I love it when it rains. I guess it comes from growing up in Stage 3 and 4 drought and water restrictions, and never learning to drive in the rain. I remember the time I first had to drive in the rain – it was the evening that I first got my red P plates (probationary license) and I freaked out because I didn’t realise I had three settings to my lights – off, parkers and normal!

I remember the first time it rained in months back in 2007. I was sitting in the You Yangs National Park and began to dance and twirl when the rain came. I got bronchitis and then became asthmatic from that.

But still! There’s something magickal and wonderful about the rain. It’s cleansing, refreshing, and the air has that particular smell that’s just…bliss.

We are water, and water has an amazing way of effecting us physically, mentally and emotionally. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.

I have a family member who can tell when it’s going to rain by the pain in her joints. Even Karen from Mean Girls had boobs that could tell the weather.

Just like all of the elements, water and rain can be as nourishing as they can be destructive. Water enables us to live, it keeps us hydrated and keeps the earth green. But too much brings floods, and when rain is coupled with fierce winds, can bring down trees and cause havoc. If your work relies on clear skies, as my Muggles work does, it can mean weeks without paid work.

I felt bad last night when I was admiring the ferocity of the rain, forgetting that my Muggle had been cooped up inside for the last two weeks without work, and for our Charlie who sulks because he can’t go outside to play with his friends.

Here in Sydney we’ve had pretty heavy and steady rain for the last two weeks, and it’s been the wettest August in over a decade. As this week’s letter for the Pagan Blog Project is R, I’m going to talk about rain magick – but not how to call it. I don’t write about things I haven’t attempted. This will be more, how to use rain to assist in your craft.

One of my favourite spells to perform is similar to burning within a candle flame, or writing a message in sand at the beach. I find that the rain offers a more gentle approach. Fire engulfs, waves strip the message away. With the rain, the message can slowly dissolve. And! You can do this on total fire ban days (using a watering can to simulate rain) AND you don’t have to stand out IN the rain and risk getting sick to do this one!

I refer to it as “washing the tears away” or when I’m in a mood it’s “let’s drown those bastard emotions.”

I do this spell when I’m already highly emotional, when I’ve had a good cry, but it’s not enough. I just need to get these emotions out of me so I can move on and concentrate on what I’m supposed to be concentrating on. Lately it’s been family related issues that has just left me down and out. It’s hard when you’re 1,000km and an 11 hour drive away.

Like a simple candle spell, write your message on a piece of paper. Message, a sigil, a drawing – anything you want. I love using those real inky pens for this, as it dissolves so much quicker. Kids felt tip markers work really well, too, and you can introduce colour magick to this with them, too. I normally use blue or black pens as it’s what I normally have on hand.

Place the message in a bowl, and go outside. This is fantastic to do on the porch, or on the balcony (if you’re in an apartment). Place it somewhere where it can catch the rain drops, but not be in the brunt of the downpour. My purple bin is an example of where I would not put the bowl (the bin filled up in five minutes).

Saying something really depends on your message and your intent. I’m a big fan of making up things on the spot, rather than trying to memorise what someone else had written. So for example, if you’re emotionally drained and want a boost…

I’ve cried my tears, a thousand times,
I cannot cry any more today.
Let the rain come and take my tears,
Let me have strength for another day.

If the rain is heavy, I normally put a water-friendly crystal on top of the message. Again, what crystal to use depends largely on your message. With the above I would use smokey quartz as the rain would cleanse the crystal, and later I would carry it to help keep negativity away, ground myself and assist in retaining my strength.