The Essence of Existence

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The Essence of Existence

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Niamh Kelly

English 4U

Mr. Cameron

January 18th 2013


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Water is the essence of our existence. It is pure, ever flowing, ever changing; the

definition of life itself. Life would not be on Earth without it. It is worshipped by many

people such as naturalists, who believe that their connection with nature is the ultimate truth

over any religion. People often write poetry and songs about the importance of water in their

lives, offering praise to god for it. Every seven years, each person has a completely new

body. Each cell has been regenerated. This could not happen without the cleansing properties

of water. Water is the essence of all creation.

Each human being is created out of waterin the mothers womb. This is the most

secure period of a persons life. One may not consciously remember this very early time;

however, it is subconsciously implanted in every body cell. The foetus is cushioned from

injury in this amniotic fluid and kept warm and nourished. This creates an affinity between

water and people. It is becoming increasingly popular among expecting mothers to plan water

births, as it is a much smoother process for the newborn. These children tend to be more

relaxed, as they were brought into the world with a softer separation from their home in

water.

Almost four billion years ago, life began on Earth. Eubacteria is believed to be the

first organism in existence. It dwelled in the sea. Billions of years of evolution led the world

to how it is today; with the most complex of organisms to the simplest, all originating from

water. These lyrics from the song When the water comes to life, by Cloud Cultrecognise

that life is water. All you need to know is you were born of water, you are made of water,

you are living water, water, water. Essentially, this is the truth.

Many believe that God uses the physical world as a metaphor for a higher truth. Water

is the reflection of the Holy Trinity. There are many unique characteristics of water that are


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similar to the Lord. They are both ever present, as water makes up approximately seventy

percent of the world. They each exist in three forms, water being the only matter on Earth to

embody gas liquid and solid. God is the unseen; just like water vapour, which makes up thirty

percent of the atmosphere. The Holy Spirit is sent by God from the heavens in the form of

rain to nourish life on Earth. This quotation from the bible explains the importance of water

in Christianity; Theydeliberately forget that long ago by Gods word that the heavens

existed and earth was formed out of water and by water. Humans cannot survive over eight

days without consuming water to rehydrate and replenish the system; yet it is often taken for

granted. The first holy sacrament a Christian receives shortly after birth is baptism. A priest

blesses the baby and welcomes it to the church by pouring holy water over its head. This act

is the formation of a new Christian.

The novels Green Grass, Running Water,by Thomas King,andLife of Pi,by Yann

Martel explore the connection between water and creation. Both titles are linked to water. Pi

is shortened from the French word piscine which means swimming pool. Green Grass,

Running Wateris a story about the formation of the world. It is told by four Native North

American women, named Ishmael, Robinson Crusoe, Lone Ranger and Hawkeye. They

recognise water as the beginning of the Earth; In the beginning, there was nothing. Just the

water (1). They tell their story extremely carefully, making sure each detail is correct. In

their stories, they incorporate different religious tales, one of which is Noahs Ark. This is a

Christian story of how God cleansed the world of sin. He made Noah build an ark to fit his

family, two of each animal and enough food to last the journey. When everything was

organised, God made it rain for months and flooded the world for forty daysto wipe out all

the sin and begin afresh, creating a new world from water. When the flood receded, Noah set


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the animals free and built an altar to worship the lord. He then made a covenant with Noah

that he would never repeat this. "Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." He

has been true to this promise so far. In Ishmaels version, Changing Woman falls from the

sky and lands in a canoe, although Noah eventually kicks her off the boat as she refuses to

follow the rules, just like what he did to his own family.

Life of Pi is a story about an Indian boy named Pi. He and his family leave on a ship

named the Tsimtsum, escaping Indias political downfall in hope of a better life in Canada.

On the third day at sea, the ship sinks. Pi is the only survivor, having made it to a life boat in

time. For227 days, Pi is completely surrounded by water. This is the moulding of Pis new

life. The word tsimtsum in a literal sense means reduction. To a Cabbalist, (a believer in the

old testament of Judaism) tsimtsum is the diminishment of the divine energy which creates

the world. In other words, it is a state of being present in the minds absence; similar to

meditation. This is believed to be how the world will be saved. Mankind must come together

in a state of intense awareness to overcome the insanity of todays society, and create a new

world. The foundation for a new earth is a new heaven (A New Earth, 308). During the

period of time that Pi was on the life raft, Gods energy was removed. Pi felt extremely weak

throughout his travels and experienced hallucinations. He believed that there were animals

from his fathers zoo on the raft with him: a hyena, an orang-utan, a zebra, and a Bengal tiger.

