Aquapoetics

An aquatic kriya: the bodywave

As a practitioner and teacher of yoga in addition to my training in aquatic bodywork, I have sometimes described aquatic bodywork to people as being 'like having yoga done to you'.  And interestingly, Harold Dull, the creator of Watsu, invented a support practice for Watsu that he gave the less-catchy name of Woga.  It involves adopting yoga-type postures while floating in water.  But there is another aspect of aquatic bodywork that relates more intriguingly to yoga.  It is rarely talked about, though I believe it warrants further exploration. I'm referring to a phenomenon Harold has called the 'bodywave'.

Avoiding hot water - good practice for non-clinical practitioners of water therapy

'The guy she goes to for Watsu said that "warm water is no longer a no-no for MS patients.."'

Miscommunication and misinterpretation are perennial human problems. The speed and spread of information (and misinformation) through the Internet adds a dimension to this that is worth paying attention to. Today an example came to my attention and prompted me to share a few thoughts about this with fellow aquatic bodywork practitioners who, like me, are not qualified to offer a 'medical' service.

In the area of helping-or-healing, by which I mean any practice or offering intended to alleviate or improve someone's suffering - misunderstanding and misrepresentation can lead to the very opposite of that good intention. Aquatic bodywork methods like Watsu are no exception. Especially for the novice and non-clinical practitioner, there are two valuable guidelines:

• Know what you don't know (don't pretend or guess)

• Be wary of second-hand information (research facts)

Quote: A meaningful practice (water therapy)

This quote inspired both my spa retreat service and my aquatic bodywork practice - for me it describes right-livelihood.  Sulis

'A meaningful practice becomes an art that combines the imaginal with the concrete, the spiritual with the practical and the artful with the necessary.'

Michael Meade, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 'The World Behind the World' Conference brochure, April 2002