One of my favorite inspirational messages I receive regularly is from the Daily Om.  Many of you may be familiar with this website’s heartfelt and profound messages of wisdom, which are sent on via e-mail.  Today’s message dealt with “Unconscious Communication: Addressing chronic lateness helps us to better honor both others and ourselves", a subject that spurred me to post a comment discussing the impact of the “water” element, one of the nine archetypal characteristics that can be represented in someone’s Star Quality.  I’ve shared the comment below (reworded to elaborate in more detail) and welcome any questions or reactions in return.

Here is a snippet of the article:

“Being late for an appointment or a date can seem like a small thing that really doesn’t matter, but it communicates volumes, whether we mean it to or not . . . If it’s become a habit of ours not to be on time, we may want to look inside ourselves and see what’s going on . . . .”’
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This article resonated with me because it highlights the role that punctuality can play in interpersonal connections:  being on time is equivalent to being considerate.  This may hold true in reverse, in that being late can demonstrate disregard for the other person(s) involved.  The accompanying message suggests that self-reflection can help in making necessary changes.  I agree—understanding one’s own tendencies and internal clock is part of the process.  I also felt the importance of offering another perspective.  A pattern of consistent lateness reveals the possibility that a person’s underlying nature is a factor.
In the work that I do, one of the things I try to determine when working with a client who struggles with the issue of chronic lateness in his or her life is whether the person contains the element of water in his or her energetic makeup—a “water” person, so to speak.

"Water" people have their own sense of time based on their own personal cycles and rhythms, and as a result may have difficulty adhering to the classic "9 to 5" schedule of daily life; they need to flow from their own energetic time systems.  Knowing this may help them to make better choices on what type of career or job works better for them, in particular trying to find one which has more flexibility built into it or even allows for the option of working from home.  It is more difficult for a "water" person to fit into a planned 24-hour cycle; it is better for him or her to understand his or her own essence and create a schedule that works around and reflects it.  For instance, establishing functional habits better suited to the individual, such as scheduling an appointment at a more suitable timeframe for one’s typical cycle (such as 1 p.m. instead of 9 a.m.) is helpful, as it would complement one’s personal energy (chi).

Furthermore, a “water” person can approach relationships in such a way as to adapt a more flexible sense of personal timing.   If these “water” characteristics seem to describe you (or someone you know), it may mean that you express water in your own innate nature.  In this case, for instance, you may address this with a significant other in this way:  tell them you love, respect and regard them and your time together so that they understand that you are not acting out of inconsiderateness but that you want to work on creating flexible "dates” or appointments that will support both you and them, showing up in a way that works better for both of you.  This way they understand that saying, for example, "Let's meet at 5:00 pm,” might mean 5-ish in your inherent "water" ways of time.  They would expect you perhaps closer to 6; in knowing your tendencies, they can set a later reservation and in turn show up later themselves to coincide with your likely arrival or plan accordingly.  As a “water” person, you can understand that if you do make it ahead of time and have to wait on them a bit, it is a reasonable outcome and part of the flow.  Although doing this may seem dishonest and complicated, it is instead understanding and making allowance for the “water” nature.  This is one way to assist the ‘water person” in adapting within the 24-hour framework.  Allowing for this will help release stress and tension in any type of relationship and clear the way for when a “water” person has to draw upon his or her energy reserves for more demanding, fixed, or required time commitments like a court date or wedding.  : ) 

I’m expressing this not to release “water” people from the responsibility of not being on time, but rather to help them take responsibility in learning about their own nature and working effectively with this insight by establishing ways that will work better for them and their life situations, especially by communicating more effectively and forthrightly with others about his or her inherent nature, and thus the apparent effect on timing. 

I hope this made sense and has been helpful.  Good examples of people who have "water" in their make-up are artists, creative types, musicians and Healers! 
~Marcela Lily 

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