Commentary
I’ve been hitting the bottle pretty hard lately. Water bottle, that is. Over the past few months I’ve been enjoying the sparkling mineral variety. I’m drawn to the exotic brand names, fancy green glass, and claims of an incredible purity—but mostly it’s the bubbles; every sip a celebration.Water is a fine reason to rejoice. After all, life couldn’t exist without it. But not all water gives cause for cheer. Municipal water treatment, for example, doesn’t strike me as a very festive party theme.
Nevertheless, last week was the water treatment industry’s National Drinking Water Week. And next month, regional favorites from across the country will face off in Washington to determine North America’s best tap water. It’s a contest, I should add, based on taste, not purity.
I’m as thankful as anyone for indoor plumbing, but come on! Celebrating tap water? Excuse me for not raising a glass.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. water utilities treat nearly 34 billion gallons of water every day. It’s an impressive number until you consider that treatment involves a toxic assortment of chemical correctives to counter the pollution and industrial waste still being dumped into our precious supply; not to mention the endocrine disrupting chemicals that water treatment has yet to address.
How about fluoride? I know some think it’s great, but many of us would prefer not to fortify our drink with additional poisons. And don’t forget the drugs—community water supplies now feature residues of thousands of flushed pharmaceuticals.
Wary of the tap, some install filters; others purchase bottles. While these actions may confront immediate concerns, I believe it’s time we also reconsider our connection to water. Because, truth be told, our relationship is on the rocks.
One place to start is with the work of Viktor Schauberger. This unusual German scientist can be classified among other innovative, freethinkers of the early 20th century, such as Nikola Tesla and Wilhelm Reich. However, many of Schauberger’s fascinating discoveries were inspired by water, which he saw as a living entity.
In his writings, Schauberger describes gazing at a river for hours, captivated by the current. Surrendering his mind to the natural flow, Schauberger claimed that watching water granted profound insights.
Schuaberger criticized modern water storage and delivery methods, which he believed produced a stagnant liquid drained of its innate vitality. Observing water as it flowed in nature, Schauberger developed special pipes that spun water into a spiral as it ran. He discovered that the movement of water in this way naturally killed off harmful bacteria because it became so highly oxygenated and full of life.
Science has determined that our bodies are 70 percent water, but people have long known that this living liquid is a profound part of us. Ancient healing systems refer to the living waters of the body—the humors. Known as precious substances in traditional Chinese medicine, our ancestors took great care of their inner waters to ensure long, healthy lives.
But water doesn’t just hydrate our bodies; it also nourishes our souls. To Carl Jung water symbolized the world of dreams and the unconscious. In ancient Chinese philosophy, water represented the yin or feminine principle. Dark and mysterious, nurturing yet volatile—a potent symbol for deeper thoughts.
Schauberger believed that, like the best minds, water was born to flow free, improving purity and quality as it twists and snakes through rocks and sand. Previous man-made efforts to contain and corral water are coming back to haunt us, as the environmental damage brought by dams and reservoirs grows ever more apparent.
With warmer Chicago days, I’ve been spending more time near Lake Michigan. Not only does it afford a rare urban glimpse of an unbroken horizon line, but this Great Lake has also become a great friend; consistently offering comfort and calm during periods of personal turmoil—a profound solace I’ve yet to receive from a swimming pool.
We need to stop seeing water as a commodity to exploit and start to view it as an extension of ourselves—a precious substance, as near and dear to us as our ancestors or children. This is the relationship we need to create; the one we used to have, until we took it for granted.
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