Hello Dear Readers!
I am really excited to bring you another Interview with a Water Priestess. This time I interview Dakota Chanel a Water Priestess living in Hawaii who leads beautiful retreats. She has a passion for love and sex magic, especially where they merge with water! She and I share a deep love for natural springs, and she is one of the core members at FindaSpring.com. Part of her work as a Water Priestess is helping others find clean and safe water to drink! I hope you enjoy reading this interview and getting to know Dakota and her work as a Water Priestess!
Who are you and how do you practice?
My name is Dakota Chanel. I live on the island of Kauai in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I’ve lived here primarily for the past 5 years, and it’s the place I feel most home on the Earth. Part of the reason for this feeling is that the island is a natural giant water temple!
Tell us about your background, and any training you may have done to prepare for this role
I am an ordained water priestess through my teacher Jumana Sophia. It was specifically through the lineage of aquatic bodywork and seeing the water as the elemental representation of the divine mother. From there, water herself and life has initiated me in the water priestess activations that I practice and teach today.
What is your path and how does it relate to Water? Do you identify as a Well Maiden, Priestess, Caretaker, Shaman, or Witch?
My path is one of ceremony and education. I practice many water priestess arts such as libations, water blessings, gathering/creating holy water, anointing, water scrying, ritual washing, baptism, etc. I share them with my close friends & family, in international water priestess retreats, and through my online 6-month water priestess mystery school. I identify as a water priestess as I’m trained in and practice the priestess arts most deeply.
What brought you to this sacred water path?
The water! I was 19 years old and working at a hot spring spa in Colorado. A woman came in and asked if we offered Watsu. I didn’t know what it was so I looked it up online. When I saw a picture of women floating each other in the water, I knew that it was what I was meant to do. I grew up with a mother who is very spiritual and studied Peruvian shamanism in-depth, so I was being taken on shamanic journeys as a teenager and given lots of healing work as a child. This set me up to know that I wanted to do some kind of healing for a profession, but I didn’t know what until I discovered aquatic bodywork. That truly was just the beginning though. I do not practice aquatic bodywork anymore, but support women in many other ways. I believe that we all have a divine purpose. That we are not random, but a perfectly unique drop of water in the ocean of life. I did not consciously choose this path. It is who I naturally am that bloomed from saying yes to following my heart and stripping away cultural conditioning.
Was it spirit-led?
Definitely! My whole life has been spirit-led. What I’ve realized is that by listening, even if it seems crazy like when I moved to Hawaii with $500, you will always be divinely supported. I like to say I’ve lived off the magic. As they say, fortune favors the bold or spirit supports those that follow their path.
Can you tell us a little bit about the history of finding your path?
I moved to Oregon from Colorado when I was 21 with almost nothing to my name to attend massage school. I then planned to move to Hawaii after that to study aquatic bodywork. Upon arriving, I went to a women’s circle at the Goddess Temple of Ashland and shared that I had just moved there, but only briefly as I wanted to leave to study aquatic bodywork. The leader of the circle was my first teacher Jumana Sophia, who shared that she had just opened a pool and water temple at her home. I ended up living and studying with her for two years. I could have never found it online or understood why I was called to move there while I was still in Colorado, but it was clearly divinely guided. I had to take the leap of faith and follow my heart’s calling even though I didn’t know how it would work out.
From there, I chose to visit Kauai on a vacation for my 23rd birthday. I felt at home for the first time on this planet. I had so many mystical experiences with sacred water spots that I knew I needed to move here. I took the leap of faith and moved with no job or house lined up. Everything worked out better than I could have ever imagined. That was 5 years ago. Since then, I’ve truly created my dream life. This island has been one of my greatest teachers.
Did a particular Water Goddess or spirit call you?
I have the strongest connection to Aphrodite and Mary Magdalene. They both have called me in different ways. My mother is also connected to Aphrodite and her teachings and the “beauty way” is something I grew up with. I also resonate with her mother Dione and have the most shines set up in my house to these two goddesses. Mary Magdalene started calling me at the same time as the water. I had a powerful experience channeling the Magdalene in ceremony and have felt a deep connection ever since.
Do you have a Sacred Body of water you tend?
