There is a technique in mindfulness called RAIN.
Maybe you've heard of it before.
R-A-I-N.
And each of those letters stands for some specific activity that we can practice right now.
So with your eyes either closed or your gaze softened and not taking in any visual stimulus,
We'll start with R,
Which stands for recognizing what's going on.
We can awaken our recognition by simply asking ourselves,
What is happening inside me right now?
So calling on your natural curiosity as you focus that spotlight inward.
Trying to let go of any preconceived ideas and just listen in a kind and receptive way.
Maybe the way you would listen to a child or to one of your students,
To your body,
To your heart.
Just bring a kind awareness to whatever thoughts or emotions or feelings or sensations are bubbling up right here and now.
You might be surprised by how much comes up or you might find that there isn't much.
If that's the case,
You can call to mind an experience that you've had recently of maybe something a little bit triggering,
But not terribly difficult,
Not a trauma,
Just maybe a minor annoyance or difficulty that you encountered.
And just note what has come up.
What are you experiencing?
Is it a feeling?
Is there some anger,
Some frustration or some sadness?
Or maybe you're feeling it in your body.
Maybe there's a tightness.
Using our breath,
Getting in to the count of four and out to the count of five.
And now we'll move on to A,
Which stands for allow or accept.
I sort of prefer accept.
Allow the experience to be there just as it is.
Allowing means letting thoughts,
Emotions,
Feelings,
Sensations,
Simply be there without trying to fix or avoid them.
And without agreeing with them,
By the way.
You don't have to like them.
We're just allowing them.
You might feel a natural sense of aversion,
Wishing that the unpleasant feelings would go away.
But as you become more willing to be present with what is,
A different quality of attention will start to emerge.
Allowing is not about making yourself happy with what you are noticing or about saying everything's okay.
It is simply acknowledging that things are the way they are in this moment.
And again,
Breathing in to the count of four and out to the count of five.
We move on to I,
Investigate with interest and care.
Once we have recognized and allowed what is arising,
We can deepen our attention through curiosity and investigation,
The desire to know the truth,
And then direct focused attention on your present experience.
You might ask yourself,
What most wants attention?
How am I experiencing this in my body?
What am I believing?
What does this vulnerable place want from me?
What does it most need?
Whatever the inquiry,
Your investigation will be most transformational if you try to step away from the conceptualizing and bring your primary attention to the felt sense in the body.
Also it is essential to approach this experience in a non-judgmental and kind way.
We're letting go of judgment for the moment.
This attitude of care and kindness helps create a sufficient sense of safety,
Of ease,
Making it possible to connect with the feelings that are arising and to do this practice again in the future with a sense of safety.
Letting go of fear or shame.
And again,
We'll breathe in to the count of four.
And breathe out to the count of five.
Moving on finally to N.
Where we will nourish ourselves with self-compassion and we'll practice non-identification with what is going on.
For this part,
There is not much to do apart from resting in the natural awareness and also noticing the quality of separation between us and those things arising within us.
We'll just pause here for another couple of breaths.
Breathing in from the count of four and out to the count of five.
Breathing in from the count of five.
Breathing in from the count of five.
And out to the count of five.
You
