The Nourishment of Rain

By Francie Klopotic

Do rainy days always get you down? Do you hate to hear a weather forecaster predict even one day of rain? Have you ever stopped to consider a positive way to deal with inclement weather? Maybe, perhaps, even to learn how to enjoy it?

Yes, there is a positive way. In fact, there are several positive ways to cope with rainy days and enrich your life in the process. Rainy days can be a blessing and joy, a time to sit back and take stock of your life. To see where you're going and reflect on where you've been. Rain can cause us to put on the brakes, so to speak, in our hectic and all-too-busy lives. It only takes a change of attitude for us to see the beauty of what rain can teach us and feel the nourishment that a rainy day can give.

We in the modern world want things our way all of the time, and the thought of delayed gratification causes some of us grief. Instant communication has become a way of life, thanks to the advent of email and cellular phones. We have become spoiled by instant everything, from oatmeal to scratch-off lottery games. Thus when it rains we want instant sunshine and we can let the rain ruin an otherwise wonderful day.

As a society, we have truly become spoiled by the speed in which we operate in our daily lives, and this has caused us to live our lives unaware of where we are at any given moment in time. Rushing through life, we sometimes leave our true selves behind. Because of this, we've forgotten the simpler ways of life, one of which is slowing down and becoming present in the moment, taking notice of what's going on, not only in the world around us but within ourselves as well.

Rainy days allow us to do just that. They encourage us to slow down, take notice, and simply be. It is when we allow ourselves to be present that we find true joy.

Just like the Earth needs nourishment, our bodies, minds and spirits need nourishment, too. Learning to accept the rainy times as days to slow down and renew helps to make those sun-less times a bit more manageable. Acceptance of what is happening at the present moment also grounds us spiritually, reminding us that the now is truly all there is. There is power in being fully present. There is even mightier power in being fully present during a rain shower.

So, you may ask “How may I find refreshment in the rain when I'd rather be outside doing something in the sunshine?”

Well, there are several ideas.

If you have never taken time to notice rain, sit by a window on a rainy day and watch how the rain makes all the colors brighter. Green never looked greener than on a rainy day, and how about the glorious earth? Ever consider the beauty of mud? Yes, there is beauty everywhere if only we take the time to look.

Watch what happens when raindrops hit the trees. The leaves seem to dance, and the trees come alive with animation. Watching this can help you remember the importance of rain as a life-giving necessity for our planet. And, it only takes one raindrop to make a leaf dance. Why not help celebrate the dance of life with a dance of your own?

Here are a few more ways to help you move through boredom toward acceptance of rainy days while nurturing your spiritual self. As you read these, think of other ways you can make your rainy days special:

• Meditate to the sound of the rain hitting the roof of your home
• Go outside and dance in the puddles
• Light candles and burn incense while watching the rain fall
• Practice breathing techniques and visualize your inner self being washed clean of negative energy by the refreshing rain
• Take your dog for a walk in the rain
• Pick up that book you've been putting off reading and honor yourself with a much needed break
• Give attention to that pet project you've been neglecting
• Reinvent yourself by writing goals, dreams, and thoughts in a journal
• Take a long, warm bath with candles and listen to the patter of rain drops on the roof
• Make a mud pie with your children

The next time the weather forecaster calls for rain, look at it as a time for you to break away from schedules, deadlines, and whirlwind activity and make time to focus on your being. Let the rhythms of the rain help you put yourself into the present moment. Allow yourself the luxury to simply be.

Right here. Right now.

Remind yourself to refrain from entertaining negative thoughts about inclement weather. Remember the fact that the earth needs nourishment, too. And rain can nourish us all in so many ways if only we let it. This is Mother Nature’s way of giving you some time off for spiritual renewal. Thank her for her gift when the rain comes and take that precious time to nurture you

Francie Klopotic is an artist, writer, energy worker, poet, and native Atlantan. She is a mystic and a student of life, the universe, and everything. Contact by Email at: moonaluna@yahoo.com