Personal Life Philosophy, LE 1350, Prof.

Dallof
Tamara Brune-Wharton, copyright 2015, SLC, UT

The Philosophy of Water (part I)

We are like a drop of water in a vast, divine ocean, distinct yet immersed in something much larger than ourselves. Its
only when we experience our connection to infinity that were able to dream powerfully.
~ Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D, Psychologist/Anthropologist, Courageous Dreaming.

Water is Life
My life philosophy is simply: We are individually and collectively the vast and ever-flowing essence of water. Water
sustains us. We evolve from water, we are born of water, we are function with water, we are nourished by water, and
we are cleansed through water.
Water is everywhere and in all living things - we cannot be separated from water. No water, no life.
~ Robert Fulghum, Uh-Oh

On this vast blue-green planet Earth, we are dependent on the life-sustaining qualities of water. Whether the form is
of liquid, vapor clouds, steam, geysers, rain, snow, fog, or ice, water provides us with the necessary essentials for all
living things to be sustained. Absent water, we perish. As such, it is merely as small toe dip for us to embrace water
and swim is its metaphor of spiritual life.
The upholder of the cycles which sustain all Life is water. In every drop of water dwells a deity whom indeed we all
serve. There also dwells Life, the soul of the primal substance - water - whose boundaries and banks are the
capillaries that guide it, and in which it circulates. Every pulse beat arising through the interaction of will and
resistance is indicative of creative work and urges us to care for those vessels, those primary and most vital
structures, in which throbs the product of a dualistic power Life
~ Viktor Schauberger, The Water Wizard: The Extraordinary Properties of Natural Water

Life as Water
My life philosophy is not external, but processed internally through the external. It is all a vision of what I have
experienced, do experience and hope to or will experience. I watch the world and learn of life through my instrument
of me.
Love is the river, each human being a droplet of water, and together, in spite of our fears and resistance, we are
returning to love, melting and flowing toward home.
~ Daphne Rose Kingma, The Future of Love

Considering everything I was, am and hope to be is the direct echo of those who have touched my life. I have
laughed and cried with them, gained and lost from them, felt joy and pain by them, and marveled in and rejected
away from them, but they are all the same to me, as they made me who I am and, thus, we are enriched and
connected. It is the same for everything I see, hear, taste, touch, feel, or experience, for they too are all part of my
makeup, and I am grateful.
For whatever we lose (like you and me), Its always ourself we find in the sea.
~ E.E. Cummings, poet
Yet, every other is also me and I they, as I am not disconnected from them nor are they disconnected from me. We
are a continuation of each other. Whether we recognize this or not, our eternal connection binds us forever to one
another as tapestry; an unbreakable link in the thread of life--- whether it is realized or not. We are the universal tribe
of humanity in the great spectrum of life. We are all each other. Whatever is done to one, is done for each and all
and whatever is not done to for one, is not done for each and all. More precisely, individually and collectively we are
simultaneously each and all.
With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you're connected to the sea. No matter where on Earth you
live. Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere is generated by the sea.
~ Sylvia Earle

We merge when we assemble with another or together in the great sea of all. Just as small droplets of the spirit
ocean swells when we are together, it reduces when we are apart. Yet, we are never truly apart for we are also the
mist on the breath of the ocean breeze that forever calls to us--- whether or not we choose to listen and believe.
Thus, we are effervescent and never alone. Eventually, just as with the ebb and flow of the ocean, we return to the
great sea.
As the smallest drop of water detached from the ocean contains all the qualities of the ocean, so man, detached in
consciousness from the Infinite, contains within him its likeness; and as the drop of water must, by the law of its nature,
ultimately find its way back to the ocean and lose itself in its silent depths, so must man, by the unfailing law of his nature,
at last return to his source, and lose himself in the great ocean of the Infinite.
~ James Allen (1864 1912), The Way Of Peace

Time is simultaneous and happens in many layers or depths of experiences. We are moving forward and backward
and in many different directions at the same time because we are fluid. Our flow is natural, like the spill of the creek
over the falls or the ebb and flow of the tide or the stillness of deep waters. We are simultaneously all of these
experiences and, thus, each moment is a joyous reunion with each other, as well as ourselves.
Water Lessons
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.

