The Power To Notice, Release & Accept

Enjoy an escape into the land of mindfulness meditation. This practice prepares either experienced practitioners or beginners for the path to learning to just be. It includes reference to the RAIN technique (Recognise, Accept, Investigate with kindness, and Not identify with the situation) - a good technique for overwhelm. This is not meant for people dealing with traumatic situations. Please refer to a therapist if you're dealing with trauma.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Neil Shepherd and I'm with Inner Synergy.

I'd like to take you through a mindfulness experience or a journey.

It's called the power to notice,

Release,

Accept.

So sitting with your back straight,

If you're sitting in a chair,

Without straining or striving.

If you're lying down,

Just calmly laying there,

But trying to keep our mind alert so we don't fall asleep.

Whatever we're doing,

Feeling stable in a comfortable position.

Invite you to close your eyes or have them downcast on the floor.

This helps reduce sensory inputs for the practice,

Which is good when we first start.

Firstly allowing any tightness in our body to dissolve.

Imagine the body and the mind is just dropping into neutral,

Sliding into a state of just being and learning to be okay with that.

There's no standard to achieve here.

We're just practicing how to focus our attention and our awareness.

Focus is about being able to sustain our focus on one thing for extended periods.

So taking three slightly slower,

Slightly deeper breaths into the belly.

Breathing into the count of four and breathing out to the count of five.

Noticing the belly rise as we breathe,

Many of us shallow chest breathe when we're stressed.

This doesn't help us trigger the parasympathetic nervous system's natural relaxation response so easily.

When we shallow chest breathe.

Breathing normally,

The body knows what to do.

Taking your time to relax the body,

Releasing tension and letting go.

Maybe you could focus on relaxing your face,

Your eyes,

Make sure your jaw is unclenched.

Bring your shoulders backwards and dropping them down.

Letting any obvious tension release.

The more we practice this,

The more we can notice how much tension we hold in our body.

Breathing,

Loosening,

Calming,

Breathing,

Connecting with ourselves.

Something we don't often give ourselves time to do.

Allowing presence but without judgement.

Allowing our body to slide into relaxation while our mind stays awake.

Focusing on this practice.

Without hurrying,

Just trying to be aware of the present moment.

Our body and our breath is always in the present moment.

It's just our mind often is wandering off into the future with what if scenarios or ruminating about what has happened to us in the past.

Mindfulness is about getting away from reactivity,

Creating some space and clarity to respond to what actually is.

It's an awareness of our thoughts,

Our feelings,

Our emotions,

Our sensations without judgement or reaction.

Letting go of our habits.

Letting go for our need of control.

Letting go of our need to feel busy all the time.

Letting go of our habit of overthinking,

Of being fearful,

Of ruminating.

Realising that often these states of being are not beneficial for us.

Taking another slower,

Deeper breath down into the belly.

Feeling the belly rise.

Released,

Relaxed,

Calm.

I'd like you to remember this feeling so that you can come back to it regularly.

With this kind of practice our mind can release states of being that do not serve us.

And let us see ones that we can apply that do benefit us more.

How?

When we build our awareness we recognise and notice more who we are actually being.

Our reactions,

Our beliefs,

Our habits.

And we can turn that around to who we want to be based on values and goals.

Through our autonomic nervous system's natural relaxation response.

Applying the mind's metaphorical break.

As opposed to having the foot hard on the accelerator all the time.

Our mind needs a bit of space and clarity.

We start to learn we can be okay even if we are not feeling okay.

With acceptance of what is.

We never have to like a situation but sometimes we do have to accept it.

At least until we can take some affirmative action to change it.

If we can.

If we are stuck in a traffic jam.

Sometimes there is nothing we can do we just have to wait until it clears.

And getting upset and angry doesn't help at all.

Over time you learn the futility of all this.

And just start enjoying being present.

And making the most of what the situation is.

Watching our inner critic.

Teaching it like a puppy to sit or stay.

Like a puppy over time it learns,

The mind learns.

To just be okay being.

Not needing to constantly be doing something.

Or a human being not a human doing.

Released relaxed.

Calm.

Body relaxed.

Mind alert.

And noticing.

Knowing that thinking is natural.

Though overthinking doesn't benefit us.

Learning how to just be is a wonderful circuit breaker.

With practice we can notice how often we are distracted.

How often our mind wanders off.

On autopilot.

Do you have any thoughts now?

We could practice by saying it's just a thought and letting it go.

Learning to live in the natural flow of life.

Observing responding.

Accepting kindness.

Affirmative actions.

With strength.

Calmness and humility.

