Surfing The Waves Of Emotion Using R.A.I.N.—A Meditation And Journaling Practice

In today’s practice, you'll have the opportunity to explore the mindfulness technique of R.A.I.N using meditation and journaling. R.A.I.N. is a 4-step Buddhist practice that will support you to move through difficult emotions and situations as they arise. I like to think of it like learning to surf, so that you can ride these waves with some ease and grace. You’ll need a journal for this practice. It is best to listen to this meditation with headphones.

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Carolyn Ziehl.

I'm so glad that you've decided to join me today to meditate and to do a little journaling.

Today we'll focus on a Buddhist practice.

It's called RAIN.

Maybe you've heard of it.

RAIN is a four-step process.

It's a Buddhist practice.

It's a practice in mindfulness,

And it will help you in riding out those difficult situations that happen in our lives and the emotions that arise from them.

RAIN is an acronym.

R for recognize,

A for allow and accept,

I for investigate,

And N for non-identification.

And it is through this practice that you will learn,

Eventually,

How to sit easily or more easily with uncomfortable emotions and situations that arise in our lives.

I like to say that we're learning to surf when we do this practice or any mindfulness practice because emotions and situations in our lives come in waves.

And if we have the tools to support us in surfing these waves rather than becoming enveloped in them or having them pull us under so that we can learn to surf.

So when the big waves come,

The tsunami,

We're ready for it.

We can ride out those difficult emotions and experiences.

Today we'll practice RAIN with a journal and do some writing.

But keep in mind,

You might need this practice while you're in traffic where you can't turn to your journal or maybe you're having a heated discussion or you're in an uncomfortable business meeting.

No matter the situation,

It is through recognizing,

Allowing,

Accepting,

Investigating,

And non-identifying with the emotions,

The feelings,

The situation that can bring you to a sense of peace,

Equanimity,

To a sense of,

Oh,

And this too shall pass.

And that is the goal here,

Not to get pulled under by the tidal wave,

But to learn to surf it,

To learn to ride the emotions as they move through us without judgment,

Remembering this is all part of the human experience.

So let's practice RAIN together.

Find yourself in a seated position ideally,

Your journal by your side,

And settle in,

Noticing where you are,

Any sounds around you,

Inside the room,

Outside,

And just let those sounds be.

And when you feel ready,

Gently close your eyes,

Taking a deep breath through your nose,

Holding it at the top,

And gently release it through your nose.

Another deep breath in through your nose,

Holding it at the top,

Gently releasing it through your nose.

And again,

The deepest breath you've taken all day in through your nose,

Filling your body,

Holding it at the top,

And releasing it with a sigh through your mouth.

Now gently place your awareness and your attention on your breath.

Just notice your breath.

Without trying to change your breath,

You're just noticing it as it moves in and out of your body.

I invite you now to feel into yourself.

Taking a moment to think about a recent situation that's upsetting you.

Could be an argument or heated discussion.

It could just be a mood that you're in,

Something you might not even be sure of why or what exactly,

Something off.

It could be something you read or something someone said to you.

Either way,

Take a moment and turn to that recent situation and let that memory unfold.

You are going to be able to feel this flu All the time.

And as this memory unfolds,

Recognize any emotions attached to it.

How you felt in your body then and how you feel in your body now.

Realize these emotions and these sensations.

And when you feel ready,

Turn toward your journal and write about what it is you're recognizing.

What it is that you're recognizing that stems from this situation.

And when you feel ready,

Turn toward your journal and write about what it is that stems from this situation.

And as you're writing,

You're not judging how you feel.

You're just taking note,

Literally taking notes.

And when you feel ready,

As you continue to breathe into these feelings and sensations,

Noticing them,

You can close your eyes again,

Breathing into them,

Naming them,

Whether they be anger,

Tension,

Disappointment,

Tightness.

Give yourself permission to allow these feelings and sensations to be as they are and as they arise in your body.

As you breathe into these sensations and feelings and emotions,

You are allowing them and you are accepting them.

And when you feel ready,

You can turn back to your journal and you can write what you are feeling.

And if you're so inclined,

You can even write,

I am allowing and write what you are allowing or you can write,

I am accepting and then describe and write what it is that you are accepting and what it is that you are allowing in this moment.

Zen Mu vulnerable person!

!

And as you're writing about what you're allowing and accepting,

Let's move into investigation.

This is where you get curious.

And it is through curiosity we offer ourselves a kindness,

A gentleness.

It is with the softness of curiosity that you conduct your investigation.

So I'd like to offer you some journal prompts.

Or if you feel inclined,

You can free write your curious investigation,

Asking yourself questions.

And here are some questions that might help.

What story am I believing about myself?

What story am I believing about myself?

What story am I believing about myself?

What is the story I'm telling myself?

What is the story I'm telling myself?

What is the story I'm telling myself?

What is the story I'm telling myself?

How is this familiar?

How is this familiar?

How is this familiar?

How is this familiar?

And finally,

Is there something needing your attention?

Is there something needing your attention?

Or another way to put this might be,

What is asking for your attention?

What inside of yourself is asking for your attention?

What is asking for your attention?

What is asking for your attention?

The fourth step in our RAIN practice is non-identification.

And as you're writing,

Notice that you are not these words.

You are not your thoughts.

You are not your emotions.

You aren't angry,

But sometimes you get angry.

You aren't sadness,

But sometimes you feel sadness.

You aren't your story.

And I invite you to do some writing on this fourth step of RAIN.

Write about how you aren't your story,

About how you can recognize that the root or one of the roots of a certain thought and the attached emotion are maybe something that happened a long time ago.

And they are not who you are now.

That you can cut those roots away.

That you don't have to be attached or always identify as that person with that story.

That you have the power to change your story,

To rewrite your story.

I'll give you some time to discover in your journal this last step of non-identification.

I'll give you some time to discover in your journal this last step of non-identification.

Amazing.

You you This process isn't always the easiest process Turning toward difficult emotions and situations and riding them out surfing those waves can be challenging and So I'd like you to give yourself the credit you deserve For practicing rain with me today It's a beautiful practice One I invite you to revisit daily weekly when you need it You can always come back to this meditation you can pause it if you need more time to write and I invite you to keep writing now In the meantime,

I so appreciate you're taking time with me today to practice rain Thank you so much.

Be well Be healthy and let it rain namaste

Reviews

Excellent for addressing the negative feelings that we have sometimes. I feel so positive about who I am and what I have achieved despite how others have made me feel. Thank you Carolyn. Namaste 🙏🏼 ❤️💫

Absolutely beautiful, thank you Carolyn! 🌺

It definetely rain over here. I was in tears. thank you so much for such and incredible meditation.

I store my emotions as physical pain in my body, this is a great process to work through the emotions and remind my body that I’m completely safe and there’s no reason for my brain to distract me with the physical pain, I can handle the emotions that come my way. Much thanks!

I'm struggling with grief, and this really helped me tap into the pain without being consumed by it. I'm bookmarking this meditation. Thank you x

Thank you for your kind and through guidance. R.A.I.N is a practice that I can use to enrich and empower my being-ness.