Manifest RAIN for Sonoma County' Drought!

Once I figured out that it helps to have the umbrella up and open - not just tucked under my arm - people took notice of what I was doing - some laugh - some go get umbrellas and join in. So far we're taking personal credit for the rain we have up until now. Why Not! All the critters and plants are grateful! And we need MORE! Please become part of this mission. Who cares if you look weird! Really! It's not about you!

Manifesting Rain
By Vesta Copestakes
We need rain NOW! Let’s see if we can make it rain!

Yes, it’s quite wonderful - all this sunshine in the middle of winter. Makes me want to jump on my motorcycle and go for a ride to the coast. But seeing starving cattle in Argentina, wilting crops in the Central Valley of California, etc. It’s not a pretty picture. Trees dying for lack of water creates HUGE fire hazards. It goes on.

I contacted local Native Indian tribes to see if we can put on a rain dance and what I learned is that Rain Dancing is more a Plains Indian tradition. Here, we celebrate the forces of nature and thank them for their gifts to our lives.

Then I contacted Pagan faiths (thank you Sylvia for the suggestions and contacts) and they, too celebrate the forces of nature, turning of the seasons, appreciation for all the gifts our planet and universe bestow upon us. And I have to say, in both cases, they spoke to me of accepting our responsibility for this current state and hoping that nature crying for help will wake people up to the destruction we are committing to the very planet we live on. I get that as well! No water - use less. Bad air, clean up your act, etc.

In the mean time, innocents are dying. Innocents are paying the price for our transgression while we take showers, wash our hair and water our lawns. It’s much like war where it’s not the soldiers alone who die - it’s the innocent civilians who go out with them.

So my mission is to manifest rain for the innocents.

I propose that we all start carrying umbrellas, wear rain boots, bring rain coats and slickers with us and use them as coats to keep us warm until it starts to rain - then keep it up so that we stay dry! Hey - what’s the harm!? I got a cool bright yellow umbrella at ElMo Store in downtown Forestville. After carrying it around under my arm, I realized that it needs to be up and visible to attract other umbrellas. OK, up it is.

I’d like to have an event, but that’s an awful lot of work and could take too long to put together. We need rain NOW! So how about we just start wearing the gear - spreading the word for others to wear the gear and if we care to - gather together with drums and musical instruments and sing and dance for rain. Any where - any time. If we want to set a date, time and place to make it even more fun - let’s do it. Singing rain songs has to help as well!

The little bit of ran we’ve had since this mission began via the internet is certainly good for plants and critters. If all we get is enough to sustain their lives, then so be it. We have many ways we can change the way we live and use water. Regulators are looking to have us cut use to 100 gallons a day per person – how about 50.

It’s actually quite easy, many are already doing it. Yes, you’ll have to watch your precious plants die this summer if they have shallow roots. Such is life and death in nature. I regret every plant that is still sitting in a pot instead of in the ground where it can spread roots.

We can follow some basic rules about collecting water that would otherwise go down the drain and use it to water plants. We can be conscious of every drop we use. And whatever we do – don’t wash your car to bring rain in the traditional fashion! It uses too much water. There are waterless car washers, collected bath water works well, and then there’s the dirty car badge of honor.

Spread the word and let’s see if we can manifest what we want – water to nourish our earth and the lives of every water-dependent being.