One of my earliest memories is lying on my stomach with my sisters by the meandering stream next to my grandparents home in a small town in Ontario.
It was magical, water nymphs dashed across the surface and small marine life scuttled across the stream’s bottom. We would watch the water move slowly past us carrying little sticks, leaves and other offerings from nature.
For sacred singer and sound healer Danielea Castell, her relationship with Water (she capitalizes the because of her reverence and gratitude) is profound, personal and easily available to everyone who chooses to commune with Water.
In her Water Gratitude concert, Feb. 7, at Shiraoi House in Quesnel, Danielea shares, through her music, her profound connection to the earth and specifically Water. Her focus is to bring more harmony and balance to both human and nature communities using her musical gifts.
“My consciousness and Water are one and the same now,” she said.
Her music begins with one of her many instruments, the shruti box, a bellows instrument from India, a harmonium (similar to the shruti), a native American flute and a frame drum.
Melodic sounds emanate from Danielea, all with a soothing, deeply penetrating cadence which inspires the listener to leave the brain and head for the heart to get in touch with their love of water.
Danielea has made three pilgrimages since partnering with Water, in each to commune with different ancient waterways. Her first was to the Yukon and South East Alaska where she asked Water for direction. The answer came back offer water ceremonies to Fraser River.
Her second pilgrimage led to the Alberta Tar Sands and the Athabasca River.
“At the headwaters I experienced the undamaged, pristine Athebasca River, a mighty warrior then the tar sands area further down the river where her voice is quite subdued,” she said.
Her third pilgrimage was to Quesnel Lake after the breach of the tailings pond and this has been her focus.
However, communing with Water isn’t just a solitary mission for Danielea, she guides and inspires others to also commune with Water and send messages of gratitude to Water for all humankind derives from Water.
“Remember, a majority of our own human form is composed of water,” she said.
“We’re not so different.”
Respect for Water is also paramount in Danielea, also respect for all voices on the planet regardless of their message.
“We need to partner with all other cultures, including the corporate culture, to find sustainable, respectful solutions and I think if all partners respect the other, including Water, a solution can be found,” she said.
“I recognize the only thing I can control is what I do and my choices. I ask myself what I’m thinking and doing, is it creating more harmony or more separation in my world?”
All proceeds from the concert benefit the website, www.thebankofgratitude.net, contains inspiration from many sources including helpful hints for dialogues with a river.
Danielea’s experience has taught her, beginning with slow breathing and silence, helps us connect to the river.
These are not necessarily new concepts, humans from their very beginning have communed with Nature and from this gained wisdom which they shared with others.
Danielea opens her heart and gently shares her wisdom through sacred singing and sound healing in this Feb. 7 concert. Tickets are $20 in advance from Green Tree Health and Wellness and online at eventbrite.ca or $25 at the door.
This fundraiser for The Bank of Gratitude, a Rivers Day event, Sept. 27 is where the public is invited to join together in communing with River.
For more on Danielea and her message visit her website www.danieleacastell.ca.