It rained all night and the bamboo chimes on the veranda danced in the storm all the way through to the early morning. I felt the dry river filling in my sleep and slowly begin to move again. Something inside of me quietly began to move again too.
I woke up to a grey world. All was still, wet and drenched in soft light. So, when I drew the Daughter of Water tarot card this morning, it seemed fitting for this dreamy rain soaked day. The Daughter of water reminds us that our delicate feminine qualities, the softer parts of our wild essence, are searching for expression and she calls us to allow ourselves to be led by our deepest stirrings. These are messages that I’ve been leaning into a lot in recent times.
The Daughter of Water got me thinking about forgotten women of the water. Not just mythical mermaids, but real women of the water too.
Women like the Ama, the last remaining Japanese mermaids who for free dive to gather abalone, shellfish and pearls – a tradition that their mothers, grandmothers and the women in their line have followed for nearly two thousand years.
Women like Chiaro Vigo, whose story I discovered via Sarah’s blog. Chiaro is said to be the last woman who makes sea silk. Her story, her craft, her sea silk medicine and her profound connection with the ocean is just so beautiful it moves me deeply.
I can’t explain what it is about the watery threads of their beautiful stories that weave together tapestries of emotion and deep thought inside me. Perhaps it’s that they seem Goddess touched or that their stories somehow reaffirm the ancient link between the ocean and our delicate feminine qualities. They awaken the hidden pieces of the ocean that I carry in my womb. In some ways, these stories also remind me of the power we have as daughters to carry our mother’s and grandmother’s stories into the future.
Wishing you a peaceful and watery weekend.
Jodi Sky Rogers 
Kate Rose
Thank you Jodi…having lived near the ocean all of my life, I completely relate to your words, the sacred mystery of our watery tales as women, the waters that break before we birth. Yet as I read “forgotten women of the water” in the title bar of my email notifying me of this new post and before I had even opened it, my mind went straight to the forgotten women of the water in the form of the current refugees taking to boats in a desperate search for security. It is something that has made me tearful this weekend (water again!) and also so very grateful for my life and the beauty all around me…..
Jodi Sky Rogers
Indeed, Kate, the current Syrian and Libyan refugee crisis is devastating. In Africa we’ve faced similar such situation for many years and its so tragic that war and poverty force innocent people to a point of dire desperation. Its overwhelming to think about and it does put life into perspective and make me thankful for my many blessings. I feel there are things we can do to assist – offer prayers, healing light, donations, practical resources, lobby able governments to offer support and other solutions that my arise to help people and orphaned children find a better life. I was so blown away by a story I read this morning of 11,000 Icelanders opening up their homes to Syrian refugees.
Anne Linn
This has been on my mind too lately, like it stays with me through my day. It’s amazing to hear about those icelanders.
Anne Linn
I too fell in love with the woman who makes sea silk. Her reverence for the ocean was just so lovely, and that she would give her work away freely. Thanks for the links. It makes me yearn to be a mermaid 🙂
Kate Rose
Yes, Jodi and Anne…wasn’t she wonderful! I found that a very uplifting story when so much other news can make the heart heavy. Thank you for sharing that Jodi…