Rain means Change

I hope everyone has had the chance to take a "Film as Literature" course somewhere along the line in their educational journey. I happened to take it when I was a senior in high school. That class was one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First, I love movies. Second, I love signs and symbolism.

 Throughout the course we watched a variety of films like "Wizard of Oz", "Cider House Rules", and "Castaway". What made the class so interesting  was the fact that we were learning literary symbolism as we experienced the films. All the shots, angles, colors, sounds, lightening, costumes were entirely intentional or at least that is what Mrs. Lindenburger wanted us to think. We all joked that it was impossible to watch a movie anymore because the meaning was too overwhelming once you knew all the symbolism. Sometimes we would have moments of doubt as are pages would fill with observed symbols while we watched a movie. That nagging thought would creep up saying "There is not way any screen writer or director took the time to make all of these symbols on purpose."

Whether it was intentional or not, the symbolism was there in every single movie I saw that year and every year after. This symbolism is exactly the stuff that Carl Jung was talking about. As human beings we all carry this awareness of the collective unconscious that guides us constantly through the daily symbolism of our lives. Strangely, even when we can't articulate it because of age, awareness or language barriers, we all unconscoiusly know the symbols that dictate truths in our journeys.

These symbols even relate to Asian medicines as people choose colors unconsciously that channel energy from certain chakras in the body. If you watch closely in a movie you will see the honest Alice in Wonderland wearing a blue dress to symbolize the truth she holds in her voice. Meanwhile, blue is the color of the throat chakra. Then you might notice that a fem fatal character throws on a red dress and suddenly you know she is about to use her sex appeal anyway she needs to. I've been fascinated by the unconscious color choices our our days. Just observe them because it happens in real time too.

This all brings me to the symbolism of weather. In film, everything is connected. We accept that so easily in movies. I really believe people love movies because they can emulate the world as we wish it was. Well, guess what, I think everything in real time is connected too, even the weather.

In film when the weather changes it means that something in the story is about to change. For example, I was watching "Cold Mountian" all caught up in the anticipation of the lovers FINALLY having time together and then Jude Law starts riding out in the snow. I knew as soon as I saw the snow that he was going to die. Snow in film means death. So prepare yourself next time you enjoy a wintery film there will be a death of somesort featured. 

This brings me to the topic of today- Rain. 

Rain means change. Plain and simple. Anytime it rained the plot was about to shift, a kid was going to grow up, an experienced was going to transform. Rain is change. 

Sitting in class my classmates and I would chuckle when those drops would start falling and we'd whisper "oh, rain means change." This started to trickle into my daily life as I'd walk down the street and notice some gray clouds building up in the distance. Like I said, everything is connected and I would wonder what was changing in my life.

Last month, I woke up exhausted in a stupor of worry and fear of the unknown. Spending more time avoiding my daily practices than practicing them, I sat out on my porch and just looked at the sky. All I could think of was that I needed it to rain. I needed to be washed clean. I needed change. The funny thing was that right after making that silentplea to the heavens I came inside and pulled an animal medicine card- Frog



38 - Frog: Cleansing

Frog sings the songs that bring the rain and make the road dirt more bearable.

Frog medicine is akin to water energy, and the South on the medicine wheel. Frog

teaches us to honor our tears, for they cleanse the soul. All water rites belong to Frog,

including all initiations by water.

Water prepares and cleanses the body for sacred ceremony. It is the element we

understand best in the womb. Frog, like ourselves, is a pollywog in the fetal waters, and

only learns to hop after it experiences the world of fluidity.

The transformation into adulthood prepares Frog for its power to call in the waters

of the skies: the rain. In knowing the element of water, Frog can sing the song that calls

the rain to Earth. When the ponds are dry, Frog calls upon the Thunder Beings to cleanse

and replenish the Earth with water. Like Frog, we are asked to know when it is time to

refresh, purify, and refill the coffers of the soul.

If Frog hopped into your cards you chose today, its "ribet" may be calling in the

cleansing you need. If you were to look at where you are today, would you use and of the

following words to describe your condition: tired, overloaded, harried, frustrated, guilty,

itchy, nervous, at a loss, empty, or weakened

 There is no one who can tell me that all of this isn't connected. It rained about 30 minutes later. 

Saturday, Joel and I recieved a couple of emails that lead us to believe that more change is coming in our lives. There have been some substaintile shifts in our jobs, home life, churches and families. Saturday it rained all day. Joel smiled at me and said "Rain means change."