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Health & Fitness

Hurricane Irene's Message in the Water

Hurricane Irene brought wind and rain to much of the East Coast in August. What is the spiritual and physical meaning of hurricanes and Hurricane Irene?

Hurricane Irene roared up the Eastern coastline of the U.S on the last weekend of August leaving destruction in at least 10 states. There was loss of life with damages estimated at $7 billion. The key note of this hurricane was water and plenty of it. New York City prepared and was protected from major damage unlike some places in North Carolina, Vermont and New Jersey.

It was an almost unprecedented time in recent history along the East Coast with an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week. No not biblically fulfilling perhaps but devastating for many and thought provoking for others. Water levels are still falling along the rivers and massive clean up is ongoing. Thousands remain without power almost five days later.

The Havoc of Hurricanes

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Hurricanes are natural weather patterns. They are rotating storm systems with winds of at least 74 miles per hour. They are comprised of an eye around which is the eyewall and bands of thunderstorms and winds. These massive storms can be seen from space. From there they often look like beautiful spirals gliding across the earth.

We know that hurricanes follow their patterns year after year. Many scientists and lay people alike refute the idea of Global Warming as the cause of the intense and destructive weather activity from hurricanes, typhoons, monsoons and extreme droughts like the one in East Africa now. The question remains as to what is causing the extreme weather patterns?

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Spiritual Meaning

Psychiatrist Carl Jung spoke of archetypes as patterns of life. Water is a major archetype. Jung believed water in our dreams, myths and stories represented the unconscious and emotions. In various traditions water symbolizes life, rebirth, and the soul.

On the earth water makes up at least 70 percent of the planet and 55 percent to 78 percent of the human body. It is a vital element of life. Is water also a field of transference and a method of communicating? When we cry or shed water as tears we are releasing pain, grief or other emotions. Is the earth in some way showing us its physical state?

Many cultures such as the Native Americans speak of the earth as a living entity. Perhaps science would see the earth as a vastly complex, integrated biological system that is self sustaining. In that regard, as a system it would have processes of self regulation using the elements it is composed of, such as water. Weather patterns would be one type of monitoring system as to the over all condition of the planet.

The Energetic System

Ancient Indian texts speak of the subtle energy systems of the human body. Chakras in Sanskrit are vortices of energy that connect our physical bodies with the subtle energetic field around us. Chakra’s form whirling spirals of energy in our systems along the center meridian of our bodies. A few people gifted with clairvoyant sight are able to see these portals. They would resemble hurricanes as seen from space.

These energy pathways help regulate the body’s physical, mental and emotional systems and connect it with the outside world. On the body our chakras remain in pretty much the same place along the spine. Imbalance and sickness can cause them to enlarge, or shrink or spin differently.

If the earth is considered to be a living interconnected biological system, it also would have chakras and meridians similar to longitude and latitude lines. Hurricanes and cyclones would represent the same vortices as body chakras except that they would move across the earth and dissipate.

In that consideration the natural flow of hurricanes with their spin, intensity and wind speed would give clues to the condition of the earth. Weather patterns show the interrelation and condition of all the beings and systems that exist on the planet including humans.

Hurricane Irene disabled part of the country with winds and considerable water. Perhaps her message is that the earth’s system is out of balance. Globally pollution, both physical from oil and toxins and spiritual from war, atrocities, and greed are over loading and taxing the earth’s resources. Our spiritual reflection is up to each of us to listen and understand what we are being shown about our planet and as such our future.

Water is emotion but it is also our very essence. What must we adjust to maintain sustainability on the planet? Perhaps Hurricane Irene is asking us to consider just that.

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