The comfort of Water by Maya Ward (Melbourne: Transit Lounge, 2011)

“I don’t like much being in cars.  The smell, the speed, the sense of being away from the ground, cut off from interaction. Cars are just one of the tools that take us away from the time.  Walking was the only way, for so long.  This was who we were for thousands of generations …” (286-7)

Maya Ward takes us with her on a walking and camping pilgrimage from the mouth of the Yarra River in Melbourne to its source.  She shares with us what she sees and smells and touches.  She opens her heart to the spirit of that ancient water flow.  With her we are invited to reflect on our relationship with nature, in particular with our own local natural environment.

Maya’s style is poetic and prayerful.  This is not a journey to hurry to the end of, rather it is a slow descent into a liminal space.  At the same time Maya provides stories from history and reflections on our culture that give us information to ponder and on which to base our own attitude towards our present Western lifestyle.

Iain Radvan SJ, Spiritual Director JISA Campion.