RAIN Meditation - Healing With Gold

The sense of something being repaired with gold (rather than being discarded) is how RAIN meditation sometimes feels for me. This tender attention, like liquid gold, can heal and repair the parts of ourselves that we break away from.

Please be gentle with yourself as you do this. We choose small - medium situations in order to learn this practice; that way we can feel safe as we grow in our ability to care for ourselves. R - recognise. A - allow. I - investigate with kindness. N - nourish.

Transcript

This practice offers us a framework for looking at areas of challenge or habitual moments where we're turned on ourself.

So a moment where offering ourself compassion and shining kind wisdom upon us is a really wise thing to do.

So taking a moment to allow yourself to be really comfortable.

We'll enjoy three sounds of the bell.

We can support our body in preparing for this with a simple sense of a smile.

So sensing that energy that builds around your mouth when you're about to smile.

Warm smiling energy in your mouth and jaw.

Sensing it up in your eyes.

How do your eyes feel when you're feeling benevolent or kind towards someone?

Looking with eyes of love.

Sensing it down in your throat,

Your upper chest,

Your heart.

Smiling energy.

And you may sense it as a softness or warmth.

A sense of receptivity or openness.

A sense of gentle care.

Just allowing it to infuse through your body.

Perhaps radiating beyond your body,

A gentle expansion so that you may feel that you are held in this loving smiling energy.

This practice helps us to generate and receive the energy of compassion.

It's good to train ourselves in this.

So please allow yourself to choose small examples of where you're turned on yourself if you're new to this practice.

It can feel tender or poignant.

And it's important for us that we feel safe as we learn how to do this.

The word RAIN stands for four different parts of this practice.

So the R of RAIN is to recognize.

With the A we practice allowing something to be just as it is.

And then with the I of RAIN we investigate.

Very gently,

Very kindly.

And with the N of RAIN we nourish with all of the compassion and kindness that's available to us.

And we offer gentle nourishment.

And then we rest.

Allowing our heart to kind of bathe in the aftermath.

So taking a moment to scan in your life something that is alive for you at the moment.

So it may be a situation or circumstance that you feel that bringing self-compassion to would be wise,

Would be important maybe.

It could be something between you and a partner,

A conflict or a challenging situation.

It might be to do with a parent or a child,

A friend.

It could be something to do with work or another area of responsibility.

Sometimes we have a sense of judging ourselves harshly.

Maybe a sense of failing at something.

It could be around an addictive behavior.

Or a situation that touches a sense of disappointment in ourselves.

So we're going to gently explore where would self-compassion open,

Soften.

We're going to sense this harshness or thorny moment.

Where we know we're at war with ourselves in big ways or small.

And as you sense something that is alive or resonating for you,

Let it come close so that you can see it.

Sensing how it feels to experience this.

How your heart feels.

The quality of your thoughts.

Sensing where in your body you respond to this.

And we take a moment to simply recognize it.

So that we can name it or label it and say,

In this situation I tend to turn on myself.

This is a moment where I close down or close off part of myself.

Where I'm not entirely with me as an ally,

As a friend.

And when you've recognized the general scene,

Take a moment to intentionally allow it to be there.

Just as it is.

So that we pause and offer a little space around it.

Simply allowing it to be just as it is.

And with the eye of rain we will offer our energy of investigation.

So that we can deepen our attention and listen inwards to understand the roots of this general experience.

So one of the things we can do is to ask ourself,

What is the worst part of this for me?

What's the worst part of this?

What am I most afraid of?

What am I most upset about when I'm feeling maybe stuck or in judgement?

Can you sense what you're really judging?

What am I afraid might happen?

And if it's comfortable,

Feel into your body to see if you can sense where it's coming from.

Just very gently sensing your body.

You might feel a sensation in your throat or chest.

Your tummy.

Very gently sensing what's going on inside your body.

Where the feeling of this experience is most strong right now.

And we might draw in close to offer this part of our body our close attention.

And if it ever feels very strong you can sink your awareness down to your feet.

So just to focus on the soles of your feet.

Wiggle your toes for a moment to give yourself a little buffering breathing room.

And you can also pause this.

So drawing close to this part of our body where this experience resides.

Very lovingly sensing what's here.

And I'll suggest lots of things that could be here and draw in what's useful to you.

So is there a sense of fear?

A sense of shame?

That there is something wrong with me?

That I'm not good enough?

That maybe I'll never be good enough?

That I won't change?

Maybe that I won't be happy?

A fear that at my core I'm not lovable?

A sense of failure?

Allow yourself to go to that part of your body that feels most vulnerable in this moment.

And allow yourself to witness it.

And also allow yourself to support it.

So the sense of touch can really communicate a powerful message of care.

So if it helps to put a hand on this part of your body or to rest your hand on your heart.

It can be a very skillful way of offering care.

And then asking the part of us that is vulnerable.

What is most needed?

It might need to be forgiven.

It might need to be accepted.

Accepted unconditionally.

To know that it really belongs.

It might need to be held.

Or trusted.

Might need to know that it's loved.

Might need to know that it's not going to be ignored or hidden away.

Or brushed aside.

And then moving into the N of RAIN.

Sensing the kindest,

Wisest part of you.

And allowing that part of you to offer nourishment and care to this vulnerable part of you.

And it may be in the form of a touch.

You may simply sense it as a color or texture,

As a feeling.

There may be kind of the energy of words that can help a message.

Like,

Um,

I'm here with you.

I'm not going to leave you alone.

I really care about this suffering.

I really care.

I'm sorry and I love you.

I'm so sorry and I love you.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Sensing for yourself what message might be required in this moment of hurt.

What might help to bridge a sense of separation or fracture.

This seam of gold that can draw shards together and reestablish us in wholeness.

The gold of a beautiful message of care.

Drawing us back fully into ourselves.

And with this nourishment allowing yourself to offer care without conditions.

Unconditional care being offered to this vulnerable part of you.

Simply caring because there's hurt,

Because there's suffering.

Not getting into the story.

Unconditional love.

Deep care for suffering.

And as we settle into this nourishment we can sense that we are giving and receiving at the same time.

We are suffused with unconditional care.

So allowing ourselves to merge into wholeness.

The presence that is cared profoundly deeply for and that cares profoundly and deeply.

Sensing yourself as a compassionate presence.

And everything that arises,

Different thoughts or feelings,

Different sensations can be held in this vast compassionate presence.

And allowing yourself then simply to rest in the experience.

So no intentional focus.

Allowing yourself simply to rest.

Resting in this warm,

Loving,

Wise energy.

And we'll close with this verse from the Radiant Sutras.

There is a place in your heart where everything meets.

Go there if you want to find me.

Mind,

Senses,

Soul,

Eternity.

All are there.

Are you there?

Enter the bowl of vastness that is the heart.

Give yourself to it with total abandon.

Quiet ecstasy is there.

And a steady regal sense of resting in a perfect spot.

Once you know the way,

The nature of attention will call you to return again and again.

And be saturated with knowing.

I belong here.

I am at home here.

Once you know the way,

The nature of attention will call you to return again and again.

And be saturated with knowing.

I belong here.

I am at home here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Reviews

This is exactly what I needed to work through my failures and my sad and quiet rage that has settled into my body.

Looking forward to coming back to this meditation again.

Beautiful. 🙏💗