Walking Through Water

As you guide each step through the cool waters you are reminded of the abundance that this simple liquid brings to the world. Civilization has historically flourished around rivers and major waterways; Mesopotamia, the so-called cradle of civilization, was situated between the major rivers Tigris and Euphrates; the ancient society of the Egyptians depended entirely upon the Nile. Water is considered a purifier in most religions. Major faiths that incorporate ritual washing (ablution) include Christianity, Hinduism, Rastafari movement, Islam, Shinto, Taoism, and Judaism. The Ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles held that water is one of the four classical elements along with fire, earth and air, and was regarded as the ylem, or basic substance of the universe. The classical element of Water was also one of the five elements in traditional Chinese philosophy, along with earth, fire, wood, and metal.