Welcome to this short RAIN practice,
A powerful mindfulness framework to help process and be with difficult emotions with more compassion and clarity.
Take a moment first to just settle into stillness and into this moment.
Find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down,
And let your hands just rest gently by your side.
Relax your shoulders and allow your eyes to close.
Let's take one slow grounding breath in and out.
The R in RAIN stands for Recognize.
Begin by asking yourself,
What am I feeling right now?
See if you can name it gently.
Maybe it's sadness,
Tension,
Frustration,
Anger.
Whatever is present,
Simply recognize it.
Let it be seen.
The A in RAIN stands for Allow.
Allow this feeling to just be,
Without needing to fix it or push it away or judge it for any way.
Just see if you can create a little space to fully feel what you have noticed.
Let it sit with you without resistance.
You're not merging with it,
You're not becoming it,
You're just allowing it to exist.
The I stands for Investigate.
With kindness,
Gently explore.
What is this emotion trying to tell me?
What is the need behind it?
Maybe it is asking for rest,
For boundaries,
For support.
Or maybe it simply wants to be acknowledged.
Let any insight come softly.
And finally,
The N stands for Nurture.
Ask yourself,
Truly and honestly,
What do I need right now?
If that's challenging,
Think about it this way.
What would I offer a friend in the same situation?
And then see if you can offer yourself that same warmth.
Maybe a gesture,
A word,
A hand to your heart.
Maybe a whisper of kindness.
It's okay to feel this.
You're not alone.
Take another slow,
Steady breath in and out,
Inhaling compassion and exhaling ease.
And as you return to the space around you,
Remember this.
You can come back to RAIN anytime.
Recognize,
Allow,
Investigate and nurture.
You're allowed to feel what you're feeling.
And you are always worthy of care.
