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Power. What are your first correlations with this word? A lightbulb may be going off in your head... Quite literally, if you associate power with electricity. Potentially, a governmental entity flashed through your thoughts. Wherever your mind has taken you, I’m guessing your first correlations with power did not include Balinese rainstorms. Power and Balinese rain? Before spending time in Bali, I wouldn’t have correlated the two either. And now, as I reflect on my time there, my perceptions of power have shifted as I see rain’s dynamism in a whole new light. It’s more than just the rainy season in Bali that created this change; it’s the learning lessons it brought. Balinese rain created the deepest of connections- connection to myself, the Earth, and the Balinese culture. Balinese rain is less of a natural process and more of an entity. It seems to knows when the Earth and its inhabitants need healing, cleansing, and rejuvenation. It has perfect timing; it’s in tune with humans and animals alike. Ultimately, the Balinese rain is a soul restoration. It stirs up internal thoughts and emotions harnessed within, gives room to process, and then revives these spaces. For me, these releases were often emotional in nature. Oftentimes, the Earth began to cry and so did I. Everything I needed to feel would rise to the surface and I was left with no distinction between the rain drops hitting my skin, the tears rolling down my face, or the perspiration on my skin. These were tears of joy and grief: whatever was currently inhabiting my heart. Sitting in this space of oneness, when I couldn’t distinct what was mine and what was the Earth’s, everything began to make sense. As the rain washes you clean, it asks you to get real with yourself. Through the many refining rainstorms, I came to realize- I harness the same potential as the Earth. Balinese rain is soft, strong, life-altering, and curative- these same qualities lie within me, within all inhabitants on Earth. The rain taught me how to feel, let go, and recognize my own innate power. Surely, I was not the only who benefitted from Bali’s showers. When it starts to rain, Earth’s elements are all bound. Every droplet brings life closer to unity; the energy shifts and we are all at the mercy of the Earth. The rain does not discriminate- it touches humans, plants, and animals alike. Every distinction is lost, and unification is achieved. Even more beautiful, the rain brought me closer to understanding the vast and intricate Balinese culture. With a force of nature this strong, it is no surprise that Balinese people have built many cultural traditions around the rain and water’s cleansing abilities. The rain contributes to fresh spring water, which is used by Balinese people to wash away physical and mental impurities at cleansing water temples. These are sacred practices with deep history and importance to Bali and its people. Even with the heart to learn more, I will never understand the full range of complexities involved in the worship and purification ceremonies performed by Balinese people. And in my own way, I understand the rain’s impact on me and can relate this to the local tradition. Whether the rain is drawing a connection to the self, Earth, or culture, there is no doubt something special about Balinese rain. It reveals one’s soul, purifies it, and then asks you to acknowledge your own humble power. As my definitions of power shifted to include Balinese rain, I remembered that I must include myself in this description. We all harness the same power that resides in the Balinese rain. Whether preformed through traditional Balinese cleansing ceremonies, or sitting in the rain to feel its abilities, there is a tangible expression of this power that reveals itself differently for everyone. Remember your first thoughts about power? Maybe the Balinese rain has flooded your thoughts, dulling the initial lightbulb that went off in your head. If you sit in the rain’s power, maybe it will change your definition too.