There is a sound that everyone who has spent time in the hills of Nepal during the monsoon season knows intimately. It is not ‘rain,’ but one hundred distinct sounds at once. The gentle patter of the rain on huge leafed trees then the steadfast drum of rain on a tin roof and then the distant and soothing hush as the rainfall moves through the valley.

Here in our forest sanctuary above Pokhara, this sound is the heartbeat of the season.

To most, monsoon time means staying away. The skies are grey, the famed mountain vistas play hide-and-seek, and the paths can be muddy. But for us and those who are experienced, this season produces a different kind of magic! It is a secret invitation to go inward.

 

The forest becomes a different forest. Dust settles, and a deep emerald green coats everything and endless shapes of life spring forth overnight. The mosses become thick and velvety carpets, and the air is filled with the rich and fresh aroma of damp earth and blooming jasmine. The world feels washed.

This is where the real meditation begins, not by pushing “start” on an app or timer, but instead by engaging with the world around you.

The constant, soft rhythm of the rain becomes a mantra. You do not have to try to focus, the sound is extracting the focus for you. It is a natural sound bath that washes away the mind chatter, the never-ending to-do lists, the noise of the outside world. Each drop feels as though it is cleansing something, granting you permission to let go. The mountains are shrouded in a soft blanket of cloud and your focus no longer goes outward to distant peaks but inward, to the landscape of your own heart and mind.

There is a special kind of peace that comes with being here at this time of year. Pokhara’s peak season hustle and bustle is in the quiet hum of the background. The trekking crowds have dissipated and what is left is an impressive stillness.

It’s the ideal time for diving into a deep yoga practice, for disappearing into a great book, or for sitting in contemplation and having a meaningful conversation, either with a friend or with yourself.

It’s a time not for being active, but for being.

So, if you are looking for a different kind of holiday; one that is generally less about seeing and more about seeing you; do not let rain scare you away. Monsoon does not close things down; it opens up a different, more intimate world. It gives the opportunity to find a peace so deep that you can hear it in the sound of the rain.

We invite you to come listen.