The third ring is our physical reality. It is also the classical element of water; what makes up the oceans, lakes, rain, and reservoirs—the water cycle. It is what living organisms are made of. It is the soul.
While it may seem destructive due to phenomenon like floods, lava flows, monsoons, corrosion, and landslides, it is ultimately an element of purity. It sustains life and transports sediments and seeds. It is a natural lubricant, helping rocks go deep beneath the earth into extreme temperatures to melt down and, ultimately, come back as new, larger rocks. It is the basis of all natural cycles, including the ones within the cells of our body that take very little energy and multiply it into larger amounts of energy.
It was once believed the moon was the cause of the morning dew drops. Many people still see the moon as a representation of water and of the womb. It is, therefore, the ‘yin’, a symbol of birth and femininity (though people aligned with water do not have to be female).
The third ring is the ‘sandbox’ for life, there to draw on, mix with, and implement the energies of all four surrounding rings to create based on the information in the fourth ring (where the Collective Unconscious resides).
Life is meant to thrive in the center of the rings where there is a balance between ‘good’ and ‘evil’. The first and second rings are more representative of ‘death’, while the fourth and fifth rings are more representative of ‘life’. Therefore, there is a direct correlation—the third ring having a balance of life and death, and good and evil.
When someone dies, the after-effect is that their spirit affects the fourth and fifth rings while their body affects the first and second rings. The spirit exists in the third ring within a living being and constantly projects itself to the fourth ring, creating a separate, simultaneous existence: the anima.
People attuned to water often desire to be a vessel for life. They tend to be nurturers and healers, have difficulty making up their minds, and dislike arguments. Just as liquid can easily become a solid or gas, people attuned to water can be easily persuaded. Just as pure water can be easily corrupted—become acidic, sullied, or poisoned—so too, can waters.
Some themes associated with the third ring include reflection, memories, mirrors, deception, inflection, sadness, serenity, fatigue, corrosion, fear, wisdom, empathy, cycles, blessings, chemistry, life, malleability, and time. Waters are often expressive and emotional, and can become particularly violent if pushed too far. They have the tendency to talk to themselves, have dualities within their psyche, and can act radically different than usual, often letting the people around them influence their personality.
Abilities water mystics have that other mystics do not:
The most important ability water mystics have over the others is the ability to heal. They can also promote general health and growth. Water mystics are natural swimmers. They can also sustain without water longer than a typical human. If fully heart-linked, a group could possibly influence the weather.
When water mystics shield, they envision themselves submerged in liquid or standing in the rain, or possibly under a waterfall or surrounded by a bubble. When they strike at supernatural entities, the projectiles can be envisioned as anything from icicles to waves, to splashes of holy water.
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