R.A.I.N.

In this guided practice of RAIN - Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture - you will explore an area of difficulty in your life with the purpose of gaining clarity and perspective, and developing self-compassion. This practice is inspired by Tara Brach's version of RAIN, which includes "After the Rain" - a reflection on the emerging presence after the four steps.

Transcript

Take some time now to find a posture that will feel supportive for you for about the next 15 minutes as we move into this practice of RAIN.

And then you might begin by paying attention to your breathing.

It might feel helpful to take a couple of deep,

Full breaths,

Inviting your attention into this present moment,

Into your body.

And then just sense yourself settling and relaxing with your breathing.

You might check and see if there's any areas of your body that can relax a little bit more,

Checking in with the muscles in your face and your jaw,

Your shoulders,

Your belly,

And hands.

You might continue to relax with your breathing or with any other anchor that feels helpful to you right now,

Maybe paying attention to your hands or sounds in the room,

Taking some time to collect your attention as much as possible by focusing on your anchor.

And you might begin to scan your life now to search for a place of difficulty that you'd like to work with today.

And you might imagine a scale from 1 to 10,

1 being something that doesn't feel difficult at all and 10 being something that feels really overwhelming or unmanageable.

And I'll invite you for today to maybe pick something that's around a 3,

A level 3.

So there's some emotions that come up,

There's a reaction of some kind,

A charge of maybe fear or hurt or shame.

And this might be something that's happening within a relationship or at work or something that's going on in the world,

Something that you'd like to find more balance with.

Something that's bringing up some emotional reactivity.

Then you might bring to mind a situation along this theme or that has to do with this pattern in your life that really brings up a lot of reactivity.

It might be helpful to imagine it playing in your mind like a movie.

And then you might go to the part in this imaginary movie as you scroll through this memory where you feel most emotionally reactive,

Where you feel most upset,

And just pause,

Use the frame,

And begin to sense what's going on.

Recognizing what's happening for you right now,

You might describe it simply in one or two sentences.

And then begin to recognize the emotions that are coming up for you.

There might be a sense of feeling angry,

Let down or hurt,

Filled with anxiety,

Frozen tension,

And just naming to yourself whatever it is that you're most aware of right now.

And then we'll begin to transition to the A of brain,

Allowing.

The sense that whatever you're experiencing in this moment related to this situation,

That you can let it be just for now.

Recognizing doesn't mean that you like it or that you want it to stay.

It simply means that you're acknowledging that this is your life in this moment,

That these emotions are here,

They're real,

And that you're allowing them to be felt.

You might find it helpful to imagine words like,

Yes,

Or this too,

You belong,

Or the image of greeting each emotion that you notice that's here with you right now,

Each of these difficult emotions.

Maybe imagining that you're placing your hand on their shoulder or embracing them,

Or that you're inviting each one of them to sit down at a table with you for a cup of tea.

And as we move into the I of brain investigation,

Stay with these emotions and begin to sense down into your body.

Where do you feel most vulnerable right now?

Where does vulnerability live in you?

You might pay particular attention to your belly,

Your chest,

And your throat.

And it can be helpful sometimes to ask yourself,

What am I believing when this is happening?

That I'm not special,

That no one cares about me,

That I'm a failure,

Or that I'm not understood,

I'm not lovable.

And there might not be a belief that is really obvious or evident and that's okay.

Just checking in to see.

And whatever you notice,

Just bring your attention back again down into your body.

See if you can identify the felt sense.

Wherever these emotions are living right now,

Maybe there's a clenching or a heat,

A pressure,

Twisting,

Aching.

See if you can stay connected to the body and just name what's happening there right now.

It might be helpful to ask yourself,

What is the worst part of this?

And our investigation begins to move toward nurturing.

When you ask the question of this vulnerable place,

How do you want me to be with you?

Or what does this place most need right now?

Whatever arises,

Just sense the possibility that you can respond to this place,

This hurting place inside of you with love and with care.

That the most wise and loving part of you could respond with care.

And as we transition now into nurturing,

It might be helpful to take a couple of more deep breaths.

You might adjust your posture a little bit.

And if you could imagine your most loving or wisest self,

See if you can sense into what their facial expression would look like or what their posture would look like.

And as you do that,

Stay in contact with this vulnerability in yourself,

With those emotions that have arisen,

The places they're inhabiting in your body and continue to sense and feel what does this place most need?

You might have a sense that this wiser,

Loving version of yourself could respond in some way.

Or it might feel helpful to invite the presence of some other being who represents love and compassion to you.

It could be a teacher,

A loved one,

A relative or a child,

A spiritual figure or a pet,

Or even a place in nature.

Some being that feels really loving and really supportive.

And just imagine that they're here with you in some way,

Bringing their love and their wisdom and their care,

That they could help you hold this vulnerability,

That they could offer what is needed.

It's sometimes helpful to bring a hand to your heart or to the part of your body that's feeling tender inside.

Or you might even just cradle your hands in your lap,

One resting in the other,

Offering a tender touch.

As you continue to imagine the wiser,

More loving version of yourself or the presence of this other loving being,

You can ask what words or messages does this place in me most need to hear?

And then see if you can offer that either from yourself or if you can imagine this care coming from this other being.

And it might be as simple as,

I'm here,

You don't have to do this alone.

You're worthy of love.

You're important.

I care about this suffering.

And sense that you could rest in this love as it comes from this future awake,

Loving version of yourself or this other loving being,

That you could soak it in,

That this vulnerable place inside of you could receive exactly what it needs.

The next couple of breaths,

I'll invite you to let go of the sense of doing the practice.

You might allow your hands to rest easily again and will shift into after the rain,

Taking some moments to just rest in the heart space that has emerged.

You might notice a greater quality of presence and ease,

A greater sense of perspective,

Tenderness.

Or it might still feel challenging and you can continue to nurture whatever is there to allow and nurture any feelings of difficulty that remain.

In either way,

Just notice the quality of your presence right now.

Or you might check in and just sense what is my sense of who I am in this moment and how has it shifted since I started the practice.

It can also be helpful to check and see if there's a message from this most awake version of yourself that would be helpful to remember.

Then you might return your attention again to your anchoring practice for a few moments,

Feeling your seat in your chair or your body wherever it's resting,

Being supported by the floor,

Feeling the gentle movement of your breath,

And just sensing that whatever is here you can be with it.

And that you're worthy of deep care.

Yes,

There's nothing I can trust.

You

Reviews

Lovely guidance. This really resonated with me today. Thank you.

Centering and full of beautiful raw emotion. I chose rather higher than the 3 you recommended but it worked for me, thank you so much ❤🙏🏼

Helpful to process feelings. Will do this one again.

Sweetly guided

So helpful in processing emotions! Thank you 🙏

Good instruction and good ratio of words to silence

My departed friend came and held me declaring that she loves me without me doing anything. That I need to value my being over my doing.

Jennifer! This is a lovely RAIN practice, Thank you! Beautiful, tone, pace & content. I felt lovingly guided through my practice. I am a member of the MMTCP 2023 cohort. You are an inspiration!

Lovely take on the rain practice. Great voice and atmosphere.
Thank you.

Very well produced and healing. It really does wonders with emotionally charged moments

Exactly what I needed in this moment 🙏