it really gets dry!

The Practice: After waking in the morning, before your morning shower, or brushing your teeth, or making that coffee, or practicing asana or mediation --  before just about anything else other than peeing – drink a glass of water (about 6 – 10 ounces). THEN, after showering, or whatever else your morning ‘get-me-up’ routine is, drink another glass of water.
That’s it. Simple.
 
If you’d like, you can write this gatha in your own handwriting and tape it above your sink, or memorize it so that you can say it to yourself as you take that first glass of water:

Water flows from high in the mountains.
Water runs deep in the Earth.
Amazingly, water comes to us,
And sustains all life.

Many believe the big wars to come are not going to be over oil as much as water. Already thousands of people throughout the world lack access to fresh water. And yet, our bodies are about two-thirds water. This water is not separate from the water that falls as rain and snow, that runs in our rivers and streams. As our waterways become more and more polluted and overdrawn, what will this mean for our bodies? Are not the waterways of the Earth our external arteries?

​To be mindful of our water, our need for water, and to celebrate the gift of water is to cultivate awareness and help preserve and conserve this precious source of life for all beings.