Don’t Argue With the Rain

Davida 6/19/23

I’m not mad about the rain. I feel like we should probably expect a lot of rain in the spring.  So many areas are in drought status. Water is good. 

It’s silly to complain about the weather. It’s not something we can control. Humans tend to get mad about things they can’t control. But the weather is something we can all complain about together. We think we want sunny days every day, without realizing that would be boring. When it’s sunny a lot people complain about the heat. 

I bought tickets to do yoga with Michael Franti at Red Rocks Amphitheater earlier this month. I liked his music already but this experience made me fall in love with him. 

The yoga class started in pouring rain. I doubt half the people who bought tickets were even there. Those of us who showed up did the yoga thing and surrendered. 

At first, yoga in the rain is irritating because you just want to get on the mat and enjoy being outside. But it’s slippery and lying in a puddle is very uninviting. The yoga teacher with Michael Franti realized it was too wet to do anything on the ground, so we did a lot of standing yoga movement while Michael Franti played. His music is happy and ripe for clapping and dancing. 

Yoga in the rain is so beautiful once you get past the annoyance. Shoot! How often do you get to do yoga in the rain? It was funny, exciting and memorable. My friend Lori and I draped a shared blanket over our head as we sang and supported each other in tree pose. 

Michael Franti played his heart out. Then as he sang one of his more popular songs, Sound of Sunshine, the sun began to break through the clouds and we ended the practice with clear skies. 

My yoga teacher says, “Don’t argue with reality.” I often turn this over in my head. It makes sense, but it’s hard. I want sunny days so I can host yoga in the park and make people feel good. But no one will come if it’s rainy or wet or cold outside.  

What can I learn from this? Patience? Acceptance? Surrender? When done with grace, is intentional. It brings you into the present moment.

Have you sat quietly and listened to the rain? It’s very calming. It would be cool if everyone who wanted to join for yoga in the park instead took some of that missed time to sit and listen to the rain. Be present and see what feelings and thoughts arise. 

As Michael Franti sings: “Here I am. Just waiting for this storm to pass me by. And that’s the sound, of sunshine coming down”.