Water Wisdom for the Fiery Year Ahead

There is an old Nordic tradition I love. When the snow is fresh and powdery and the day has a deep crisp, you lay out your rugs or thick blankets, gently pressing them into the snow. The snow has this magical way of binding to the dirt and dust, and then beating the rugs loosens the debris. 

This is how I have felt this winter. Just lay me down in the snow. Let me rest in the silence. Press me into those mysterious little crystals of ice and make me clean. 

I was almost going to let this entire winter season go by without writing to you, that’s how entranced in snow land I have been. The mother lake in this region has frozen over completely for the first time in seven years and what a compelling and healthy rest it brings to the entire ecosystem. I also realize some of you may already be feeling the emergences of spring pushing around you. So before the new cycle fully begins, I felt urged to send you a little Water wisdom for the year ahead. 

If you have been following along with these seasonal love notes, you might remember that according to the East Asian understanding of the Five Elements, the winter season is related to the Water Element and Kidney energy in our bodies. When the Water element in us is sturdy and stabilized, when our deepest energetic storehouses are consolidated and full, not only is our Kidney energy settled, but the Heart feels settled as well. 

The wisdom of the Water element is entirely enmeshed within us, flowing down to our earliest core. What happens when you lie in a body of water and your ears duck below the surface? You will hear the shush, shush, shush of your heart beat, matching the galactic heart beat, one of the most primal and also potentially soothing sounds we might ever experience. In these moments there is a sweet surrender as we melt with the cosmic spanda, the sacred tremor at the core of everything. We know this subtle tremor from when we were just small slick fish, developing in our mothers darkness. Here water nourished us, resourced us in the development of our spine, our limbs, our brains. Here water cradled us in the in-between, the liminal dreaming of moving from spirit to form. Here water taught us about peace, the power of gestation, and a good of deep rest.

Hold on to that last part, the good of deep rest part, because we are going to need it. The Yang Fire Horse year of 2026 carries intense fire energy with zero water energy. Yup, not a drop.

When fire rises without water to counterbalance it, in human form we see anxiety, agitation, insomnia, inflammation, adrenal fatigue, hormonal flux, and other kinds of trying to worship at the altar of busyness.

If it's helpful to you, here are some contemplations for actively, purposely calling in more Water energy in your life:

1. Seek out rain water, river water, holy water, tear water, ocean water. Submerge yourself in water when you are able, whether by physical baths, foot baths, general hydration, or soup/broths. 

2. Co-regulate with nature and you will be reminded of your true pacing. If you are unable to get outside, listen to water music. At this moment I am listening to Gordon Hempton, an acoustic ecologist who makes amazing soundscape recordings (“The Ocean is a Drum”). Water sounds seem to calm our human nervous systems more profoundly than any other song in nature. Wave sounds top the charts of sleep support soundtracks.

3. Be mindful of the kinds of exercise you choose- things like swimming, tai qi and mindful strength training are going to be supportive of qi flow without depletion.

4. Apply positive discipline (aka. don’t overindulge) with the stimulants in your life, whether they be coffee, scroll time, or the endless news cycles. 

5. Know what places, people, and experiences nourish you to the bone (our Kidney energy lives in our bones, teeth and hair) and do that more often!

When my children were younger, without fail, one of them would gather snow in a jar during the first storm of the year and put it in the freezer. Later in the summer, I would find this little time-capsule snow jar, tucked between the frozen peas and the dog bones. This is what we need right now, a little precious water energy for when we are feeling parched by the ambition and speed of the world.

Ok, you remarkable human. Thanks for being on this wild earth journey with me!

In peace,

Kendra

“Keep your intelligence white-hot and your grief glistening, so you will stay fresh.” Rumi

Excerpt from the Seasonal Love Letter: Water Element style, '26

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