Dancing in the Rain: 6 Reasons We Should All Be Pluviophiles

By Nikki Harper

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

As a Brit, I can vouch for the fact that small talk about the weather, and in particular moaning about the rain, is indeed a national pastime. When you need to make polite conversation with someone next to you in the queue, a wry observation about how you might have to swim home if it carries on like this is a sure-fire way to oil the wheels of social niceties. Beyond the quirks of British culture, however, many people – at least those who live in climates which don’t suffer droughts – seem to genuinely dislike the rain.

A quick survey of friends, family and associates on how they feel about the rain brings up a typical cross-section of comments. “It’s so depressing.” “I hate it when it’s so grey and miserable.” “It’s just a pain, you can’t get out and enjoy the garden”. “Ugh, cold and wet. What happened to summer?” In film, TV and art as well as in real life, rain is often taken to symbolise sadness, depression, tears and foreboding. You only have to think of King Lear in the rainstorm, or Cathy staying out all night in the rain waiting for Heathcliff. Rain as a pathetic fallacy, where human emotions are ascribed to nature, seems to universally agree that rain is not a happy thing

I disagree. For as long as I can remember, I’ve adored the rain. I get bored, listless and irritated during long days of samey samey sunshine, but I feel energised and inspired when it rains. Some of my earliest memories are of grabbing a reluctant cat and going outside to sit cuddled up under an umbrella every time it poured down. Just to sit. And to be. As my fellow pluviophiles will agree, there are so many reasons to embrace the rain.

1: Rain as a Symbol of Oneness

For me, rain is a fantastic symbol of interconnectedness and the sense of oneness that inspires awe and wonder. Each individual raindrop is akin to a single soul, a unique being, but as the rain falls and merges into wet ground, puddles, rivers and oceans, so we too sense the collective consciousness that we can tap into and merge with. Rain is a great equaliser – everyone around you is going to get just as wet as you are – and it can also bring out the tenderness and compassion within you as you urge others to come under your brolly. Studies show that rain encourages people to reconnect with others, too, with phone calls to friends and family increasing during bad weather [1].

2: Rain as a Symbol of Renewal and Rebirth

Rain is necessary for seeds to grow; we know this, but how often do we stop to think that symbolically, pain and sadness are necessary sometimes for us to grow too? Embracing the spirituality of rain means accepting that life isn’t all sunshine and candy floss. Sometimes, it’s going to rain. And sometimes, it’s going to hurt. And that’s OK.

3: Rain as a Symbol of the Natural Cycle

Rain reminds us of the cycle of life. It’s pouring down now and everything is soaked, but soon enough it will dry; and then it will get soaked again, and then it will dry. Nothing lasts forever, and the temporary nature of the rain around you is a strong reminder of this – and a helpful reminder if you’re going through a tough time. It will pass.

4: Rain Encourages a Fresh Perspective

Things look different in the rain – mentally, but literally too. The colours in the concrete or bricks around you will change. Stones start to shine, earth turns darker. The darker sky subtly changes the hue of the colours around you. Creatures behave differently. Things smell different too – and in fact, the smell of the rain, known as petrichor, has been shown to boost mood; the pounding of the rain on soil releases compounds such as geosmin and microbes such as mycobacterium vaccae which work as a kind of natural Prozac [2]. The subtle but refreshing change of scenery can inspire a new perspective on something that’s bothering you.

5: Rain Brings Comfort

For me personally, I’ve always felt a sense of comfort from being in the rain under an umbrella. It brings a real sense of being protected from the worst the world can throw at me. The sound of the rain is soothing to many people too, even if they’re not out in it. In fact, rain is pink noise – a combination of high and low frequency sound – which has been shown to aid sleep [3]. It’s not a coincidence that so many relaxation tracks feature the sound of the rain. Studies have also shown that the negative ions released during a rainstorm can have a significant effect on lifting mood [4].

6: Rain Helps You Get Stuff Done

For many, the sound of the rain can also inspire productivity and focus. I certainly get much more work done on a dark and stormy night than during endless summer days, and studies have shown that productivity increases during the rain [5].

Ways to Embrace the Rain and Make the Most of Its Energies

Everyone has their own ways of celebrating the rain. These are some of my favourites.

Let your inner child out to play. Put your wellies on and go and jump in some puddles or splosh through some mud. Children don’t hate the rain – that’s something we learn as fraught and stressed out adults. Get outside and have some fun with it. Persuade your partner to join you and dance in the rain.

If you have an outside table and an umbrella, sit outside for a while and let the rain enhance your natural intuition. It’s a very good time to practice divination, or to write in your journal or your gratitude diary.

If it’s raining at night, turn out your lights and sit by candlelight listening to the sound. Get the kids involved and tell some spooky stories together or do a group meditation.

Take a walk through your neighbourhood in the rain and make a conscious effort to notice how different everything looks. Pay attention to the smallest details and find joy in discovering a new outlook.

Take a rain bath – stand in the rain for as long as you feel able to, paying mindful attention to the raindrops on your skin and the trickling of the rain down your body. Feel yourself being cleansed and refreshed and thank spirit for opening your eyes to the power of the rain.

Sit outside, with or without shelter, and take five minutes to meditate. Watch the progress of single, individual drops as they trickle down a window pane or your umbrella, and note how they merge with other drops, just as your own consciousness will merge with others.

What are your favourite ways to embrace the power of the rain?

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About the author:

Nikki Harper is a spiritualist writer, astrologer, and editor for Wake Up World. She writes about divination, astrology, mediumship and spirituality at Questionology: Astrology and Divination For the Modern World where you can also find out more about her work as a freelance astrologer and her mind-body-spirit writing and editing services. Nikki also runs a spiritualist centre in North Lincs, UK, hosting weekly mediumship demonstrations and a wide range of spiritual development courses and workshops.