And now we enter into a practice of becoming mindful of our feelings.
Just like mindfulness of sound or thoughts or even sensations in the body,
Feelings arise when we enter into meditation.
Feelings also arise in our daily interactions with others.
The goal of a feelings practice is to move from reactivity to compassionate response.
So I invite you now to sit quietly.
Close your eyes and take a few full breaths.
In this practice,
We'll be exploring mindfulness of feelings with an introduction to a practice called RAIN.
Inhale deeply.
And then a slow out breath.
Relaxing.
Releasing into this moment.
Taro Brak invites those in this practice to imagine a current situation in which you feel stuck.
A situation that causes a difficult reaction such as anger or shame or fear.
This can be a recurring kind of a real situation where you seem to go unconscious and no longer have access to your inner resources.
Where you feel out of control.
Where you find yourself blaming or shaming self or feeling hurt or even defensive.
Or maybe you withdraw or you lash out.
I invite you not to pick a situation with a current trauma in it.
That won't serve you in this practice.
Bringing up that current situation,
Notice a sense of where your feelings are triggered.
When you have feelings of guilt or fear or anger.
We come to the first step in our practice.
The R in RAIN.
Recognize what's happening.
As you reflect on the current situation ask yourself what is happening inside me right now?
What emotions come up for you?
What sensations are you most aware of?
Mentally whispering to yourself what you're most aware of.
Take a moment to become aware of your felt sense of the situation as a whole.
Can you see how this experience is in your heart,
In your mind,
And in your body as well?
After recognizing what is happening,
We go to our next step,
ALLOW.
Allow life to be just as it is.
The A in RAIN is ALLOW.
Send a message to your heart to let be this entire experience.
What is,
Is.
Give space to what is here without trying to change it.
Just notice what is true,
Intending not to judge or push away or control anything you find.
Just be with.
ALLOW.
Then we come to our next step.
In this RAIN practice,
I INVESTIGATE.
What's going on?
You explore what you're experiencing more closely,
Calling on your curiosity.
You might ask yourself,
What about this wants my attention?
Or what most wants my acceptance?
Close your questions gently with your inner voice being kind and inviting.
Notice where you feel the experience most in your body.
Are you aware of heat or tightness,
Pressure,
Aches,
Lightness?
When you have found the most intense part of your physical experience,
Bring it to your face.
Letting your expression mirror and even exaggerate what you're feeling in your body.
What emotions are you aware of when you do this?
Fear?
Anger?
Shame?
As you continue to investigate,
You might find it helpful to ask,
What am I believing about myself?
This leads to a lot of thinking.
Just drop it.
If not,
Continue to investigate.
What's emerging within you,
Those beliefs?
If you can,
I invite you to discover the most distinct belief as it emerges.
Do you believe that you're failing in some way?
Or that someone will reject you?
Or that you'll not be able to handle whatever is around the corner?
That you're really flawed?
That you'll never be happy?
That you're invisible?
What are you believing about yourself?
You have a sense of the belief.
Notice how this belief lives in your body.
What are the sensations?
Soreness?
Burning?
Tightness?
Followness?
As you contact and allow what is happening,
What do you notice?
Is there any softening in your body and heart?
Just by investigating,
Can you sense more openness or space?
Does it intensify or change what you're feeling?
Now we move to this last portion of the RAIN practice.
The N in RAIN stands for nourishing or nurture.
Nurturing,
Nourishing the self.
Now ask the place of most difficulty.
What do you want from me?
Or what do you need from me?
How do you want me to be with you?
Am I moving to acceptance?
Understanding?
Do I need safety,
Forgiveness or love?
As you sense what is needed,
What's your natural response?
What is the message you'd like to hear most from a trusted other?
What would be most reassuring,
Most healing in this moment?
Are you listening now to your true self?
You might gently put your hand on your heart.
Recognize that you're in this space,
In this moment,
Right here,
Right now.
Discover how your attention might become more intimate and loving just by being with self,
By nurturing self,
Nourishing self in this present moment.
Tara Brach says,
Going into yourself and offering what this part of you most needs,
Most resonates,
Is exactly where you are right now.
Communicate to that deep part of yourself,
An expression of love.
Let it be fresh.
Letting love flow into your whole being.
Let the intention of offering yourself forgiveness and grace bring you into this and every moment as you come back to your breath and at the sound of a bell,
Arrive in this moment,
Nourished and ready as your full and true self.
Time is running because of you,
We all need it.
You
