Water is one of the most ancient and powerful symbols in human spirituality. It is a source of renewal, and the element of emotional depth. Water embodies intuition, dreams, healing, cleansing, and transformation. Many of our pagan origin stories originate in water.
Just as rivers carve valleys and oceans shape coastlines, water magic is about flow, adaptability, and strength. For modern pagans, working with water means attuning to cycles of change and opening ourselves to both purification and inspiration. Autumn is associated with water, a liminal season where we look forward.
My journey with water magic began just a few years ago. Throughout my life I have been very connected with the earth and wildlife. But when I moved from Kentucky to Wisconsin, it was like this hole I had filled with water. I was leaving a farm for a more urban area and this lake, just a 5 minute walk from my home, was my lifeline. I have learned so many ways to connect with water and how to use it I just wanted to share them.
The Element of Water
Water is tied to the West and often connected to the moon, tides, and emotions. It represents receptivity, reflection, and intuition—the unseen but deeply felt forces of life. The element of the sea, the storm, and everything in between, water is deep, versatile, and emotional. Water is our rivers, our rain, and our blood.
Symbolically, water bridges the conscious and subconscious mind. Dreams, divination, and psychic work often call upon water as a conduit for visions and spiritual messages.
Water represents our subconscious because just as it has its depths, so do we. For this reason, water is the element of emotion, wisdom, and purification. It is also the most feminine element and is related to those aspects of love.
We often discuss shadow work and I feel that sitting next to a body of water when doing shadow work is very helpful to achieve greater self-awareness and empowerment.
Use water magic for divination, protection, and cleansing. Keep in mind that water is also connected to the subconscious. Often, water magic can tell you more about yourself than anyone else, and that's great.
Dreams are also an important aspect of water. Water magic can help you with your lucid dreams, visions, and calming nightmares.
As well as soothing your mind, water magic can also be used to heal your body. It heals the feet and genitals, as well as a woman's breasts and menstrual pains.
Making Moon Water
On the night of a full moon, place a glass jar or bowl of clean water outside (or on a windowsill where moonlight can touch it). As it sits overnight, focus on your intention—whether it’s enhancing intuition, inviting dreams, or bringing peace. In the morning, collect the moon water. It can be used to anoint candles, add to baths, or sprinkled around your home for magical protection and insight.
Fill a bowl with your moon water or tap water and add a pinch of salt. Hold your hands above the bowl and focus on whatever negativity, stress, or stagnant energy you wish to release.
Speak aloud: “As water cleanses, so do I. May all that is heavy be washed away.”
Dip your fingers into the water and lightly touch your forehead, heart, and hands. When finished, pour the water onto the ground, returning it to the Earth.
Types of Water And Magical Properties
Water has the power to cleanse, both physically and spiritually, washing away negativity and stagnant energy. It is also linked with fertility and abundance, since rain nurtures crops and springs bring renewal to dry lands. Whether still like a pond or raging like a storm, water’s moods reflect the spectrum of our emotions.
Feel the water. Speak to the water. Tell the water your worries and watch them be carried away.
Different types of water have different uses. Stagnant water, such as from a pond, works well for binding spells by immersing a photo or poppet in it.
If you live near the ocean or a sea use it for cleansing and purification spells. Thanks to its natural salt content it is very effective.
Collect rainwater under different conditions to use in spells. Water from a gentle rain shower can be used for cleansing and growth, while water from a storm can be used for power and protection.
Getting out in nature is fabulous but dont overlook water sources in your city. Fountains, fish ponds in a city park, and your bathtub are great ways to connect with water.
Find your peace. Meditate by water. Take a ritual bath. Add herbs, oils, or crystals to bathwater and soak with a specific intention for cleansing your body and energy.
