Medicine Art for Winter Rains

We have a paradoxical relationship with rain. Rain gives us life - we can't survive without it, but it's so inconvenient; we like to complain about it, and try to avoid being caught out in it. We sometimes find it dismal and depressing. (I certainly got tired of rain, as a young person who had to walk to school in it EVERY DAY; and not just gentle showers, but cold, sideways driving rain that penetrated every part of you...)

The importance of rain is undeniable; we need rain, and we are so lucky to have an abundance of it still in my valley. Many parts of the earth have an ever scarcer rainfall, and water conservation there is crucial. 

We are all (de facto) connected to nature because we are a part of nature, but we have built walls to keep nature separate, because our culture is human focused; we've been taught that we are more important than other parts of nature, and that's a hard lesson to unlearn. 

News flash: We are NOT more important than rain!

Agenda:

1. Set a rainy intention

2. Exploring rain (puddle jumping)

3. Collecting rain (permaculture rainwater harvesting techniques)

4. Observing and predicting rain

5. Sounds of Rain meditation

6. Creating with rain

7. Sharing and Thanksgiving

1. Set a rainy intention: 

Typical wet Wintery Mix

The first step in any Medicine Art process is (usually) to define the project: That requires some research, meditation, and thought. 

I've decided to narrow the subject down to Late Winter Rains + Wintery Mix. 

I have a complicated relationship with rain because of my waterlogged coastal childhood, and while I LOVE rain, late winter rains are challenging. (I'm done with it! I'm ready for warm weather, please!) Also, since I don't live where water poverty is part of my daily life, and I forget that this is growing global concern.

And actually, water poverty IS a part of my daily life. My green valley is impacted by the drought taking place in other parts of my state: Since 2000, there’s only been one year (2006) that Oregon has not experienced moderate to severe levels of drought. Drought certainly contributes to the wildfires that we’re seeing every summer in the state, and we are hugely impacted by the smoke, being at the end of the valley.

Based on these thoughts, I set the intention today to "explore my relationship with rain, honor and celebrate the Late Winter Rains, and use my creative fire to forge a stronger connection between me and the spirits of Rain".

2. Exploring rain (puddle jumping): 

When I set an intention to "explore my relationship to rain," my walks take on a new kind of focus: They become a meditation - I move slower and look at every puddle with new eyes (walk like a little kid).

In the fall we took several rain walks, to jump in puddles and get joyfully soaked. We also played with the water rushing to the gutter, and the leaves that swirl and block it.

Cold rain is a harder thing to enjoy, but this week we took a morning bike ride in a gentle but cold winter rain.

3. Collecting rain (permaculture rainwater harvesting techniques):

While water poverty is a global concern, today I just want to become more aware of my own water harvesting needs. I've learned that mulching is one key to rainwater harvesting. Mulching creates a soft sponge that absorbs water and uses it to create highly nutritious soil; mulching serves as a rainwater storage mechanism for our plants. It also helps to prevent weeds from popping up, draining the water resources, while insulating the soil from hot sun or fast winds which can evaporate water from the soil.

Secondly, my plant and tree choices are important: Using drought hardy trees and perennials will mean that we need less water and won’t steal water from thirsty annuals. We try to use native plants and those that need less water.

Some other permaculture techniques, like berms and basins, rain gardens, terraces, and rain barrels, are too complex for our site (but I might put in a terrace in our front yard slope someday).

4. Observing and predicting rain:

I always thought it would be nice to keep a daily weather journal, like Captain Clark:

Thursday 5th of December 1805 

Some hard Showers of rain last night, this morning Cloudy and drisley at Some little distanc above the isthmus the rain is much harder. 

But let's get realistic - I'm never going to do that!

I've heard that the northern Native People have a hundred names for snow, and I think, having grown up in a Pacific Northwest rainforest, I should have that many names for rain, but I can only think of 28: 

Mist, heavy dew, sprinkle, shower, liquid sunshine, spring shower, precipitate, drizzle, cold drizzle, rain, pouring rain, rainfall, rainstorm, heavy rain, downpour, deluge, gusher, cloud burst, drencher, thundershower, thunderstorm, squall, flood, torrent, monsoon, sleet, sheets of rain, sideways rain, and raining cats and dogs.

And after a search I've added these that I don't use, but might adopt: mizzle, scud, and spit.

It's possible to predict rain using your skills of observation and knowledge of weather patterns:

1. Watch the clouds. Rain clouds look darker and more dense.
2. Watch for calm conditions. Before a storm, the low-pressure system can push out the area’s normal wind patterns. This creates a temporary calm before the storm begins. You’ll notice a lack of wind, which creates a stillness over the area.
3. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and smell the air. Smells become wet right before a storm, making them stronger. Before a storm, you should also notice a compost smell as plants release their waste. If you start to smell a compost scent, it likely means that a storm is coming.

5. Sound of Rain meditation:

Rainfall is a soothing sound, that brings me back to my youth, when I lived in a garret room, in Astoria, and heard the rain on the roof most every day and night. 

I found this video rain meditation that is a good way to connect to feelings that arise around actual rainfall, and well worth the time.

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it’s about dancing in the rain. - Vivian Greene

6. Creating with rain:

As I said earlier, my intention with Medicine Art for rain is to use my creative fire to forge a stronger connection between me and the rain spirits. All of the steps up until now have been working on me to form connections, and now I'm ready to honor my subject with my creativity. This might be in the form of a painting, or a poem, or a container to hold the subject. 

But I want to be clear that the Medicine Art is the whole process, not the final product.

When I do a search online I found some amazing works that artists have done with rain as a subject, and these inspire me.

This week we made a wet chalk drawing in the rain; it’s a different experience to draw with chalk on a wet surface. The colors are more vibrant and the chalk is easier to draw with too! And it disappears within hours.

7. Sharing and Thanksgiving:

The culmination of a Medicine Art project is to give thanks, and share. At the end of this Medicine Art process, I felt a great gratitude for rain.