Ep 89. Wisdom in the Rhythm of Water

There is much wisdom in the rhythm of the water. In this episode, we talk about the cycles of water, including the fascination of ice crystals decorating windows like etchings of intricate art. 

 Then there's Dr. Masaru Emoto's work published in, The Hidden Messages in Water (2004),  where he explains how loving words of gratitude turned into exquisite crystals. While threatening phrases caused the crystals to become misshapen as if confused. We wrap up in appreciation for the sustenance of water.

 Link to Related Stories:

 Wisdom in the Rhythm of Water 

 The Lesson of Leaf

Dr. Masaru Emoto’s book  The Hidden Messages in Water (2004)

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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in :^)

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Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer

Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com 

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Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 89 Wisdom in the Rhythm of Water

Sat, Dec 31, 2022 1:59PM • 8:43

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

water, snow, garden, flow, frozen, ice, emoto, life, windows, etchings, crystals, stream, ice crystals, cycle, beautiful, mary, dilemmas, live, trees, grow

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

Mary Stone  00:00

Hello fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone and welcome to garden dilemmas, delights and discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. 

Mary Stone  00:26

Hello, there, it's Mary Stone on the screen porch. I'm kicking back a little bit before the New Year, I hope you are as well. You know, it's the time of year to kind of go with the flow, although there's a lesson in that to do it every day, which is a challenge for many of us. But every day is a new day, just as every year begins a new cycle of seasons. 

Mary Stone  00:49

Thanks to those that reached back about the insights from the interdependence of trees. It seems many know about allowing saplings to grow amongst the bigger trees, they nurture each other just as we can in our communities. Mother Nature knows what she is doing. And baby trees represent new beginnings. 

Mary Stone  01:09

So The Press prints a Year in Review the week between Christmas and New Year's which gave me a bit of a respite this week, and so I have the opportunity to share a story with you, kind listeners, before it goes to press. And while we didn't technically have a white Christmas, glorious crystals decorated our world, leading to this week's story that starts like this. 

Mary Stone  01:33

Hello fellow listeners and readers. Water is everywhere, including as vapor in our atmosphere, and the cells of all living things. During a deep freeze like the one we recently enjoyed (some say endured) ice crystals decorated our storm windows like etchings of intricate art. I especially love the early sunrise over the etchings, creating a beautiful winter landscape on glass. And I'm fascinated by the ice formations on the brook on which I'm blessed to live. It's mystifying how portions of the moving water become frozen in time, while the remaining water runs through the magnificent sculptures of ice. 

Mary Stone  02:15

On Christmas day, there was an unusual pattern in the dusting of snow on our pond. It was like skid marks leading to a landing of a mysterious creature with bands of ice ramming the edge of the water. Is it just me or do you see patterns in nature and images in the sky? When you look at clouds that represent different animals and creatures? It's really quite beautiful. We just need to take the time to look up and look around, right? 

Mary Stone  02:43

Yes, you could say I'm a fan of frigid temps as long as everyone is safe, and a fan of frozen nose hairs, call me weird. Especially when there's freshly fallen snow with the promise of a glorious glide on the skis and the snow squeaks below them. I think about the scene in Charlie Brown's Christmas when the characters stick out their tongues to taste the snowflakes. I do the same though some say you're not supposed to eat snow because of the contaminants it absorbs from the pollution in the sky. Which is sad isn't it? Although experts say you can eat snow though in moderation like everything else and don't eat yellow snow. We're always coached that as kids, meaning a critters wee-wee spot but it's more than that. Decaying fallen leaves air pollution and pollen can cause yellowing. Then some bacteria or algae can turn snow reddish brown or grayish black. Still, there are snow ice cream recipes you can find online, they suggest harvesting the top layer of the freshly fallen snow far from the ground. 

Mary Stone  03:48

You likely know every snowflake is unique. And I believe the same is true of the ice crystals on Windows. And the their intricate patterns are brilliant. Dr. Masaru Emoto, who passed away in 2014 observed how kind thoughts and words of love and thank you towards the water in a container turned it into exquisite crystals, while threatening phrases written on the containers such as I will kill you or you fool cause the crystals to become misshapen, as if confused. Some say a Emoto's experiments were not scientific and therefore invalid. But just as there are naysayers, many admire the findings. So much so that his book The Hidden Messages in Water, which was published in 2004, became a New York Times bestseller. "The implications of his work create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the Earth and our personal health." And that's a bit of an excerpt from a synopsis on Amazon. 

Mary Stone  04:50

There was no question about the power of water how it carves through the earth making Grand Canyons and how it causes catastrophic damage during storm events. Yet It's soft to our touch, and you can't grasp it, though when it's frozen you can, but even then, the surface is smooth and slippery, and it will eventually melt and become soft again. All living things are made of water, it makes up 75% of our body, though they say it declines as we grow older, and it makes up 85% of our brain. So hopefully that remains steadfast, right. 

Mary Stone  05:26

Water evaporates into the air, then condensation turns it into precipitation back to our dear Earth, where water flows from the soil into streams, rivers, and ultimately the ocean. All the while evaporation takes place, bringing water back into the air, a constant cycle like the seasons. Water always flows to the lowest places leading ultimately to the ocean, the largest and most dynamic body of water. 

Mary Stone  05:54

Speaking of water, I can't help myself I have to offer up a little plant advice during the winter months. If nature does not provide and the ground isn't frozen, it's essential to keep the newly installed plants moist. So give them a drink. Then turn the valve off from your hose bib before the next freeze. Don't ask how I know this. Yeah, I had an accident once caused a little bit of problem (giggle). 

Mary Stone  06:20

There's something else from the observations of water, you'll notice, it doesn't always flow evenly downstream. Sometimes it flows upstream or circles about but ultimately it finds the lowest point and gently moves down the stream. It flows in its own rhythm, we have no control over the flow, like the currents in our lives. It's the lesson of the leaf my brother shared with me long ago, and I'm still learning to trust and let go like a leaf in the water. Go with the flow as they say merrily merrily down the stream. We spoke about that in episode 13 titled The Lesson of the Leaf I invite you to revisit. 

Mary Stone  07:00

Water serves us in so many ways. Indeed, it's a life force for our crops and our food. And we enjoy it for recreation like swimming and skiing and scuba diving and ice skating The list goes on. Or we merely enjoy watching the ocean the cycle of the waves and the tides, the beautiful circle of life. As we enter a new year find comfort in the cycle, the continuum, the circle of life, and next time you admire crystals on your window, ice on the pond, or streams frozen in time send your love and thank it for sustenance. Happy New Year. Garden dilemmas. Ask Mary stone.com. 

Mary Stone  07:43

Thanks so much for coming by. I always enjoy our time together and I hope you have as well and if so, please share the podcast with a friend or two so more can join us and learning and growing in this garden of life. And never forget to live in gratitude for the water that we are so gratefully given. Take a sip of water today and thank it as you do. It makes up so much of ourselves and so much of our world around us. Thanks again. Have a great day. 

Mary Stone  08:13

You can follow garden dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden dilemmas.com and on Instagram and hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden dilemmas, delights and discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.