Aquatic bodywaves reviewed by Sara Firman (Sulis

[Sulis (Sara Firman)]

There is an aspect of aquatic bodywork that is rarely talked about, though I believe it warrants further exploration. I'm referring to a phenomenon Harold Dull, creator of Watsu, has called the 'bodywave'.

I have posted three articles about my experience of this on my blog Aquapoetics: 'An aquatic kriya - the bodywave' , 'Trance, dreaming and aquatic bodywork', and 'Omnipresent blue energy'.

If anyone who has experienced bodywaves, either as a practitioner of aquatic bodywork or as a receiver, would like to share their insights, I invite you to comment there or email me directly or begin a discussion here. Thoughts from others with experiences that might relate are also very welcome.

[Christian Muller]

The Almighty Waves
Since all manifest form is composed of waves, then we could say what we call "our body" is a collection of waves. On our good days, or in the water, we might experience this! Otherwise this phenomena is mostly beneath our everyday concious mind, and the body becomes a collection of more rigid things and parts. So, I would say, in my experience the waves in a body during aquatic bodywork correspond to a release of this hold of everyday conciousness and a return to a deeper pre-formal state of being. In my view this is also the essence of the Kundalini, the waves that present themselves as a release into a higher and deeper state of being. In my work with people in the water, I pay careful attention to these "bodywaves" and help guide into a more nuanced and refined wave expression. By this I mean, often times there is a big release wave and I encourage someone not to remain stuck in this. There are many, many micro-waves that compose a larger wave, and the deeper the conciousness can go toward this cellular wave awareness the more fluidly alive one can become.

[Sulis (Sara Firman)]

Thanks for this input Christian (so glad you have joined this group and are ready to share some words!). I like what you say about the way in which you work with these waves. It does seem that the facilitator can help the body move the energy on through. Here is an extract from the article I referenced above (An aquatic kriya).

Kriyas (and the associated release of kundalini energy) most often occur, it is suggested, when the body's instinctive guidance is in the process of moving a blockage to the flow of spiritual life energy. When something like this happens in the water, with the responsive support of another person, the body is protected from injury and able to complete movements in ways not possible on land. In my experience, this is not a matter of the person who is facilitating a water session applying a technique; rather, the support they give (which probably does have a certain indefinable quality to it) enables the receiver's body to follow it's natural inclination.

The article then goes on to explore the question: 'Is there an association between this release of kundalini energy and the aquatic bodywave?'

The aspect of non-injury in water is important. I had a friend who hurt herself quite badly when she was exploring spontaneous movement and suddenly went into what she believed was a kundalini release. It's violence caused her to injure her back. And, of course, this kind of release in yogic tradition is not considered to be wise in psychological terms for a novice. I'm curious and excited about the possibilities water offers in softening this process.