Isak Dinesen

Throughout this lifetime I have been impressed by a defined moments unified over a series of events known as life
lessons. I see significance as to how these moments more or less carved me into me.
Just as the sculptor removes the moist clay to reveal that which is not the sculpture and, thus, reveals the sculpture
buried within, so does each life experience reveal more or less that which we are and are not. Consider the
sculptors clay as moist, soft, and malleable. It can readily be removed or replaced and remolded back into as before
or it can be shaped to reveal a new form and attached to the sculpture in a unique way. As such, we are pliable to
adapt to the us that we want or need to be at any given moment. We dont have to be cast into a mold forever and
rendered motionless and immovable, unless that is what we choose.
It is often argued whether the great High Renaissance Italian artist and sculpor, Michelangelo, ever said, I saw the
angel in the marble and carved until I set him free or I removed everything that wasnt David. However, the 1858
publication, The Methodist Quarterly Review, a deeper consideration adds insight on this reverse-type thinking
when comparing the literary arts of poets with adroit sculptors of the day.
chip off all extraneous matter, and let the divine excellence stand forth for itself. Thus, in every incident of
business, in every accident of life, the poet sees something divine, and carefully scales off all that encumbers that
divinity, and permits it to be revealed in all its transcendent loveliness.

Beautifully stated, this poetic verse pontificates on the happy accidents of life or the good fortune of misfortune.
Mourning over lost water (or spilled milk) is a natural reaction in the context of lifes disappointments and the
tragedies of lost loves. Yet, the beauty of seeing each moment, experience or mistake as divine or perfect, is another
aspect of the philosophy of water. Viewing these experiences as fluid or transcendental provides opportunity for
immeasurable growth and depth of wisdom and knowledge. If allowed, great comfort may also come in gaining
insight and understanding from loss and separation.
Waters of Spirituality
What we seek is a way of linking a sparkle eternally present deep within us to that which is unified and universal, to
that which many would call divine
~ Viktor Schauberger, The Water Wizard: The Extraordinary Properties of Natural Water

Water is an ancient metaphor in religion and spirituality, as it is immediately identifiable with cleansing and rebirth. It
is often described as the fountain of life, the life-blood, purification, and living waters. Whatever religious subscription
applied, it easily follows the metaphorical nourishing of souls flows fluid with sacred waters, covenants and uplifting
and unifying messages adopted by believers around the globe.
Water is used in ritual washing - "purification" - in Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Shinto, Taoism, Judaism, and other
religions. Water is also important to the Christian practice of Baptism. In Judaism, water is used in Mikvah - ritual
washing for various purposes. In Sikhism, water is used in Amrit Sanskar, a baptism-like initiation into the Khalsa.
Muslims are required to wash with water before doing ritual prayers...Some bodies of water are called sacred in
many religions. Among these are the Ganges River in Hinduism and the Well of Zamzam in Islam Water is also

considered a sacred essential element In Hinduism, Ancient Greek and Chinese philosophies. Muslims believe that
"We are made from water every living thing." In other words, it is believed that life is made from water."
H20-Water and Reliieon

The Spiritual Wisdom for Secular Times, Larry Culliford expounds upon the example of spiritual thirst in the desert
and says It is important not to mistake the well for the water. They are not the same, in his article Religion and
Spirituality; The Well is Not the Water.
As our spiritual self, our soul, is seamlessly connected with the great whole, so are we simultaneously connected
through this with everyone else and with the entirety of nature. The task is to make this increasingly conscious; for
this sacred totality is the very wellspring of life, the source of our energy, of creativity, of meaning and motivation.
This is the water for which we all truly thirst you must also persevere, for as long as it takes.

Water in Stewardship
We all have an important mission: To make water clear again, and to create a world that is easy and healthy to live in. In
order to accomplish our mission, we must first make sure that our hearts are clear and unpolluted. If all the people of the
world can have love and gratitude, the pristine beauty of the earth will once again return.
~ Masuru Emoto

Converging spiritual analogies of water with practical application and stewardship, the Jesuit priest and chemist, Al
Fritsch, is co-founder of The Center for Science in the Public Interest in 1971 and Appalachia - Science in the Public
Interest in 1977. As a pastor and parish priest in Appalachia, he prepares regular devotionals on "Eco-Spirituality
through the Seasons" and stresses the importance of water to humankind, as well as the tragedy of water conflicts in
Middle East and Africa, the challenges of equity in irrigation and distribution, and, what he calls, the imperative for the
global adoption of the conservation ethic as an eco-spiritual necessity.
New and diverse technical water-related solutions are forthcoming. An authentic eco-spirituality does not just profess the
need to share and alert to existing problems; it must foster creative solutions... Acknowledgment, acceptance of
responsibility, and participation in healing are the triad of duties that require a deep spiritual base -- one involving our
fragile Earth, proper conservation and protection of resources, and one demanding the proper redistribution of these
limited resources.
As youth, the most memorable ceremony for me was outside church, namely taking Easter water back to our farm
and sprinkling our cropland; in doing so we begged God for sufficient moisture for a bountiful harvest. A viable ecospirituality must see water as sufficiently protected and purified (made holy) so as enliven Earth through distributing
water to those in need. Let us sprinkle our spirituality throughout the globe.

