Welcome to day 14.
We are now in the last phase of the waxing gibbous and most mainstream sources will typically talk about four quarters of the moon and this is how we get four weeks in a month.
And generally they give seven days for each quarter of the phases of the moon and we have actually decided in mindfulness with the moon to use six phases.
This six phases of the moon is emphasized by our astrological source David McConaughey.
He is linked in the details of the podcast so to find out more information from him of which he is an incredible knowledgeable resource please follow up with him.
So you may notice that if you're looking up the different phases of the moon you might find different information about dates and times.
So the the invitation here is really for you to stay present with us even if things get a little off and I think it's great if things get a little off.
We get to practice with it.
We get to work with what comes up when our phases aren't right in line with what exactly is happening astrologically.
Also six is a powerful number in sacred geometry for creation and we really liked David's approach of looking at the synodic month based on David's studies.
And so we are in according to the synodic month the last day of the waxing gibbous phase heading tomorrow into the full moon phase.
Today I'm going to teach you a technique called RAIN.
RAIN is an acronym and RAIN was taught to me by Tara Brock who learned it from her teacher Michelle McDonald.
Tara has shifted and changed RAIN a little bit and I'll be sharing with you all what I've learned from her.
RAIN is a powerful tool when used specifically when we're feeling a large emotion a big emotion whether we're triggered or overwhelmed or even feeling joy and empathy.
So this is a somatic technique where we actually feel into our bodies and allow for whatever is coming up to be there and then bringing kindness and compassion to ourselves.
RAIN as an acronym is R stands for recognize,
A allow,
I investigate,
N nurture.
We will dive right into our practice today.
As you prepare I'd like for you to bring something difficult to mind for your meditation something that's coming up in your life but not something that is a 10 on a scale of emotional intensity right if one meaning not very emotionally charged and then 10 being the most I invite you to find something in the middle.
This allows for us to stay in what Dr.
Dan Siegel calls the window of tolerance so that you can work with,
Receive,
Process and then integrate information and emotions rather than getting flooded or overwhelmed or shut down by the information that's arising when it can be too emotionally charged or extremely emotionally charged.
So in this practice find something in the middle.
I invite you to find a seat comfortably so that you're alert and upright but there's also a sense of ease that you can feel.
I'll ring three bells to start and then three bells to close.
Begin by bringing to mind a difficulty that you've encountered some situation or circumstances that brings up emotional reactivity.
It can be fear or anger or hurt.
It could be a situation that feels challenging with a relationship that you're having or maybe there's a place in your life where you're feeling misunderstood or emotionally reactive.
It could be something in your work life.
It could be feelings of failure,
Jealousy,
Anxiety,
Sadness.
It might even be that there's what I like to call the mean coach in your mind who chimes in when you're feeling down about yourself or down about what's happening in your life.
Whatever it is,
Tune into what's present for you now.
It doesn't have to be something that you typically work with but what's arising for you now.
I'll give you some space to bring something to mind in silence for the next few moments.
So as you bring to mind whatever it is,
The R of RAIN is just to recognize that there's something here.
And even if it's not something extremely specific that you found,
Let yourself be open to seeing what arises as we work with RAIN and just recognizing that there's something to work with.
And then hand-in-hand with recognizing,
We then immediately allow for whatever it is to simply be there.
We're just pausing,
Letting the experience be exactly as it is.
So we're allowing a quality of pausing and just making space for whatever it is.
Instead of trying to fix it or run away from it,
We're just simply acknowledging what's here.
Notice what that's like.
Just agreeing to the experience of the moment.
The I of RAIN is to investigate,
Not from a cognitive place.
We're not thinking about what's happening but instead we're investigating from the body.
We're investigating from a somatic place.
So what does this mean?
When you put your attention on your body,
First of all,
Where in your body are you feeling something?
Perhaps you'd like to rest your attention there.
I like to feel in my body for a vibration,
Some sort of movement that's happening inside.
My heart is always a great place to start because my heart is always moving,
Always pumping for as long as I'm alive.
The breath is also a constant with so much movement that the breath creates within the torso and within the brain and the throat and the body.
So that's a place to rest as well.
Noticing what you feel and maybe your attention even goes to something visual.
Maybe there's a message that comes through of some sort.
Seeing if you can stay present with your experience as openly as you can.
What is happening in my body when I open myself to what I'm experiencing right now?
Notice as the vibration changes and shifts.
Maybe it gets more intense or maybe it starts to soften and change.
Just bringing an open and gentle awareness.
The N of RAIN is to nurture,
Bringing some compassion towards yourself,
To yourself,
Sensing where you are right now.
And if there's anything that feels like it's calling you about the experience inside,
You can feel free to call in an even deeper attention.
Offering kindness towards yourself in the moment.
You might just sense what this is like.
So what happens if you make some gesture of kindness,
Of understanding,
Of compassion inwardly?
Maybe that looks like taking a deeper breath.
Maybe that looks like holding your own hands.
Maybe it looks like placing a hand on your heart.
Staying with yourself,
Mindful.
Breathing into the spaciousness that you are creating.
Breathing into this window of tolerance so we can start to work with the difficult emotions that start to arise with a bit more ease.
Now RAIN can take 15,
20,
30 seconds to go through.
Recognize that you're triggered,
Allowing the trigger to be there.
Investigate how it feels in your body and nurture yourself.
It's okay,
Sweet one.
So as you're sitting in this meditation today,
I invite you to practice RAIN as many times as you want to.
You can also slow it down.
You don't have to move through it quickly.
But emotions don't last in the body very long.
They say emotions only last between 30 to 90 seconds and that's on the long side.
So noticing with what's arising,
Being present with what's arising and meeting yourself there.
Practice as many times as you need to during this meditation.
I will honor silence and allow for the music to take you through to the end of this meditation when you will hear the bells to close.
As we close our meditation today,
I'd like to read a poem from Wu Men.
Ten thousand flowers in the spring.
The moon in autumn.
A cool breeze in the summer.
Snow in the winter.
If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things,
This is the best season of your life.
Thank you for practicing RAIN today.
As you close the meditation,
I invite you to offer yourself what we call AFTER the RAIN,
Which is just a kindness,
A deep kindness towards yourself,
No matter what arises.
Of course,
Again,
Just practicing this skill over and over,
Knowing that each moment is different.
Each moment,
There's more for us to see,
More for us to feel and to create space for that allows for any stuck energy,
Any emotions to just keep moving.
And when it keeps moving and our body is flowing,
We're healthy.
Thank you so much for keeping this practice alive.
It's such a joy to be your guide.
See you tomorrow for our full moon.
Lots of love,
My friends.
