“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”
This quote by iconic musician Bob Marley is often cited as a philosophical metaphor, but it works as a literal saying as well, doesn’t it? After all, when you can create a monsoon-inspired vibe that evokes a deep sense of comfort instead of questioning why it’s continuously raining, it certainly creates a whole other story! Following, read about the two sides of the coin, the pros and cons of Monsoon, and the reasoning behind it.
The Positive Impact Of Mindful Living During Monsoon
1. The Calming Aura
Monsoon mindfulness starts with the sense of being emotionally connected to nature and the people around us. The rain showers remind us of the natural wonders. With the earth’s wet earth scent, petrichor, and the soundscape, we are taken into a soothing atmosphere that can help us perform even complex arithmetic functions!
2. Natural Stress Reliever
In the scorching heat of summer, the season brings a cooler temperature alongside fresh air, which can be seen as a relief and brings a positive shift in both monsoon mental health and physical state.
Emotional wellness in monsoon starts with the well-studied fact that the nature acoustics provide a sense of peace and calm to the mind in comparison to silence or mutterings in the background.
Because of the researched benefits of rain on mental health, such as peace in situations of stress, acting as white noise, and more, you might’ve come across ‘Rain Sounds’ calming videos while surfing on video or music apps, as they have been shown to provide a calming effect.
Similar to soothing sounds and videos, they get millions and millions of views as people like to mask outside distractions and get something other than the silence.
3. Bringing In The Nostalgia and Romantic Aesthetic
If you’ve spent your childhood in the past during the season, then the short season can evoke those memories of comfort, making this one of the benefits of rain.
Apart from that, Tis the season of romance in many aspects. Just imagine the natural landscape, the fragrance working as an aromatic, and of course, the sounds that overall work as an aphrodisiac. Mindful living during monsoon makes you feel like a part of a classic work of literature or a popular romcom; the intimate atmosphere brings in monsoon wellness to an extent.
The Negative Impact of Monsoon
Monsoon mood swings and mindfulness go hand in hand for some, but for others, it can bring challenges because of the gothic setting or surroundings. Here are some of the researched ways on negative seasonal changes and how you can start coping with monsoon blues.
1. Results In Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder can make people feel anxiety, depression, or sadness, or similar emotions, as they don’t want to let go of their preferred weather. It can also arise from any past trigger you have associated with a particular weather.
Where monsoon is heavy, people can miss the bright sunlight, which can even lead to decreased serotonin levels, making you, in turn, feel frustrated and irritated, as indicated by these case reports.
2. Indoor Confinement
Because of the lack of activities and restrictions, you feel like you are confined. It can drive people away from their favorite activity. Plans can get disrupted, and social gatherings blocked. This can get in the way of emotional wellness in monsoon, which affects mental well-being, as one can even feel isolated.
3. Fear of Damage
While a light breeze is appreciated, a storm is feared. With the latter bringing anxiety and unease, and being a barrier to coping with monsoon blues. The thrilling weather conditions can really impact people’s mental state, where they can fear the damage the rain can bring to their house and property.
Evaluation
During the research, I found that the monsoon studies indicating people feeling low were much more in number in comparison to the season bringing joy. Now, I don’t know if this is because people are really worse because of the humid conditions or the mental triggers more. Or this area has just been the center of attention for research.
One thing is clear: more research/questionnaires need to be conducted on the positive effect of this season, as there’s something darkly poetic about the aesthetic of it.
How To Make The Most Of Seasons
If you truly want to experience the season, then check out this checklist of all the things you can do to make the momentous moments of monsoons into a beautiful escape!
(And if your area or town doesn’t get monsoon, then worry not; you can also use these tips on any rainy day, or rather, now that I’m thinking about it, any day you want to turn cozy!)
1. Creating a Cozy Environment
All our senses transform during the season, from the cozy smell of the earthy clay, the wet plants, and the low-lit surroundings. Bring in that aesthetic into your house with some light-up candles, extra plants, fibrous items like jute bags, and furniture for lounging in your most comfy clothes with the perfect vibe.
2. Monsoon Music
Even a soothing sound in the background can bring you more time for introspection than on a casual day. If you are bored with the sound, make up a monsoon playlist by yourself to suit the vibe you want; it will be Amazing as well!
Top Tip: Why not play it in the background as you do some light, mindful rainy day activities such as journaling, painting, yoga, etc.? There are many videos online and one-to-one professional sessions of Guided meditations on breathing exercises done alongside rain sounds!
A single search on rainy day self-care will get you the calming aesthetic of books, coffee, meditation, and basically unwinding from your daily life.
3. Making Meals For Monsoon Mindfulness
Cook put some classic meals like pakoras, fried food, snacks, tea, coffee, and whatever your friends and family Tradition is to feel classy and take part in.
Conclusion
Some find it cool breezes, others thunderous lightning. Some see it as a perfect misty landscape, others a patch of wet land; it’s safe to say Monsoon can. It all depends on the individual and their personal associations with the rainy season. In this article on monsoon mood swings and mindfulness, we evaluated both the positive and negative effects of the aforementioned weather.
