As off girdders-in-training, one of the simplest things to learn and use while still on the grid is harvesting rain water. This is one of my favorite subjects, it includes 2 of my strongest beliefs…no man made chemicals and self sufficiency. Water straight from Gaia, untouched by man is one of the healthiest, most beneficial things we can put in our bodies, in our gardens and give to our pets. Of course, we want to filter it and treat it in natural ways to remove any microorganisms that may have found a home in it. I’ll have future blog posts on our particular water system complete with pictures as well as properly and naturally treating rain water in the near future. In this post, I want to focus on the benefits of harvesting rain water.
Being a Sagittarius, an independent and free spirit, the self sufficiency and control rain water harvesting gives us are the 2 main reasons to harvest water however, their not the only reasons. Harvesting water makes us independent of someone else’s control over the water…how much we pay for it, what chemicals are added to it, where and how it’s stored, is it dead and acidic or alive and alkaline?
Having no water bill is a given when you’re off grid. No one should pay for what Gaia gives us as it belongs to all of us. She has given no man authority over her or her gifts. When I pay our on grid water bill, I feel I’m paying for fluoride, chlorine and other toxins, not so much for the water. With rain water, you can treat it naturally and not have poisons forced on you. You decide what, if anything, goes into your water. You know how it’s stored, how alkaline or acidic it is and how its treated. You have full control over what goes into your and your family’s bodies, in your garden, what’s used to clean your home and vehicle, what you shower in and what you give your farm animals and pets. You have full control and don’t have to pay money for it.
If you’ve grown plants with and without rain water, you noticed the plants respond to rain water much better. It’s naturally healthy for them the same way it is for us. They look healthier, livelier, bigger and some have better tasting, larger fruit and higher yields. Simply put, man can’t compete with Gaia nor can man improve what she does. Plants do best with what Gaia gives them, so do humans.
The health and healing benefits are numerous, it’s the purest water on the planet, naturally alkaline and due to it not yet hitting the ground, no minerals. The best part is there are no man made chemicals, no fluoride, no chlorine, nuthin’. We’ve all heard of acid rain; if you like in an area that’s known for acid rain, you shouldn’t collect rain water. Humans have been using rain water since ancient times and still today in some parts of the planet.
Rain water has the same PH as reverse osmosis water but naturally. It promotes detoxification of the body and supports a healthy digestive system. Rain water also neutralizes the blood PH,making the whole body work well as a system. It’s antioxidant properties also make it anti-cancer. Rain water has been prescribed in quite a few ancient medicines for cancer. According to Ayurveda Medicine, 2 to 4 tablespoons of rain water in the morning on and empty stomach neutralizes the stomach acids and soothes mucosa.
Health brings on natural beauty. Rain water is a great for anyone’s beauty regimen. It’s alkaline which makes it mild to the hair and skin, encourages hair growth and strengthens the hair. It helps keeps the PH balanced in the skin helping it retain moisture and elasticity. When used on a regular basis, the skin glows with a younger, more radiant, glowing, healthy look. It’s great at effectively cleansing the skin.
When using any soap, shampoo, body wash, laundry soap, etc, you need to use less with rain water. It works super well. You’ll see less fading in your laundry. Tap water minerals can react with detergents making clothes look faded and dull. A nice little side effect is it makes your soaps last longer, saving a little money and time making them or going to the store to buy them.
I do need to include a side note here about soaps. When living off grid, you’re responsible for the land you’re living on. Anything you put on or in that land can come back to bite you if it’s not Gaia friendly. There are plenty of safe soaps on the market, just do your research and familiarize yourself the ingredients of anything you buy to be sure it’s not going to harm the plants, sentient beings, you or Gaia. Some homesteaders use their grey water for their chicken feed plants or for projects that don’t including ingesting it. Whatever you do with it, this water is getting returned to Gaia. She knows what to do with rain water however, she doesn’t like chemicals too much. Who can blame her?
It’s no secret that plants love rain water. You’ll see a difference in your indoor plants using rain water as well. I just collect and use it. I’ve never had a problem not filtering it. I just make sure it’s stored in mason jar with a tight lid. Rain water is natural for any plant. You’ll see it in the brighter color of their leaves and flowers, the blossoms coming in faster and healthier or the fresher, healthier, cleaner over all look. Your precious plants, in and out doors, will thank you in many ways.
We can’t leave our pets and farm animals out. Just as it’s good for health, it’s amazing for your pets as well. Wild animals have been seen playing in the rain, it’s medicine as well as fun. Your animals get the same benefits. You’ll see it in their fur, their eyes, their over health and energy level. Give filtered rain water to them to drink, bathe them in it or let them play in the rain and build their immune system.
Although rain water is nothing less than a precious gift from Gaia, it does come with its own cautions. Rain water lacks important minerals so you want to make sure you’re getting them from another source. I use Himalayan sea salt on my food, it has 84 trace minerals and won’t harm your health like regular table salt does. You want to make sure you’re using a filter meant for the purpose of rain water and that it’s in good working order. It’s very important to keep up with your filters. Pregnant women need to make sure they either have a high quality filter or the water is boiled before consuming.
Rain water, being one of the five elements, is a useful tool in magick. The first rainfall of the month is considered sacred. When using in magick, you need to consider the energy of the rainfall or storm. Storm water is symbolic of the powerful energy nature processes. It’s good for strong results. It gives more power to your spells. The energy is raw and chaotic so you need to be sure to never break your focus. Water from a calm storm is good for magick that requires a calming energy. Easing emotional issues, peaceful sleep, settling down after being upset are all spell subjects that could benefit from calm storm energy. A thunderstorm possesses a neutral energy and can be used with a wide variety of spells you wish to add a bit more power to. Protection and love spells both are examples of spell that could benefit. Water from a hurricane or tornado is best used in spells of revenge,manipulation, control and confusion.
Water is something be respected, be grateful for and help to improve life in general. It’s necessary for the existence of life on earth. Living solely off rain water is something I’m looking forward to. What are your rain water experiences? I’d love to hear about them. Share you knowledge 🙂
This article is not intended diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness and has not been evaluated by the FDA.
Resources: https://drhealthbenefits.com/food-bevarages/beverages/health-benefits-of-drinking-rainwater, https://witchesofthecraft.com/2012/02/19/water-magick/, https://pasttheveil.com/storm-water-magick/
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