Welcome,
Dear one.
Find a comfortable position that allows you to feel both relaxed and alert.
Take a deep nourishing breath,
Inviting in the essence of curiosity and compassion.
And as you exhale,
Feel any tension or resistance begin to soften.
Close your eyes gently and imagine yourself sitting beside a tranquil lake.
The water's surface is like a mirror,
Reflecting the sky above.
As we begin this practice,
Know that this lake represents your inner emotional landscape.
The rain technique we'll explore today is like a gentle shower,
Cleansing and refreshing your awareness.
Let's begin with the first droplet of this healing rain.
R,
Recognize.
Notice what's happening in your inner world right now.
Like a skilled observer,
Gently scan your thoughts.
Emotions and bodily sensations.
What do you find?
Perhaps there's a flutter of anxiety in your chest.
A heaviness of sadness in your heart.
Or a spark of joy in your belly.
Whatever you discover,
Simply acknowledge its presence.
Name it silently to yourself,
As if greeting an old friend.
As you recognize what's present,
Imagine this awareness as a ripple spreading across the surface of your inner lake.
There's no need to change anything.
Simply notice and name.
A,
Allow.
Now,
Let's allow whatever you've recognized to simply be here.
This is the second droplet of our healing rain.
Take a deep breath and whisper to yourself,
Let it be.
Give permission for your experience to exist.
Just as it is.
Without trying to fix,
Change or push it away.
Imagine the ripples on your inner lake settling.
The water accepting whatever floats on its surface.
Feel the spaciousness that comes with allowing.
You might even place a hand on your heart as a gesture of acceptance.
I,
Investigate.
As we move to the third droplet of our healing rain,
Let's allow whatever you've recognized to simply be here.
I,
Investigate.
As we move to the third droplet of rain,
Bring a gentle curiosity to your experience.
Like a compassionate explorer,
Investigate the landscape of your emotions with kindness.
Ask yourself,
Where do I feel this in my body?
What does this feeling need?
What message might this emotion have for me?
Listen deeply,
As if the wisdom of your heart is whispering secrets meant only for you.
You might imagine diving beneath the surface of your inner lake,
Exploring its depths with wonder and care.
N,
Nurture.
The final droplet of our rain practice is nurture.
Having recognized,
Allowed and investigated your emotional experience,
Now is the time to offer yourself compassion and care.
What would you say to a dear friend experiencing this same emotion?
Offer those words of kindness to yourself.
Imagine a warm golden light emanating from your heart,
Surrounding you in a cocoon of self-love.
This light touches every part of you that needs comfort,
Every emotion that calls for tenderness.
You might silently say to yourself,
I'm here for you.
It's okay to feel this way.
You are loved just as you are.
Feel the nurturing energy of these words sinking into every cell of your being,
Like rain nourishing thirsty soil.
As we conclude our rain practice,
Take a moment to notice how you feel now.
Has the landscape of your inner lake shifted?
Perhaps the waters are calmer,
Or maybe you feel a sense of spaciousness that wasn't there before.
Slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings.
Feel the surface supporting you,
Grounding you in this moment of heightened awareness.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Take a deep breath.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Carry the clarity and compassion of this rain practice with you as you move through your day.
Remember,
Your emotions are not storms to be weathered,
But messengers bearing gifts of insight and growth.
Treat them with kindness and they will reveal their wisdom to you.