WATER CORRESPONDENCES
Direction: West
Moon Phase: Waning
Gender: Female
Energy: Receptive
Location on Pentagram: Upper Right Point
Season: Autumn
Time: Dusk
God: Dylan, Ea, Poseidon, Neptune, Osiris
Goddess: Aphrodite, Venus, Persephone, Isis
Sense: Taste
Cycle of Life: Maturity
Colors: Blue, Cyan, Black
Animal: Dragon, dolphin, fish, frog, toad
Trees: Willow, lavender, lilac, birch, apricot, apple, elm, rose
Stone: Aquamarine, amethyst, pearl, coral
Tools: Cup, cauldron, mirror
Positive Trait: Compassion
Negative Trait: Depression
Tarot Suit: Cups
Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
5 water-based rituals
1. Flowing Water Cleansing Ritual
Purpose: To cleanse yourself or your space of negative energy.
Find a natural stream, river, or even a small fountain. Bring a small bowl or shell and fill it with flowing water. As you hold the water, visualize it glowing with white or blue light. Dip your fingers in the water and flick it gently toward yourself, your home, or a sacred object.
Speak words such as:
“As the water flows, so does all heaviness leave me. I am renewed and cleansed.”
Let the remaining water return to the stream. This act honors the natural cycle of giving and receiving, while allowing water to carry away what no longer serves you.
2. Full Moon Release Bath
Purpose: To release emotional burdens and recharge your energy.
During the full moon, draw a warm bath and add sea salt, lavender, and rose petals. As you enter the water, imagine moonlight pouring into the bath, shimmering across the surface. Close your eyes and focus on what you wish to let go of — old fears, regrets, or stress.
Say aloud: “Moonlit waters, cleanse me of all that weighs me down.”
When finished, allow the water to drain slowly, imagining it taking your worries with it. You can also perform a version of this ritual outdoors with a basin of moon water.
3. Water Blessing for Loved Ones
Purpose: To send healing, love, or protection to others.
Fill a clear bowl with water and place it at the center of your altar or table. Surround it with photos or names of friends, family, or even the wider world you wish to bless. Drop a few petals, crystals, or herbs into the water — rose for love, basil for protection, or chamomile for peace. Gently swirl the water clockwise with your hand while saying:
“May my love ripple outward like waves across the sea.”
Leave the bowl out under the sun or moon for an hour to charge the blessing, then pour the water into the Earth or a nearby stream.
Fun and Relaxing! Check out my Coloring Book Series
4. Rainwater Gratitude Ritual
Purpose: To connect with nature and express thankfulness.
When it rains, step outside safely under shelter or open sky. Hold your hands out and let the raindrops fall onto your skin. Feel the coolness and life of the water, recognizing that every drop sustains plants, animals, and you.
Whisper words of gratitude:
“Thank you, sky. Thank you, Earth. Thank you, water, for all that you give.”
You can collect some rainwater in a jar and label it “Gratitude Water” to use later in spells or blessings. This simple act of presence helps you feel grounded and connected to the living cycles of the planet.
5. Communal Water Circle
Purpose: To connect a group or coven with one another and the element of water.
Gather participants in a circle, each holding a small cup or chalice of water. One person begins by speaking a blessing or intention — such as healing, unity, or renewal — and then pours their water into a central bowl. Each person follows in turn, adding their voice and their water. When everyone has contributed, stir the water together while saying:
“Many streams, one river. Many hearts, one flow.”
The water can then be sprinkled on the ground, plants, or sacred space to share the group’s energy with the Earth.
Water Deities
Watch my video on Yemaya to learn how to honor her
Yemaya
Yemaya's energy is vast and encompassing—she comforts those who grieve, aids women in childbirth, and provides emotional healing. She is often associated with the full moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, and the deep mysteries of the feminine.
To honor Yemaya, practitioners often use offerings of cowrie shells, blue candles, and fresh flowers such as white roses. Rituals by the sea or lakeshores are particularly powerful—pour a libation of cool water while asking for her blessings of peace and protection.
Keeping a small bowl of water on your altar, can connect you with her loving energy. Engage in charitable acts that support mothers, children, or ocean conservation as offerings to Yemaya’s nurturing spirit.
