Whare Ra paper for the Grade of 3=8
(Private Collection C – Whare Ra #55)
With the Undines, Nymphs, Naiads and Merfolk we come to an altogether alien type of life. Man, by nature and of necessity, is a creature of Earth and Air. He dwells upon Earth, he inhales Air, accepting both as part of his daily life. Their living counterparts are his constant associates, even though they may be invisible and intangible. In many ways their thoughts and actions resemble his own. In the childhood of the Race and of the individual Gnomes and Fairies are accepted as friendly companions. But Water is different, it requires a definite effort for man to move on or in it. It is something inimical to be conquered, something incalculable and to be used with discrimination and constant watchfulness. And in the same way the Water Elementals must be approached warily as potential enemies, only converted into friends by the exercise of a firm, gentle, but un-relaxing authority.
Although the Undines are akin to the fluids in man’s being their correspondence is to be found in the colourless lymphs rather than the red blood – they are changeable and apparently treacherous, apparently, because they follow their own laws, but these are incomprehensible to the human mind, and their working is often incalculable. Almost all the Water Elementals are beautiful, graceful and attractive but if a human being yields to their advances they will first entice and then destroy him. In common with the Elementals of Earth and Air their preoccupations are concerned with the forces of growth. Water, when properly used, is the great agent for purification and fertilisation. All forms of life depend upon its presence, and without it the richest land becomes barren, but uncontrolled it becomes a terrible and destructive force. The Undines are very largely engaged in directing the rains formed of their element into channels where the Gnomes and Sylphs may avail themselves of its presence. They are also concerned with the various forms of life which inhabit the water and it is probable that some of the activities which seem to man to be entirely inimical are in reality for the purpose of guarding their charges and maintaining the one balance among them.
We must realise that Water is a negative, passive Element, therefore it tends to attract any positive, active object to it. The Water Elementals being the essential substances of Water, they possess this power of attraction very strongly developed. The old fairytales and legends are full of stories of human beings who are drawn into the water or who mate with water-folk. If the human successfully resists them he becomes the master over Water Elementals and can use their knowledge of the secrets of Nature.
Water has the property of reflecting whatever is near or above it, and in the same way the Elementals reflect and intensify the mental processes of those who have dealings with them. Thus their friendship or obedience is of great practical value in the practice of meditation, memory, and certain forms of clairvoyance, but in whatever dealings a human being has with the water sprites, the greatest care must always be exercised.