Hello Dear Readers!
This week we have another blog in the series Interview with a Water Priestess. This time we are diving into the realms of the Sea Priestess with Ness Bosch, who is a practicing Sea Priestess living in Scottland. I have had the pleasure of connecting with Ness online over the years, often posting in the same groups. However, I have never had the opportunity to explore her work or really get to know her until now! Below I ask Ness about her practice, how she came to the waters, and what she now offers. I hope you enjoy getting to know her!
Who are you and how do you practice?
I’m Ness Bosch and I live in Scotland, although I’m from Spain.
Tell us about your background, and any training you may have done to prepare for this role.
I finished my Sea Priestess training in 2012. I expanded the training I did myself because I knew there was much more that could be shared on this path and in that very year I inaugurated the Water Temple and began teaching this path in Spanish. Later on, with the creation of the Covenant of the Waters, we expanded the training also in English and Portuguese.
What is your path? And how does it relate to your Water caretaking?
I grew up by the sea. My dad was a scuba diver in the army so before I was 10 I already scuba dived and fish my own food from the sea. I used to sail and surf. I developed a very deep connection to the sea and its animals. Of course, also a great respect for it. I only hunted what I was to eat, mostly octopus and we always picked up litter from the beach etc. I think men use the sea as a dump. There are many little things we can do to respect the sea, the first one is education. We need to teach our children about respect and also teach them to love the sea and waters in general.
How do you feel about Water Priestess work?
Too many people in paganism tend to self-assign themselves titles or roles. Many want to be a sea priestess, or that or that. You need to be born to be a sea priestess. You need to have a deep connection to the sea and waters and that you can not study from your living room or in a fancy temple just because it has a big name. The sea and water spirits are the initiators. I am who I am cause I gave myself to the waters as a child, fully. I was raised as a sea priestess, way before I took the training. The training just helped me to go back to the sea when I most needed it, the water spirits presented themselves and their teachings as a way to open up, even more, the path of the waters to me.
Do you identify as a Well Maiden, Priest/ess, Caretaker or Witch?
I’m a sea priestess and witch maybe also a guardian in a way and a channel. Part of my mission is to bring the water element to others.
What brought you to this sacred water? Was it a particular place?
As I mentioned, it is something that came to me as a child. No place. I was born on an island, then I moved to the continent and grew up by the sea. Is not a particular place, I see the SEA as a living entity, as a container of life.
Can you tell us a little bit about your draw to the Sea and how you began working with Water?
My approach to the sea was very shamanic, even as a child. The first thing you learn is to observe the sea, to listen to it, you need to be able to read it, understand its language, then you also learn from the animals. Before I could hunt for octopus I had to learn about them. Observe them etc I was also very connected to the ponds and rivers in the mountains. I was called by water. You don’t realize, but you start mumbling magic words while or casting the spirits. Talking to the sea… Remember as a young adult, late teens maybe, heading to the sea when there was a storm, especially electric ones. I was fascinated by how the thunders would go into the water during the storm. Remember going approaching the waters and throwing myself to the huge waves, to kind of clear my spirit. All water is interconnected, is not a particular place.
In your experience, what body of water is magical and how have you observed this?
For me every place that has water near is special, but there is a river, in the mountains in Granada that is very magical to me. The water has healing properties, they have the color of emeralds and the Undines and Fae spirits in that river are pure and strong.
Can you tell us about the work you do there now?
I first went there as a child. The waters from that river go to the town. We used to go a bath in summer to the ponds. It is a liminal place, you don’t need to do much, they allow you to cross the veil or not. If they do then you are able to connect with the spirits etc. We can keep a place sacred by respecting its own energy and of course keep it clean. We actually interfere with the energies of a place if not in tune with it or by doing things that really we shouldn’t be doing. I go there to learn, to purify myself, to receive healing.
What dangers does your body of water currently face?
People not being respectful of the area. As I said, the guardians of the place don’t open the veil to all. Still, people need to respect the place.
Sure, as a sea priestess we need to try to expand the consciousness and respect for water. I share a lot on water ecology on my Facebook page.
Do you participate in water activism?
Yes, I have organized in the past activities to go and clear river beds from litter etc.
Is there anything else that you might like to share with our readers?
I have learned that the water element is the most powerful one, at least to me. I have learned from the storms and from the calm of the sea. The most important lesson of the waters is that you don’t get to know the sea from the beach. No matter how many years you spend going to the beach. You need to dive and reach the bottom of the sea, you need to go into the dark cold waters to really learn, to really find yourself. Too much fluffiness out there. Is not about getting a tan on the beach, wearing crowns with shells and corals, is about facing the shadows of the depths and facing the storm.
I run the Sea Priestess training in 3 Intensive Spirals, each spiral is a journey that takes you deeper into the realms of water. Is not a magical training is more like Theurgy of the Waters. Of course, you need to start from the beginning. The first spiral is to explore your connection to water and work from there. I’m mostly known for my Shamanic Trainings. I travel internationally with training workshops and retreats. Even my priestesses trainings are very shamanic. I can’t help it. I’m running Priestess of the Goddess Training in Scotland and also Online. I have also been working on The Sea Priestess Oracle © for a few years. It will be ready hopefully by the end of the month.
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