I tend to many sacred places on the island of Kauai. As I stated before, this whole island feels like a water temple and there are infinite incredible water spots. However, the one I tend the most often is Makeleha spring as I go there with my fiancé once a week to gather water to drink. I clean up, make beautiful wildflower altars, and whatever she asked me to bring for offerings. Local raw honey is one of her favorites. Recently, she asked me for mica sparkles from my friend’s land in NC. I also love to sing to her.
I have been drinking unprocessed spring water straight from nature for 5 years now, and it is my favorite kind of water to drink. Water starts becoming our blood in about 5 minutes. The water we drink is the foundation of our health. Drinking water from this gorgeous, sacred place is an honor. It is such a gift that I get to have a beautiful relationship with where the water that becomes my blood bursts forth. I always recommend people go to FindaSpring.com to see if there is a spring near them where they can gather water.
Springs are one of my favorite kinds of water. It is so magical to me that when the water deep within the womb of the earth is ready, by some mysterious force, she flows upwards against gravity, sometimes against hard stones like granite, until she bursts out onto the surface of the earth.
I also have a deep love for the ocean. I currently live a 3-minute walk from the beach, so I go down to make water offerings many times a week. Freediving is also a passion of mine. It reminds me of the same feeling I’d have receiving underwater aquatic bodywork where you can’t breathe and the magic state of surrender that happens deep under the surface. It’s another universe that feels so much more home than land.
What makes this body of water sacred?
Makeleha means to gaze in awe or wonder. This is definitely how I feel when there. It’s one of the most beautiful springs I’ve ever been to. She is very happy and alive. You can feel the spirit strongly as it’s a 15-minute hike with some challenging mud pits to get the water, so it’s protected from cars. We got the water tested in-depth and it could not be more perfect. It’s super alkaline, has a great mineral balance, a high silica content, and no contaminants.
What types of spirits dwell here?
The spirit of Makeleha is very powerful. Meeting her was one of the reasons I was inspired to move here. 5 years ago, I hiked to the waterfall. Once there, I heard her ask me to offer her a quartz crystal wrapped in copper that I had been singing into for years. This was my most special crystal as it was rutilated. I could see how my voice programmed all these golden lines into it over the years. I didn’t want to let it go, but I knew it was what was being asked of me. I offered it to her waters. After doing that, I felt the spirit of the waterfall come up my bare feet and through my body. It felt like my cells were being bloomed like flowers. It was one of the most magical feelings I’ve ever experienced. I felt so much love and activation. This was my first time meeting her. I’ve also had a dream about being there and a stone turning into a white dragon and me flying on it. There are many more Devic beings that dwell there, but those are two of my personal examples.
What did you do when you first arrived? Did you clear the place of pollution and trash? How do you continue to keep it sacred and holy?
I almost never see trash as everyone knows it’s sacred. She gives so much life to so many people that the main thing I do is make sure she feels appreciated and honored in return. I sing to her and do rituals while my beloved gathers the water. I love to do water blessings and baptism rituals the most. It’s also the water I use on my water altar, so I pray with the water every day and offer it to the earth every new moon.
What dangers does your body of water currently face?
Thankfully, she’s well-loved. The biggest threat is that the spring has two pipes, one that the county can divert water to. So I have seen the spring water diverted from the offering pipe to the town. People caused such an uproar though that they reversed it.
What is the goal of your work there?
To celebrate the sacred lifeblood of the divine mother that becomes my blood and gives me life.
Do you provide healing or charms for people in, around, or connected to your sacred body of water?
All water-based things that I share with people are made from that water. All tea I serve guests, most water blessings or ritual washings I do, all sprays and elixirs.
Can you tell us about the work you do now?
I created the Water Priestess Mystery School in 2019 and have been teaching it for the past 2 years. It is the distillation of an 8-year water priestess initiation of my life into a 6-month program. A journey through 6 of the major rites of passage as women such as menstruation, sexuality, and menopause through the lens of the water. It also includes water priestess teachings such as ritual washing, baptism, water scrying, water blessings, specific water rituals, and lots more. We also cover the major kinds of water such as spring, rain, and dew as well as water goddesses, water chants, water beauty tips, and more. It is such a delight and honor to teach.
I am also deeply passionate about Amrita or female ejaculation and loved teaching women about their sacred sexual nectar. I have a 6-week course on this and also include it in retreats.
Sharing in person at Water Priestess Retreats around the world is something that I look forward to getting back to soon once travel opens up again. There’s nothing like the in-person magic.
