Standing in the Rain: Visualizing Mindful Meditation

February 21, 2024

Participate in this guided meditation that combines mindfulness and art therapy to help center your thoughts.

On a daily basis, we are bombarded with responsibilities, tasks, and burdens that can put a damper on our emotional and physical state. Sometimes juggling all of these responsibilities can be too much. But what if releasing yourselves from these burdens in life could be as easy as watching something wash away? With the practice of mindfulness meditation, that idea could be a reality.   

What is Standing in the Rain?

Standing in the rain is a visualization technique used in mindfulness meditation. This style of meditation focuses on the awareness of where you are, what you are doing, and being present in the moment. This style of meditation emphasizes the concentration of your breathing and mind to focus on a focal idea or theme without letting your mind wander. 

There are various techniques used in this style of meditation, one prominent method being visualization. This is the practice of visualizing a situation, person, or place and letting that situation embody your mind and emotions. This is a way in which individuals can escape the negative influences of the outside world around them and focus on the moment they are in. For this visualization, you guessed it, you will be visualizing standing in the rain. 

Steps to Follow

This meditation technique is unique and subjective to you and only you. If you choose not to, these examples do not need to be used in your experience. We recommend you make these visualizations completely personalized to you and your mind.

1) Getting Comfortable 

The first step in this process is to get comfortable. While you can do this standing, we recommend doing this activity while sitting or lying down. Once in a comfortable position, relax your body. Relax your shoulders, loosen your jaw, and let your body become heavy. 

2) Starting the Meditation

Remember to focus on your breathing during this exercise. Emphasize your inhale and exhales, breathing deeply and with intent. We also recommend closing your eyes during this to help with the visualization process. But if you wish to keep them open, try to focus on a sole point and relax with a soft gaze.  

3) Visualization

Visualize a person standing in the rain. This person could be you, someone you know, or a typical individual. Now make choices about this rain and what situation this is. Is it a warm summer evening, when the rain is soft and warm? Or is this person stuck in a downpour, with the rain feeling cold and prickly? 

4) Exploring Sensations

Next, think about the environment this individual is in and what's going on around them. Are they in a bustling city with cars driving by or standing on a beach as the waves crash against the sand? What are your senses telling you? Can you hear the rain impacting the world around you? Does this rain have a smell to it, and if so, do you enjoy it, or does it displease you? Try to extract all the sensory details and make this visualization come alive. 

5) Letting Go 

Now think of three things that you want the rain to wash away. This could be experiences, burdens, expectations, or even a deadline coming up. With these three things in mind, now think of what you're wearing. Maybe you are at the beach, and it is a pleasant rain, and you are wearing your swimsuit. Maybe you are walking home from work, and you have on a raincoat, boots, and an umbrella. Now think about what you have on and imagine the first thing washing away. Does it wash down your arm and down your leg? How does it feel? Where does it end up? Maybe it washes into the ocean or a sewage drain. Continue this step for your other two things, and remember how it feels to have it wash away from you. 

6) Embracing Relief

Take a moment to realize how it felt to have those burdens, emotions, and feelings wash away from you. The weight lifted off your shoulders and how it felt to see those three things away. As you remember how it felt to have those feelings wash away, how does it feel now that they are gone? Do your shoulders feel lighter? Do you feel any sense of relief? While you think, remind yourself that this is the thing. You shed those three things away from you and allowed the rain to carry them away. 

7) Returning to the Present

As you finish this exercise, slowly bring movement back to your body. You can start by wiggling your toes and rotating your ankles. Let that energy travel through your legs, up your body, and to your head. Rotate your head and let that energy flow through your arms, reaching the tips of your fingers. When you are ready, open your eyes. 

Mindful Meditation & Visualization in Life 

It is very beneficial to incorporate visualization into your self-care routine. This practice can be beneficial in times of stress or moments where you simply feel overwhelmed. Through such time, walk through this visualization. Build your own story and wash your issues away. You are the only person who can tell your unique story and visualize what the rain is washing away. You hold the power to rewrite your own story and feel the emotion of letting go of the aspects of life that do not benefit you.