So welcome to the self-soothing meditation called RAIN.
It comes from Tara Brach.
And with this meditation,
We're working with emotions.
And inviting you now to bring to mind something that may be triggering you,
Something current.
Which is something you don't mind working with today.
So the practice reign,
R is for recognize the emotion,
First steps,
R awareness.
The A is acknowledge or allow the emotion,
The I is to investigate,
And the N is for nurture.
So finding a comfortable way to sit.
And maybe readjusting how you are sitting.
And simply starting by.
Curiously observing how you are right now.
How am I?
Just arriving into this space of no effort.
Arriving into this meditation.
This new beginning.
Just breathing in.
And out.
And bring into mind what you would like to work with.
So we're sensing what it is.
That may be triggering you.
Reign with the awe.
R is to recognise.
And by recognizing whatever is most predominant.
That is going on inside you.
It might be feeling anger.
Or hurt.
Or you may be feeling totally frozen with some stuck intention.
To do anything.
Or anxiety.
Just naming for yourself whatever it is that you are most aware of.
And recognize goes with acknowledge or allow.
The A of rain.
Which is just to let it be there right now.
So with allow we pause,
We make space.
For what is here.
And allowing doesn't mean you like it.
It means that you are acknowledging.
That this is the life of the moment.
You are letting it be.
And by allowing you are beginning to deepen your attention.
And the eye of rain is investigate.
So you might begin by asking.
What most wants attention.
What's the most difficult part of this?
And with investigating,
You are feeling into your body.
Feeling into the place.
Of failure.
Or shame.
Or judgment.
Or dislike.
Or fear.
And it can sometimes help to ask.
What am I believing when this is happening?
Am I believing that someone thinks that I am not special?
Or do I believe that I am not understood?
That I am invisible.
That I am a failure.
That I am unlovable.
So sensing if there is a belief going on here.
Do I believe that I am disrespected?
But most important,
Come into the body.
And sense that whatever you are believing is felt in the body.
To paying attention to your throat.
Your heart space.
Your belly.
What emotion might be there.
What's the felt sense?
And so a feeling of clenching or aching or feeling squeezed.
And consider that you can investigate more fully.
If you assume the facial expression of what you are feeling.
And don't feel inhibited.
Just let your face take on the expression of whatever is being done.
Triggered.
You can even change your body posture.
Crunching your shoulders.
Maybe your hands want to come into fists.
And whatever it is,
Just allowing.
Your body and your face to express.
Whatever might be going on inside.
Which is part of investigating.
And fully contacting the experience.
And what do you notice?
Where do you feel most vulnerable in your body?
Where does vulnerability live right now?
And at that vulnerable place.
If you could communicate.
What would it want you to know?
Maybe there are words.
Maybe there is a strong feeling.
Or an image.
And the investigating starts to move towards nurturing,
The N of RAIN.
When you ask that vulnerable place,
How do you want me to be with you?
You might ask.
What does this place most need right now?
What does it most need?
Does it want to trust something?
Or to feel something in particular.
To know something.
So asking and investigating.
And beginning to sense now.
The possibility.
Of responding to this place inside you.
From the most loving and wise part of you.
And in a way of getting in touch with that,
You might take a few full breaths.
And maybe find yourself adjusting your posture a little.
Even assuming the facial expression that most allows you to inhabit your high self.
Which some people call their future self.
A few full breaths.
And really evolving into the most awakened part.
But staying in contact.
With the vulnerability.
Feeling.
What does this place most need?
And then ending this meditation when it feels right for you.
