Let it Rain!
What To Do When It Rains In The Rainforest
Here at Blue Osa we are located in the heart of the rainforest, it is obvious that rainforests need lots of rain. The rainforests are referred to as the “Jewels of Earth”. They are the home for two-thirds of all the living animals and plants of the Earth. If there is no rain, there will be no rainforests.
At Blue Osa, as much as we love the sun and the heat, we also appreciate the rain as rain is a major component of the Earth’s fresh water supply, providing the water to humans, animals, and plants. Rain is essential for our ecosystem, providing rivers and lakes. Rain nurtures the rainforest, which is the lungs of the Earth. If the Earth has no lungs, there will be no breathing for anyone. And just as a reminder, there are places on Earth where it never rains, so those of us living in the rainforest area are blessed with the nectar of the Earth.
So let’s appreciate rain and enjoy.
There are tons of things you can do in the rain. Rain is said to be the stimulator for relaxation and sleep, and while naps are great, there are tons of other fantastic activities to do during a rainy day.
1. Listen to the Rhythm of the Rain
There are lots of soundtracks to buy that will get you in the rainy mood. Forget those, and listen to the authentic sound of rain, right here in Blue Osa. You might even get inspired and do your own recording for future non-rainy days.
2. Practice Yoga
Enjoy a full day of yoga at the Blue Osa Yoga Shala. Enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility. Let your practice go where it needs to. Rhythm your day with different styles:
-Morning flow: Practice your sun salutations in the morning.
The sun is still there even though you do not see it, so you might as well salute to it.
-Before lunch: warm up and get the core working and change the perception of your world, with inversions workshop. Practice your balance poses, headstands, handstands, cartwheels, play, and have fun.
-Evening Practice, before dinner, when it’s getting dark, surrender and go deep. Practice Yin yoga. Listen to the soothing sounds of the ocean and the rain. Go deep, focus, let go and detox.
-Yoga Nidra: after dinner, before sleep, take the time to settle and practice Yoga Nidra,
which is a type of deep meditation where you get to a state of consciousness between being awake and asleep. Practicing Yoga Nidra allows our body to relax completely and become more aware of the inner world. You can find online audio recordings to guide you through your Yoga Nidra practice.
3. Meditate
While listening to the rain and focusing on the soothing sound, meditation can be taken to deeper levels. Make yourself comfortable in the Blue Osa temple. Let your mind calm down to the sound of the ocean and surrender yourself to Ganesha. Light a candle, bring an offering, be present in the moment and let the deepest reality of the moment guide you to yourself. Get in touch with your intuition.
4. Chant
Practice your chanting. At blue Osa, we start our mornings with morning prayer at 7:25. You can find the words to this beautiful traditional chant at the kitchen counter along with other few beautiful chants you might like to learn. Find the melody online, or ask one of your yoga teachers to chant with you.
5. Run on the Beach
Running in Costa Rica will make you wet: either from the enormous amount of sweat or rain. So give in and get sandy, wet, and salty from the ocean. See birds, monkeys and crabs make their way in the rainy day.
6. Train with Rafa
Book a personal training class with Rafa. He’ll make your body go through drills that you will totally forget the rain. Rafa offers TRX and other bodywork classes tailor-made for your needs.
7. Swim
Too often people avoid swimming when it rains. I do not understand why, as you will get wet anyways. So you might as well swim. Dip into the pool of Blue Osa, take a dive into the ocean. Feel a different kind of wetness on your skin and feel how warm the water surrounding you actually feels.
8. Rain Dance
Get in there. Let your spirit free and dance with the rain. There is a saying, “Some people feel the rain, others get wet”. So be one of those who feels.
The rain dance is mostly known as a ritual by the Native Americans, who performed an entrance dance during dry seasons to bring in the rain to the drought. The Natives would wear turquoise colors and feathers and dance in circles and chant.
As the ritual of rain dance in a situation when it is already raining is bit different, therefore you can create your own chant and moves. There is plenty of space at Blue Osa to bring on your own rain moves. Wear a swimsuit. Get silly. Go with it. Feel every drop on your skin. Open your mouth, drink the pure water. Surrender and be one with nature. Let the rain wash away anything that no longer serves you.