That’s the work I do with others. However, I do lots of intimate water ceremonies with myself and small groups of close friends.
What is the most important thing for you right now in regards to your path?
Right now, I am working on a book on behalf of the waters! It’s nourishing my soul so deeply, as writing was my favorite thing to do as a child, and I’ve always wanted to write a book.
Do you work with water in the physical landscape? In the body? Or a more spiritual approach?
In the body and a spiritual approach although I do work with the waters around me. The main water I work with, in the body is Amrita or female ejaculation. This nectar is one that I love to work with the most for blessings and prayers. It’s my favorite water that my body makes. It’s so magical to me that orgasmic water can flow from my yoni! I truly believe that it’s also a gift to the earth. In ancient times, we used to make love on the earth. There were fertility rituals to bless the crops. Now, there is a disconnect where the earth no longer receives our sacred juices. The first time I offered my amrita was to the ocean, a rogue wave actually came to grab it from me! It was a very powerful experience to feel how much the water wanted my amrita. Since then, I’ve done lots of amrita offerings, but my favorite was actually making love on a special mermaid rock and orgasming straight into the ocean with my beloved.
Do you do healing work or rituals connected to water?
Yes, my favorite kinds to offer are ritual washing and baptism. We all take baths or showers to purify ourselves physically. One of water’s main properties is that of cleansing. However, water not only can clean us physically but on an emotional and energetic level. Cultures around the world have worked with water to cleanse spiritually. The mikvah baptismal pools are used in Jewish tradition. The Castilian spring at Delphi was used for ritual cleansing before entering the temple. The Tsukubai in Japanese culture is used to rinse the hands and mouth. Ceremonial washing of the feet is prevalent in certain Christian traditions.
Working with water intentionally to cleanse and purify is deeply powerful. I love to do ritual washings. There are lots of different options for what this can look like. You can ritually wash any part of your body or another person’s body. I like to make a special water elixir based on whatever is the intention. I like to use spring water, but you can use any pristine wild water. I also like to add a few drops of holy water from around the world. Then I pray & sing the intention into the water while stirring it. You can add resins, flowers, herbs, crystals, the options are infinite! I also like to use a soft organic piece of cloth instead of a towel to wash the body.
The important elements to remember are to go slowly. Be sensual. Drip some drops from the cloth onto the skin. Drag the cloth along the body. Play with different pressures. Pray to the water the entire time. Holding the intention clearly. You can also sing to hold the energy. I like to offer the water back to the earth when I’m done.
How do you feel about the current attack on water? Standing Rock? And Pollution in general?
Tragic. We must get people to understand that if you poison any water, you poison all water and yourself for we are all intimately connected. Water shows us this unity so clearly.
Do you feel that your work is connected to this? Do you participate in water activism?
More in an indirect way. However, I’m inspired to start an activism project with the intention of banning glyphosate from being sprayed on the roads and going into the water supply on the island.
I also am also on the core team of the Find A Spring foundation, which is another form of activism that I spend my time on. It’s a website database of cold & hot springs. My fiance just turned it into a non-profit, and we have been pouring a lot of energy into leveling it up. The intention is to support more people to connect with and drink local spring water and eventually fund projects to purchase & protect springs for public access.
What types of rituals have you done to protect your sacred body of water and the water of the world?
I pray for the waters every morning at my water altar. It’s my daily spiritual practice to drop in and sing/pray with the spring water. Then I offer the water back to the earth on each new moon. I feel the biggest thing we can do to protect the waters is to raise consciousness. When people understand the sacredness of water, the water will be treated with love and respect. So my work aims to protect water by encouraging people to form a personal relationship with her.
Is there anything else that you might like to share with our readers? Messages from Spirit?
My favorite message I ever received from the divine is that “we are the children of the most beautiful love story in the universe”. That no matter what, you are always being loved. This is what the water teaches. There is nothing you could do that would make the water turn her love from you. She washes us all clean, saint or sinner.
If you would like to learn more explore these links below!
If you want to learn more about the Water Priestess Mystery School, you can find information here
If you are interested in the Amrita Orgasm Course, you can find it by clicking here.
If you’re curious about upcoming mermaid retreats, you can find information here.
You can connect with me on Instagram at @iamdakotachanel
Are you a Water Priestess? Would you like to be interviewed for this series? Visit www.WaterPriestess.com
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In