If you’re into journaling, you are going to love this take on how journaling about a single concept, can unlock valuable insights into your emotional landscape.

Autumn is a perfect time for taking time out to contemplate and reflect on your year so far. The days are getting shorter (at least here where I live) and darkness is creeping in.

But Autumn is also a rainy season in many places. A time when light and warmth are replaced by dampness, wet weather, and cold temperatures. So, instead of simply doing the basic “how far have I come” journaling this time of year. I challenge you to explore your relationship with rain! Yes, you got that right. I want you to journal about rain!

Why Rain is Such a Good Teacher.

Now I personally love rain, (see the blog post “Summer Rain and All its Benefits” for why and how mindfulness and rain are connected). Rain is water. Water is associated with the second chakra, with cleansing, your emotions, your subconscious, and rebirth.  

Within spirituality, rain is often associated with nourishment, growth, purification, release of negative energy, and cycles of renewal. In many cultures, rain is viewed as a divine blessing, associated with abundance and fertility.

On a more mundane level, the rain reminds us that we are not in control and forces us to deal with our feelings around acceptance, surrender, and impermanence. In the movies (and the news) rain is often linked to loss of control, sadness, melancholy, loneliness, conflict, and disaster.

Rain has the possibility to give life and take it away. It’s a powerful force that we as humans are completely dependent on and at the same time in constant battle with around the world. We often have too much or too little. This complex relationship leaves most of us with specific feelings and emotions strongly connected to rain.

Journaling About Rain.

Journaling about rain can be a deeply grounding, profound, and reflective practice, offering a unique opportunity to be fully present, connect with nature, and cultivate mindfulness. It is best done while it’s raining! The rhythmic sound and presence of rain evoke feelings of calm, grounding, and introspection, putting you in the perfect state of mind to journal.

By journaling about the sensations, emotions, and thoughts that arise during rain, you can gain clarity on your inner world, release pent-up emotions, and foster a sense of renewal, much like how rain refreshes the earth.

So, go ahead, make yourself a good (big) cup of your favorite tea (or coffee), and find a comfortable chair close to a window. If possible open that window or a door, or even better go outside, so you can utilize all your senses to connect with and take in the rain.  

I’ve come up with 20 journal questions you can use, next time the rain is pouring down (spoiling all your best-laid plans!) And even if you’re not into journaling, simply read these and let them inspire you to do a bit of contemplation, next time you’re sitting with a warm cup of tea/coffee looking out at the rain.

You don’t have to do all 20 in one sitting. In fact, I suggest that you don’t. Pick a couple and emerge yourself. Take time to explore each aspect of your relationship with the rain.

20 Journal Questions for Writing in the Rain.

1. 1. What sensations do you notice when you observe the rain? How does it affect your body and mood?
2. 2. How does the rhythm of rain compare to the rhythm of your breath? Become aware of your breathing pattern and the rain’s natural flow, are they connected?
3. 3. What thoughts or emotions arise when you just sit quietly and listen to the rain? Take note of any emotional response with curiosity and without judgment.
4. 4. How does rain affect your perception of time and the present moment? Reflect on whether the rain slows down or alters your sense of time.
5. 5. Watch how rain exists without control or specific structure, falling freely, and consider whether you have any areas in your life, where you could benefit from becoming freer, and releasing control.
6. 6. Rain brings with it a sense of renewal and cleansing. Are there any areas in your life that would benefit from a bit of cleanse and renewal?
7. 7. When was the last time you felt fully present in a moment involving rain? What made that moment a mindful moment?
8. 8. How does rain change your connection to nature and the world around you? Do you become more aware of the environment, or does it make you detach from it
9. 9. What can you learn from observing how different living things respond to rain? Think about animals, plants, and people, and how their responses can tell you a lot about resilience and acceptance.
10. 10. Can you use rain as a metaphor for something currently going on in your life? Consider the characteristics of rain itself – like its softness, its consistency, its ability to nurture and destroy, and its unpredictable nature.
11. 11. What memories or associations do you have with rain, and how do they influence your present experience with rain? 
12. 12. What happens when you focus on a single raindrop? Narrowing your attention to the smallest detail, observing it, truly seeing it.
13. 13. Do you feel a creeping sense of impatience when it rains, or are you able to accept and let go of control? Either way, where do you think this response comes from? 
14. 14. How does rain change your perception of silence? 
15. 15. What thoughts and emotions come to you, when you simply observe the rain without having to label it as good or bad? 
16. 16. How does your energy shift when it rains? Does it invigorate you or deplete you?
17. 17. Imagine yourself standing in the rain. What feelings, sensations, emotions and thoughts does this vision of yourself in the rain bring up?
18. 18. What impact does rain have on your sense of gratitude? Do you feel grateful for the nourishment that rain brings?
19. 19. Which of your senses, smell, sound, sight, or touch, brings about a sense of grounding and calm when it rains? Can you use this information to integrate a sense of calm into other aspects of your life? 
20. 20. What do you notice about the world around you after the rain has stopped? What has changed? How does this change make you feel?

In Closing.

I hope you have fun with this. Exploring rain through journaling can offer up some surprising insights into your emotions and thoughts. By paying attention to how rain affects you and what it symbolizes to you, you might find a new appreciation and gratitude for this type of weather – even if it shows up at inappropriate times.