Let it rain!
As we are located right in the heart of the rainforest, it is obvious even without saying, that rainforest needs rain. The rainforests are referred to as the “jewels of Earth”. They are the home for two-thirds of all living animals and plants. If there is no rain, there will not be any 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 in the Earth’s fresh water supply, providing water to humans, animals and plants. Rain is essential for our ecosystem, providing rivers and lakes. Rain nurtures the rainforest, which are the lungs of the Earth. If there are no lungs, there’s no breathing for anyone. And just as a reminder, there are places on Earth where it never rains, so we here in the rainforest area are blessed with the nectar of the Earth.
So let’s appreciate the 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. But what else can you do:
20 Tips for a Rainy Day: What to do When it Rains in the Rainforest
1. Listen to the Rhythm of the Rain
There are tons of soundtracks to buy to put you in a rainy mood. Forget those, and listen to the authentic sound of rain, right here at Blue Osa. You might even get inspired and do your own recording for future nonrainy 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 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 sleep. 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.
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3. Meditate
While listening to the rain and focusing on the soothing sound, meditation can be taken to more deeper levels. Make yourself comfortable in the Blue Osa temple. Let your mind calm down to the sound of the ocean and surrender yourself fo 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 touched 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’d like to learn and chant. 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 get sandy, wet and salty from the ocean, by running on the beach. See birds, monkeys and crabs make their way in the rainy day.
6. Exercise
Book a personal training class. We’ll make your body go through drills that will make you totally forget the rain.
7. Swim
Too often people avoid swimming when it rains. I do not understand why, as you will get wet anyway. So you might as well swim. Dip into the pool at Blue Osa, take a dive in the ocean. Feel a different kind of liquid 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 in the rain. There is a saying, “Some people feel the rain, others get wet.” So be one of those who feel.
The rain dance is mostly known as a ritual by Native Americans, who performed an entranced 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.
The ritual of a rain dance in a situation when it is already raining is a bit different, therefore you can create your own chant and moves. There is plenty of space at Blue Osa to break out your rain moves. Wear a swimsuit, as most definitely you will both feel the rain, but also get wet. 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 all that’s unnecessary.
9. Relax with A Massage
Treat yourself, indulge and make your rainy day, 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 here.
10. Read a Book
Nothing is better on a rainy day than to sit back, find 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 has accumulated over the years by fellow yogis. Online ebooks, kindle and audiobooks are also a wonderful way of spending a rainy day.
11. Observe 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 puddle. 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. Observe the Chefs of Blue Osa in Action, and Help Out in Preparation
The Blue Osa kitchen is an open kitchen where something is continuously going on as the amazing chefs keep the tables full with delicious meals for the hungry yogis 3-4 times a day. Ask to help out in the kitchen and learn from the masters.
13. Enjoy Your Meal
At Blue Osa, we enjoy a family style meal 3 to 4 times a day, depending on the retreat program you are following. You should be mindful about eating on each and every meal, but especially when it rains. As you are not in a hurry to hit the pool or beach, so take the time to enjoy your meal, chew and taste every bite and have lively discussion with your fellow yogis. See your menu and recipes: https://www.blueosa.com/cuisine/
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 about your journey and experiences here at Blue Osa. This is quite a unique place and most of the 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, grab 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 a holiday greeting card to your friends and family and let them know you thought of them during your stay at Bue Osa. My grandmother is not on social media, Facebook, Skype nor and WhatsApp, 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 with songs that are also inspired by the rain. 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 cats and dogs who are smart creatures, compassionate and affectionate to hang out with, play with and are always ready to receive love. Make friends with the extension of our Blue Osa family and “pet away.”
18. Play Games
At Blue Osa, we have some board games that are available for the guests to play. Have a few rounds of Dominos 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 future day trips, and get yourself acquainted with the upcoming journey by studying the surroundings of Blue Osa online or using Costa Rica travel books.
20. Take a Nap
After doing all these games, yoga, running, journaling, spa and eating, you must be tired. So relax, listen to the rain or your playlist and let it take you to the island of feathers and take a nap.
