A walk or hike in the great outdoors will often take in a sweeping river, trickling stream or babbling brook, all of which can be particularly peaceful places. There is something very soothing about flowing water, the patterns of light cast upon its surface and the sound it creates.
Humans have relied heavily on rivers since the dawn of time and, in turn, cultures across the globe have revered waterways as sacred. In the Indian subcontinent, for example, the Ganges is one of seven holy rivers that are viewed as blessed sites and the earthly embodiments of Hindu goddesses. Bathing in the goddess Ganga’s waters, which flow down from the Himalayas, is said to absolve you from your sins. Similarly, the Māori venerate the Whanganui in New Zealand, and the ancient Incas believed that Peru’s Urubamba was a reflection of the Milky Way.