WOMEN+WATER = LOVE

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by water in all forms. I played in and with water, anticipated the view of the ocean like Christmas and I have dreamed of water almost every night since I was 6.

I also was fascinated by myths and fairytales, specifically The little Mermaid. Not the happy ending Disney one, but the original, by Andersen, where Ariel ends up dying in the ocean, transformed into sea foam because it doesn’t work with her prince.

So who’s dying in mermaids stories? The sailor? The mermaid? Why are sirens luring Ulysses? What do they want? What do they know?

I researched mermaids and sirens folk tales and mythology for years, and through different countries. Those creatures, invented — or is it? — by humans are spread out worldwide. They hold a function. As you know, myths and stories are created to transcend reality, attempting to catch a glimpse of our universal mystery.

What is interesting, is that mermaids or sirens (birds) have seen their form and reputation change throughout our history. From magical, feared yet respected, they turned into sexy, luring and dangerous creatures. Mermaids turned into an archetypal femme fatale with her attributes: long hair, a comb, a mirror, displaying playful, enchanting qualities yet seen as a threat. Sometimes killer in Brazil or cannibal Japan. 

One interpretation of the Odyssey though, is that the sirens are not there to kill but to test Ulysses in his quest and see if he’s ready to receive the mystery of the deep ocean, of life. Are mermaids here to kill or are they just warning visionaries, seeing ahead like the prow in front of the old vessels? What do we see when we’re at sea?

I don’t have the answer. There’s no right or wrong, especially in the department of myths or tales, but maybe sirens or mermaids are just different faces of the deep feminine, half human, half fish. Complex. And if life starts in water, if we all come from the ocean, sirens could simply be a mirror of the primitive us, and a messenger of what we don’t know or forgot, our collective unconsciousness, our own mystery.

Mermaids have and are created because they do have a collective function, and if they are trending right now, in the medias, what urgent message might they be sending from the deep ocean when our oceans are so sick?

I believe mermaids are coming today to warn us about the planet, about miscommunication between our conscious and unconscious minds; the same way the sailor with wax in its ear attached to the mast refuses to listen to the flying or swimming sea creatures omens. They are not singing to lure but to say, it’s time to wake the fuck up! And we need help. Help us save the ocean and help us save YOU. 

The message is not the prettiest song for mankind, but our planet is urgently needing listeners, so maybe, we can let the healing feminine side of the mysterious element water speak up, the voice of the sea, mer, or mare in latin, which means mother, talk to us. She’s for sure, sending lots of sirens messengers right now!