Welcome to the season of Summer Storms, witches!
One of my favorite parts of practicing witchcraft is the way it encourages me to wonder at, interact with, and ultimately connect to the natural world in a way I didn't really before. Herbs, flowers, trees, minerals, animals, bodies of water--they are all potential friends and spiritual allies. Bonus: many of them are FREE to access...including rainwater!
That's right...there's a powerful magical ingredient LITERALLY falling right from the sky into your hands. This little primer on rainwater magic is by NO means an exhaustive list of ways to work with it...these are just some ideas to get those magical wheels turning. Realistically, you can use rainwater anywhere you might use regular water or even moonwater in your spellcrafting depending on the desired results. (For instance, I wouldn't recommend replacing some dreamy Pisces Full Moon water with water you collected during a raging lightning storm in the midst of Aries season if you're trying to work some dream magic.) Above all, use your intuition when deciding how/if to work rainwater into your practice or spellwork--the list below can give you some places to start, though. Another important note: most rainwater is safe to drink if fresh and stored in a clean container--but not ALL rainwater. If you're not sure, it's always best to air on the safe side and not consume any rainwater you've collected.
1. Take a rain shower!
My first suggestion for rainwater magic is a no-brainer that doesn't even require a vessel to collect your water in. One of the benefits of a SUMMER storms specifically is that you can often run out into one without freezing your buns off. As eternal fave Drew Barrymore says: "If it's raining anywhere you are, just run out in the rain. Don't miss the opportunity." Few things feel more clearing, refreshing, and revitalizing than a refreshing shower straight from the sky. If you have a private place where you can run out into the rain naked--even better! If you're like me and that would DEFINITELY cause a stir among your neighbors, a fully-clothed frolick in the rain will do just fine. Elementally, water helps to clear and purify our energy, keeping things flowing. Next time you see some rain clouds on the horizon, get excited about your next opportunity for a thorough energy clearing. Besides, splashing around in puddles without an ounce of care about whether your hair is soaked, your makeup is running, or your clothes are damp does a spirit good.
2. Place a bowl on your altar.
Many witches like to keep representations of each element on their altar, and a small vessel of rainwater is perfect for bringing in the water element. You could use any rainwater for this if it's a general working altar, or you could collect rainwater under a certain astrological influence, like a phase of the moon or a solar season to suit it more specifically to your needs. You can read more about building your own altars here! The other thing I like to consider when using a *specific* rainwater is the type of storm it came from. This applies to ALL the uses on this list, but these are just MY personal associations for different kinds of storms--feel free to use your rainwater in whatever way resonates for you.
Water from a gentle, sunny rain shower: cleansing, purification, growth, joy.
Water from a moody downpour, no thunder/lightning: cleansing, dreams, sleep, intuition.
Water from a more aggressive storm (lots of wind or thunder/lightning): power/protection, sacred rage, confidence/motivation.
Obviously I could get into a lot more *nuance* when it comes to the types of rainwater you could collect (after all, rainstorms come in ENDLESS moods and varieties), but I'll leave it at the most "basic" 3 for now and let your intuition roll with the rest!
3. Add it to your bath!
Again, this is one you'll only want to do if you know the rain water you've collected is fresh and clean. If standing out in the rain for a rain shower sounds a little chilly--you can add rainwater directly to your magical baths! Now, it would take A LOT of rainwater to fill your tub entirely, so I suggest using this just how I would use moonwater in a magical bath. Fill your bath, add any herbs/flowers/etc that you'd like into your container of rainwater, and then pour into the bath and enjoy! Again, you can use general rainwater for clearing or something collected under conditions more specific to your spell!
4. Dress your candles with it!
By now you may be beginning to understand why this list will be relatively short and sweet to get you started--you can basically use rainwater wherever you'd use another liquid in your spellcrafting (with exceptions, of course). If you'd like to dress a spell candle but can't stand the feeling of oil all over your hands (truly can't relate, but ok)--try dressing it with rainwater that matches your magical intention! Be sure not to get the wick wet if you're planning on lighting your candle right after dressing, but in my experience dressing taper candles with water has had no effect on their ability to burn effectively.
5. Clean your crystals/magical tools with it!
Of course, only use rain water to clear/clean magical tools that you know are safe to be cleaned with water. Rainwater MAY be magical, but it'll still cause rust if left on metals and some crystals like Selenite don't hold up well to moisture, so be sure to double check before giving any of your fave treasures a wipe or a dunk. If you happen to score a rainstorm on a full moon, be sure to collect a bit--full moon rainwater is my absolute favorite for this use.
6. Write out a sigil in "invisible ink"!
Use rainwater to draw or paint a sigil onto a piece of paper, your floor, a wall, your body--anywhere! I personally like to use this technique on surfaces where the sigil will be visible momentarily before drying/disappearing. Some people say NOT looking at a sigil again once it's been activated is powerful, and this method removes any temptation to take a second peek.
7. Clean your house with it!
Yes, more cleaning/clearing here...but that's really my favorite use for rain water--its energy tends to be so REFRESHING! This one is also scary simple: just use rain water in place of regular water in your house cleaning routine once in a while. Add it to your mop bucket, your Counter Magick concentrates, your dust cloth--whatever floats your boat and makes you feel like you're giving your house a good energetic scrub as well.
That's all for now, witches! I hope this list inspired you to make use of some rainwater in your practice if you haven't already and has given you at least a little bit of magic to save for a rainy day. 😉
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