I'm going to introduce you to a technique called RAIN.

It's an acronym.

R-A-I-N.

The R is for recognize.

The A is for accept and allow.

I is investigate with kindness.

And the N is to not identify with a situation.

So I'm going to ask you now to just remember a recent challenge or reaction where there was a minor emotion involved.

Don't go into anything traumatic.

And recall that minor event.

What happened?

Who was involved?

What was said?

Just recalling that memory.

And I'd like you to apply the R out of RAIN for recognize.

What emotion went with it?

That situation was it fear,

Anger,

Sadness,

Frustration,

Shame or jealousy?

Label it,

Put a name to it.

There goes that fearful response or there goes that angry response.

Noticing it rather than losing yourself and being absorbed by it.

Over time this gets easier.

The A out of RAIN is accept or allow the feeling or the emotion to be there.

Even if there's resistance to not wanting it,

Allow it to be there.

You don't ever have to like it.

However sometimes we need to accept what is.

At least until we're in a position to change it if we can.

The I out of RAIN is investigate.

Being curious,

Observing,

Investigating with kindness.

Why am I feeling or reacting in this way?

What triggered it?

Where do I feel this in my body?

Being kinder,

Open,

Receptive and curious.

We're terribly harsh on ourselves at times.

The N out of RAIN is non-identification.

Meaning you don't identify with a situation.

You realise that it's just a reaction to a change in our environment.

Our environment being people,

Places or situations.

Not who you are as a person.

Even though emotions do make it feel very personal.

Rather than seeing yourself as an angry or fearful person.

It's just some bad weather of the mind coming through.

It's not who you are all of the time.

This is an important point.

Because our brain doesn't know the difference between real or imagined.

Breathing slower and deeper into the belly.

A couple of breaths.

In to the count of four.

Out to the count of five.

Released.

Relaxed.

Body calm.

Mind awake.

Now using RAIN I'd like you to remember a recent joyful or happy situation.

It could have been as simple as a beautiful meal.

Playing with a pet.

Or a child or a partner.

Doing something you love doing.

A passion.

Something that excites you.

Something that uplifts you or inspires you.

A feeling of appreciation.

A sense of something you've accomplished.

It may have been just a travel adventure or some special moment.

Immersing yourself in your joyous,

Happy or memorable memory.

Who was involved?

What happened?

Remembering the situation or feeling it gave you.

Smiling at the occasion.

Breathing in to the count of four.

Slow.

Calm.

Released.

Relaxed.

As you feel this happy occasion,

Imagine bringing this feeling of appreciation into the centre of your chest.

The changes that occur in our heart rhythms when we do this is easily measurable.

It's called heart rate variability.

Mindfulness helps us experience life in the best way possible.

We can notice more.

We can experience more.

We can accept more.

We can be kinder,

Calmer and have more clarity of the mind.

Learning to be less distractible.

Because this improves our performance both personally and professionally.

This helps make life less challenging.

It doesn't take away some of the messy parts of life but it helps us build resilience and stamina so we can weather the storms of life a little more easily.

Using your power to respond rather than react.

To observe.

To accept.

To release.

To be calmer and happier more often.

We're finishing this up shortly.

Taking the time that you need.

And it's time for you to open your eyes.

Maybe stretch.

Move around.

Look around the room and notice something in the room that you haven't noticed before.

Getting off autopilot.

And maybe smile.

Good luck with it.

My name is Neil Shippard.

Inner Synergy.

Thank you.

Reviews

Very good. Nice integration of breathing with RAIN technique. I really needed gentle but effective guidance just now and received it.

Wonderful

Grateful to be introduced to this very helpful meditation!! The timing couldn’t have been more perfect!!

So much to absorb . ...I've listened more than once

Excellent meditation to let go, stop ruminating and refocus. Thank you much 🙏🕯️🧘‍♀️💝!

The background music, the noticing,the clarity and the acceptances
of the situation.I really appreciate,and enjoyed your meditation.
Namaste with a lot of blessing .

This meditation was essential to me today. It was excellent, thank you so much! 💕

Absolutely amazing.

Magnifique! Thank you that was beautiful. Love the background music and your voice. Very grounding & calming.

This is a great meditation for accepting what is, surrendering and letting go. Thank you. 🙏💓

I really enjoyed this. Lovely to practise as a guided meditation but equally easy to listen to as a podcast. Thank you. 😊

Love this. Good things to remember in good and bad times. Saving and I will return. Namaste.

Great music and pace. Took me inward, calmly and peacefully. I will definitely be listening to this meditation again. Thank you!