Water is pretty special. You’re mostly made of it. You need 1.5 gallons of it per day at Burning Man. It’s one of not very many substances that can be found naturally in solid, liquid and gaseous form, which is certainly remarkable. It’s not surprising that some people believe water has even more remarkable properties.
Do you remember that study about how water absorbs feelings? If not, here’s a refresher. In the ’90s (remember those?), Dr. Masaru Emoto had a bunch of people beam their feelings into bottles of water, which were then frozen, and the molecules were analyzed for crystal formations. The crystals turned out beautiful! They’re certainly different from one another. The “I will kill you” one certainly looks ugly. What does it all mean? Maybe it wasn’t entirely conclusive. Cool idea, though!
The idea was certainly cool enough to inspire Daniel “Devas” Strickland, the Burning Man Regional Contact from Brazil, to perform a similar experiment inside of his 2017 Black Rock City art installation, the Altar of Intentions. The Altar centered on a toroidal water chamber illuminated by LEDs into which visiting BRC residents would inevitably transmit their vibrations, which Daniel would then document with the help of Akiko Stein from the actual Emoto Institute. “The goal is to capture how the energy of interaction between art and observer is affecting reality,” Daniel says.
So, how was this whole experiment set up? First, the chamber on the altar whirled the water into a vortex, which seems to help. Daniel describes its effects thusly:
“The vortex dynamics are the fundamental motion which makes ‘reality’ possible. [It] is the primary movement from the universe, present in everything that exists in the physical, energetical, and spiritual realms with high energy concentration.”
The altar was up on a platform, and people gathered around it and emanated all sorts of stuff. “During the whole week, I could see hundreds of very deep interactions around that water vortex,” Daniel says. “The feedback couldn’t have been better, from people hugging the water tank to a wedding that happened there on Wednesday. Watching that couple full of love getting married there was definitely a confirmation that the altar was doing its job.”
To make his measurements, Daniel took two samples from the water, one before the event started and one on the fifth day. Once the data had been safely collected, the Altar began to shoot fire through the water, which is just dope. I guess after the samples were taken, it was okay to be a little more loosey-goosey with the energy hitting the water.
I mean, I’m not trying to say I know what crystals mean, but look at these pictures. The water collected before the Burn started looks like this at 200X magnification:
After five days of Burning Man, it looks like this:
The after-crystals look way more crystal-y than the before crystals, if you ask me.
How does Daniel interpret his findings? “The results of the pictures taken by Akiko Stein in my point of view show the big mix of emotions and intentions sent to that water,” he says. “Instead of one totally symmetrical pattern when specific intentions or ceremony is applied, the result from the Altar of Intentions is a juice of many different free intentions from hundreds or thousands of people in their magic week at Burning Man.”
Now that the Burning Man world knows what it’s all about, Daniel plans to bring the Altar of Intentions 2.0 to Black Rock City in 2018.
I Love Burning Man but the goofy astounds me sometimes. Guess I’m just to much of a Heathen.
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Goofy =reality
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I am not surprised by this result. I have been sending good intentions with my water for years and subscribe to and believe in Dr Emoto, and your, wonderful experiments.
LOVE
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I am the bride in that photo!! What a terrific Wednesday it was!
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Beautiful photo Bananaz!
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Wow! This is so cool! I wonder, however, about the quantitative and spiritual effects and influence human skin cells wind blown into the tank may have had on the researchers out come. (AKA airborne Human DNA). By my calculations between 2,000-10,000 pounds of human skin cells are she’d during a week of 70,000 people populating the Black Rock Desert. We are all just dust blowing in the wind…
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are you somehow suggesting that this single data point analysis of human emotions on an open container of water sitting out at a party for 5 days may not be thorough enough?
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Ah, yes. The variables are countless but still a way cool experience. I’m sorry I missed this one! 2018 will be my year to contribute. 2017 was my virgin year. I have much to learn.
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Should put an ‘evil twin’ water somewhere negative during Burning Man; maybe in a war torn place filled with sadness. Would be interesting to see the effect and comparison.
Seven billion people made mostly of water on a planet covered with more water than land. Our collective intention is really starting to matter.
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This is very cool! In 2016 there was a camp where you could make a “cocktail” of water infused with different concepts and intentions.
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AquaZone Love Water Bar!
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Junk science, BS in, BS out–not even a control water tank that was shielded from hugs and focused good intentions! A single experimental tank? There should be a minimum of three. And do another three with sealed lids to test for effects of playa dust (and shed human waste) contamination. Cool vortex, though.
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Somebody needs a hug…..smarty pants.
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Read the research disproving Emito’s experiment. Interesting. Beautiful art and glad it’s coming back.
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i am SO THRILLED to see dr. Emoto’s approach being done yet today- and this was such a unique, artful way! Then to have those results presented again to the public… many thanks & CHEERS!!!! )'( xoxo
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Just beautiful work of art and science. Can’t wait!!
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