9. Relax With A Massage
Treat yourself, indulge, and make your rainy day extra relaxing, by getting a treatment at our Blue Osa Spa. Enjoy head, face, foot, and full body massages. Balance your energy with Reiki. Find the full menu of the spa treatments on the Blue Osa website.
10. Read a Book
There’s nothing better on a rainy day than to sit back in a comfortable chair or corner of the sofa and get lost in a good book. If you did not bring a book with you, you are more than welcome to pick one from our Blue Osa library, which is accumulated over they years by fellow yogis. Online ebooks, kindle, and audiobooks are also a wonderful way of spending a rainy day.
11. Observe of the Rain
After being in the rain for a while, you start to see the difference in the rain. The tempo of the rain, the form and the shape of the drops, the sound it makes hitting the roof, the vision, form and shape of the rain when it reaches the ground or a water pond. See how the color of the sky changes along with the rain. Make a note of these various artistic forms of rain provided by mother nature. And see, if you can see the rainbow.
12. Watch the Chefs of Blue Osa Work Their Magic
The Blue Osa kitchen is an open kitchen where something is continuously going on. These amazing chefs work hard and with so much love to keep the tables full of delicious meals for the hungry yogis 3-4 times a day.
13. Enjoy Your Meal
At Blue Osa, we enjoy a family style meal, eating around a big table each day. You should be mindful about eating during each and every meal, but especially when it rains. As you are not in a hurry to hit the pool or beach, take the time to enjoy your meal, chew and taste every bite, and have a lively discussion with your fellow yogis. See the Blue Osa menu, and check out their awesome recipes.
14. Journal, Draw and Color Away with Coloring Books
If you have previewed the packing list for Blue Osa, you are aware that we encourage you to bring along a journal, where you can take notes and write your journey and experiences here at Blue Osa. This is quite a unique place and most of the yogis/guests here have realized something to write down and take with them. So what would be a better day to journal, than a calm rainy day? Get comfy, take a cup of tea and observe your journey, your mind, thoughts, and feelings.
Adult coloring books have become very popular. You may purchase nice coloring books at the Cosa Rica airport, with a set of coloring pens. Coloring is a therapeutic, mindful and relaxing engagement for your mind. Express yourself in colors. If you did not buy a coloring book on your way, you may always draw.
15. Write a Postcard Home
Value the old tradition of sending holiday greeting card to your friends and family and let them know you thought of them during your stay at Blue Osa. My grandmother is not on any form of social media, so she really appreciates the old way of sending holiday greetings. At Blue Osa, we have postcards and stamps available.
16. Make a Playlist
Get inspired by the rain, and make a playlist of the songs that reflect your inspiration. You might be surprised how rain can inspire artists. There are great timeless musical pieces such as “Purple Rain”, “November Rain”, “Singing In The Rain”, and “Set Fire To The Rain” not to forget “It’s Raining Men”.
17. Play with the Blue Osa Family
In addition to the wildlife around us, we have three cats and two dogs who are smart creatures, compassionate and affectionate to hang out with, play with and always ready to receive love. Make friends with the extension of our Blue Osa family and “pet away”.
18. Play Games
At the Blue Osa, we have some board games that are available for the guests to play. Have few rounds of domino or scrabble. Play traditional card games, or social games such as truth or dare or pantomime, or invent a game of your own.
19. Take One of our Day Trips
Depending on how strong the rain is, some of the day trips we offer at Blue Osa can still be organized. If it happens that there is simply too much rain, plan the future day trips, and get yourself acquainted with the upcoming trips by study the surroundings of Blue Osa online or Costa Rica travel books.
20. Take a Nap
After doing all these games, yoga, running, journaling, and eating, you must be tired. So relax, listen to the rain or your playlist and let it take you the island of feathers and take a nap.
Did I forget something? Shoot us a message and let us know what your favorite Blue Osa rainy-day activity is.
Pin this post for later!