The Umbanda religion in Brazil is a fusion of different belief systems, including elements from West African religions, Spiritism, Roman Catholicism, and indigenous practices. They often gather at the sea to honor Yemaya and ask for her blessing.
Read my article on her Yemaya: Yoruba Orisha and Mother of All
Horses were also sacred to Poseidon, representing the powerful, untamed energy of both the ocean and the earth beneath it.
Poseidon
Poseidon, one of the great Olympian Greek gods, rules over the seas, rivers, and earthquakes. Sailors, fishermen, and coastal dwellers once offered prayers to him for protection and calm seas. Horses were also sacred to Poseidon, representing the powerful, untamed energy of both the ocean and the earth beneath it. His dual nature—both creative and destructive—reflects the ocean’s capacity to give life and to take it away.
Honor Poseidon by recognizing the vastness and power of the sea. Offer a small libation of seawater or wine at the shore while speaking words of respect. Decorate an altar with seashells or small figures of horses and dolphins. Taking action to protect marine life with Oceana and reduce ocean pollution is another deeply meaningful offering to Poseidon, reflecting a reverence for the balance and strength he embodies.
Njord
Njord is the Norse god associated with the sea, wind, and wealth. He brought favorable winds to sailors and fishermen. Njord also represented prosperity, not only from trade and the ocean’s bounty but from a life lived in harmony with nature’s elements. His name is thought to derive from words meaning “strength” or “vitality,” and he is often invoked for safe journeys, success in commerce, and abundant harvests.
To honor Njord, modern pagans might toss coins in a fountain where they are collected for charity. Spend time by the water, feeling the wind, and reflecting on balance between giving and receiving are ways to connect with his energy. Njord reminds us that true prosperity flows from respect for the forces that sustain life.
Sedna
Sedna is one of the most powerful and haunting figures in Inuit mythology. She is the goddess of the sea, the mother of all marine animals, and the guardian of the Arctic’s vast and frigid waters. Her story tells of betrayal and transformation: thrown into the freezing ocean by her father, she clung to the side of his kayak until he cut off her fingers, which became seals, whales, and fish. Sedna sank to the depths and became a goddess, ruling over sea life and holding dominion over the creatures upon which the Inuit depended. Her myth represents the relationship between humans and the sea—one that demands respect, gratitude, and balance.
Approach her with deep reverence and humility. She teaches lessons about survival, forgiveness, and the sacred responsibility to care for the Earth’s creatures. To honor her, practitioners might meditate near cold bodies of water, light a green candle for the ocean’s creatures, or offer blessed water and song to the sea. Sedna reminds us that the ocean’s generosity must never be taken for granted.
If you are watching this in spring and summer many festivals involve floating flowers on a body of water. floating flowers symbolize renewal, the return of life, and the honoring of nature's cyclical rhythms. This ritual is a meditative practice that connects to the water element and the vibrant energy of spring. Just remember if you are placing flowers in a natural body of water - just flowers. No ribbons, strings or metal as that can harm the animals that live in the water.
Hapi – Egyptian God of the Nile
Hapi was the god of the annual flooding of the Nile, the lifeblood of ancient Egypt. His gentle nature symbolized abundance and fertility, as the floods brought rich silt that nourished crops. Depicted as a plump, blue-green figure with lotus flowers, Hapi was neither male nor female but a balance of both—an embodiment of harmony between forces. Egyptians celebrated him as the divine force ensuring prosperity, health, and renewal.
You can read my article Pagan Deities For LGBTQ+
To honor Hapi, modern pagans can perform rituals of gratitude for water’s role in sustaining food and life. Offerings might include blue lotus flowers, bread, beer, or dates placed beside running water. Lighting a blue or green candle while giving thanks for rainfall and fertile soil connects practitioners to Hapi’s generous energy. Acts of kindness to animals or the environment, especially near rivers or wetlands, also honor his spirit of nourishment and balance.
Author, Ame, is a lifelong pagan and environmental educator. You can read more on the ABOUT PAGE.