Father Fritsch brings home the message as to how and why our social responsibility is important on a spiritual level
as joint stewards of our God-given planet. His message rings familiar with Native American culture and beliefs, as
echoed in an open letter my relative (family), by Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota Nation.
Our Ancestors foretold that water would someday be for sale. Back then, this was hard to believe, since the water was so
plentiful, so pure, and so full of energy, nutrition, and spirit. Today we have to buy pure water, and even then the nutritional
minerals have been taken out; its just empty liquid. Someday water will be like gold, too expensive to afford. Not
everyone with have the right to drink safe water.
~ Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Message to Mitakuye (my relative), 10/12/2006

Water as a Way
In the struggle between the stone and water, in time, the water wins.
~ Japanese proberb
The Taoist (or Daoist) path is encapsulated in an effective visual --- the firm, steadfast mountain with a meandering
river flowing down the mountainside. The metaphor is to follow the path of least resistance without succumbing to
force or outside will. Force will fail in trying to change the mountain, but allowing the natural flow to take place all
things will eventually fall into proper place. Adopting this ancient tradition to surrender and conquer the ego has long
been practiced in Eastern traditions, but has now become quite common in the Western world, as well.
You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you
pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can
drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.
~ Bruce Lee, Cantonese-born martial artist/American film actor
Another path encouraging the surrender of the ego through self-mastery is Buddhism. Practicing to attain the Zen
meditative state and enlightenment is said to bring peace and balance to ones life. Imagining flowing along the
mountainside or visualizing the still, deep waters, each way may be the path to achieve life-balance and become one
with the world. Whether or not the world changes, it is the enlightened one who does.
Before enlightenment... chopping wood, carrying water. After enlightenment chopping wood, carrying water.
~ Zen proberb

Water as Wisdom
The philosophy of water springs forth life-renewing hope and vitality. Water is a wise teacher and a loyal friend. To
seek purpose and meaning in a world of confusion, a simple visualization of floating peacefully in warm waters (even
while you bathe) can calm raw nerves, soothe emotional wounds and quiet the soul.
Consider using my meditation for wholeness, health and healing:
Envision droplets gathering--- forming dewdrops on green grass, misting over the rain forest canopy, or evaporating
skyward from city streets. Once it is clear, imagine the flow of water--- with water streaming from rooftops into rain
barrels, bouncing from new leaves into a pond, or joining a puffy cloud in the sky. Imagine that water as it continues
to flow onward to the sea--- traveling swiftly via creeks to the river, absorbing into flowing underground aquifers, or
drifting as a light puffy cloud ready to rain over the ocean. Arriving at the blue-green waters of the vast ocean, imagine
you are one with each of a million happy droplets as they reunite with the great sea of love and comfort. Releasing
all cares and burdens, knowing all is possible, seeing opportunities abound, and, most of all, experiencing the vast
and abundant universal love with the oneness of all living things. Be water.
For true love is inexhaustible; the more you give, the more you have. And if you go to draw at the true fountainhead,
the more water you draw, the more abundant is its flow.
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Author of The Little Prince

Constructing a Life Philosophy, LE 1350, Prof. Dallof

Tamara Brune-Wharton, copyright 2015, SLC, UT

The Philosophy of Water (part I)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Villoldo, Alberto. Courageous Dreaming: How Shamans Dream the World into Being.
Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2008. Print.
Fulghum, Robert. Uh-oh. New York: Ballantine, 1993. Print.
Schauberger, Viktor, and Callum Coats. The Water Wizard - The Extraordinary Properties of
Natural Water Volume 1 of Renowned Environmentalist Viktor Schauberger's EcoTechnology Series. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1999. Print.
H20 Water and Religion, http://www.all-water.org/Religion.html
Kingma, Daphne Rose. The Future of Love: The Power of the Soul in Intimate Relationships.
New York: Doubleday, 1998. Print.
Novak, Vicky, and Jason Blake. E. E. Cummings' Poetry: The Quest of Individuality in His
Poetry = Poezija E. E. Cummingsa: Pomen Individualizma v Njegovi Poeziji: Diplomsko Delo.
Ljubljana: V. Novak, 2014. Print.
"My Wish: Protect Our Oceans." Sylvia Earle:. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
Allen, James. The Way of Peace. Auckland: Floating, 1901. Print.
"Isak Dinesen Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
The Mehodist Quarterly Review, 1858. Print.
Culliford, Larry. "Religion & Spirituality: The Well Is Not the Water." Psychology Today. N.p.,
n.d. Mon. 07 Dec. 2015.
"Dr. Masaru Emoto." What the Bleep Do We Know RSS2. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"Www.earthhealing.info." Earth Healing. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"BlueFeatherSpirit." BlueFeatherSpirit. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"In the Struggle between the Stone and." - Japanese Proverb. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"A Quote by Bruce Lee." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
"Before Enlightenment, I Chopped Wood and Carried ..." Beliefnet. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec.
2015.

"Quote about Giving by Antoine De Saint-Exupery on Quotations Book."

QuotationsBook.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.