Wouldn’t you know it? I have a cold. Almost exactly three months after I got sick at the start of my Earth month, I’m beginning my Water month with another date with everyone’s favorite Rhinovirus. Gee, Bear, thanks for the reminder that I’m supposed to focus on healing this month.
However, as with the Earth month cold, I am paying attention to my body. Normally when I get sick I spend so much time kvetching about how awful I feel that I don’t stop to listen to my body. I just do like most folks do and play the body-dissociation game (if I ignore it long enough maybe it’ll go away!). The past two times I’ve actually listened–and my body has made it very clear what needs to happen: “I WANT FOOD. NOW. LOTS OF IT. STARVING.” So, having temporarily invoked The Thing That Ate Portland (or whatever major city is handy), I have consumed quantities of (mostly healthy) food, and felt better for it. I recovered quicker last time, and I’m betting on it again this time (though last time I also slept for something like sixteen hours right after it hit, not possible at the moment).
Still, does the lesson have to involve quite so much Kleenex?
Therioshamanism 
I’ve always found with colds that I actually crave great quantities of food. If I really listen to my body, I can tell when I should be eating and when I shouldn’t be.
For example, today is a ‘not eating’ day, I think I have mild food poisoning (judging by the agonising intestinal pain and mild nausea). Heh.
Water is awesome, though I think under-estimated as an element. Just as some people forget that fire is the gentle warmth in a hug, or the warming play between cubs; so too I think people forget that water is the unstoppable force of glaciers, not ‘flowing around obstacles,’ but actually just destroying them (given enough time, that is); and the sharper, pointier ends of icicles.
Vavale, being a swamp deity, among other things, constantly reminds me of my connection to water and the earth in general. I think it’s a wonderful element to end up on, imho.