Water

Water popularly represents life. It can be associated with birth, fertility, and refreshment. In a Christian context, water has many correlations. Christ walked on water, and transmuted it into WINE, thus these acts can be seen as a transcendence of the earthly condition. Christians are baptized with or in water, symbolizing a purification of the soul, and an admission into the faith. However, water can also be destructive (as in the biblical flood which only Noah and his family escaped); water drowns and erodes, wearing away even the densest of stones given enough time. Water is also one of the FOUR ELEMENTS essential to life in traditional western philosophy; In this form it is represented by undulating lines, or a triangle pointing down. Colors commonly associated with it are BLUE and GREEN. Its qualities are fluidity and cohesiveness. Flowing water usually represents change and the passage of time.

(Related entries: OCEAN, SEA, TSUNAMI)

Up one level 
Back to document index