This scene is similar to that of Noahs Ark also. Although he could not feel Gods energy, he

knew he was still there; "Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of

love-but sometimes it was so hard to love" (208). He continued loving God despite how alone

he felt during Gods incomplete presence. Pi knew that there was a reason that eve ryone on

the ship was killed besides him. It was Gods intentionto completely change Pis life. Martel


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chose to name the ship tsimtsum as it is inevitably surrounded by water; the essence of

creation.

Throughout Kings story, Alberta contemplates having a baby; although she loathes

the idea of having a partner. When Coyote dances, a downpour of rain falls around Alberta,

soaking her right through to her underwear (353). He intends to make Albertas wish for a

baby come true. The water magically impregnates Alberta, creating new life; That woman

who wanted a baby. Now, that was helpful (416). He was also the cause of the Virgin

Marys pregnancy with Jesus. Rainwater is the cause of these immaculate conceptions.

Native North Americans have a great respect for Mother Nature. There is much

controversy over the building of the dam in Green Grass, Running Water. Eli (a local

indigenous man) and Clifford Sifton (a white man) who is in favour of the project have an

ongoing quarrel over the matter. Eli refuses to leave his cabin in order to make space for

further construction, as it was built by his mother. He realises the stupidity of a dam; It looks

like a toilet (136). It blocks the natural flow of life; l ike a disease that stops the flow of

blood through the body. It eventually kills its host. In the case of the dam, it kills Eli and the

surrounding plants when it finally gives way and floods the area. Although, now that the

natural state of the river is restored, it brings Elis family together who begin rebuilding the

cabin; The river slowly coming back to life (421). This is a reflection of the world being

fixed by the Indian women.

Martel writes a section ofGreen Grass, Running Waterin allusion to Christopher

Columbus voyage. Throughout the story, four cars belonging to various characters disappear

in place of a puddle of water; a red Pinto, a Karman Ghia, and a Nissan. These are a metaphor

for the ships that were involved in Columbus journey to India, the Nina, the Pinto and the


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Santa Maria. Back in the seventeenth century, people believed that the Earth was flat and that

if you sailed too far out at sea, you would fall off the edge of the world. However, Columbus

hypothesized that the Earth was round and he wished to prove his theory. He lied to his

fellow sailors about the distance they had travelled to keep them calm. They arrived in

America, unaware that they had discovered a new country, thinking it was India. Their trip

through the water led them to the creation of a new era. Those cars somehow end up in the

river by Elis house.If you look to you right, you will see three cars floating on the lake

(406). They are part of the cause of the dam breaking when they crash into it during the

earthquake. This begins a new era in the Blackfoot community, the death of Eli, who is

replaced by Albertas expected child. It is the continual of the circle of life.

Water, the liquid of life, was the beginning. It was here before light, life, and even air.

It initiated the creation of everything that is known to humankind.


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Sources

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

Green Grass, Running Water, by Thomas King

When the water comes to life, by Cloud Cult

The Holy Bible

A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2047206/jewish/Tsimtsum.htm

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-

services/waterbirth/index.cfm

http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/01-col.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_ark

http://www.africanwater.org/religion.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2047206/jewish/Tsimtsum.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2047206/jewish/Tsimtsum.htmhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-services/waterbirth/index.cfmhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-services/waterbirth/index.cfmhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-services/waterbirth/index.cfmhttp://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/01-col.htmlhttp://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/01-col.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_arkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_arkhttp://www.africanwater.org/religion.htmhttp://www.africanwater.org/religion.htmhttp://www.africanwater.org/religion.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_arkhttp://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/01-col.htmlhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-services/waterbirth/index.cfmhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/services/midwifery/our-services/waterbirth/index.cfmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2047206/jewish/Tsimtsum.htm

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