Welcome to this RAIN meditation,
Designed to help you work with both physically and emotionally challenging experiences.
Settle into a comfortable position,
Whether it's sitting,
Lying down or even standing.
Let your body sink into the support of the ground beneath you.
When you're ready,
Allowing the eyes to gently close or soften the gaze down to the floor if that feels right.
Take in a deep breath through your nose and let it out with a sigh,
Releasing any tension you may be holding.
And now allow the breath to find its natural rhythm.
Let it flow naturally without force or control.
Noticing the rise and fall of your chest,
The gentle movement of your belly.
The first part of this process is to simply recognize whatever is present in your experience right now.
It might be a physical sensation,
Perhaps discomfort,
Pain or tightness in a specific part of your body.
Or it could be an emotion such as fear,
Anxiety,
Sadness or frustration.
Take a moment to consciously acknowledge what thoughts,
Feelings and physical sensations are affecting you right now.
Whatever you are experiencing,
Allow it to be here just as it is.
This might feel challenging,
Especially if it's an uncomfortable sensation or difficult emotion.
But for this moment,
See if you can let it be without trying to fix it,
Change it or avoid it and push it away.
Just acknowledge its presence with a gentle awareness.
Allowing doesn't mean approving.
It's like saying,
Okay,
I see you and letting the moment be what it is.
You might feel an urge to resist and that's okay.
Allow that resistance too.
Imagine that your inner wisdom says,
This belongs here right now.
Give yourself permission to feel whatever you're feeling and accept the reality of your experience in this moment.
Take a deep breath and silently say to yourself,
It's okay.
If you can recognize and allow for just a moment,
That gives you the time to investigate.
To investigate,
Bring a sense of your natural curiosity to your experience.
With compassion,
Non-judgment and gentleness,
Explore the nature of what you're feeling.
How does it feel living in this body right now?
You might ask yourself,
What thought or feeling most wants attention?
What does this vulnerable place want from me?
If it had a voice,
What would it say?
What does it most need?
You might notice where you feel this emotion in your body.
Maybe a tightness in your chest or throat or a heaviness in your belly.
Maybe you clench your teeth or jaw or have tension in your shoulders.
Whatever comes up,
This will help you see how your body experiences that emotion.
You might ask yourself,
What are my beliefs about this feeling?
Are you judging yourself or someone else harshly?
Simply observe with a gentle,
Open awareness.
And if there's a physical sensation,
Notice its qualities.
Is it sharp or dull?
Constant or pulsing?
Hot or cold?
Where exactly do you feel it in your body?
Ask if it wants to be soothed,
Stretched or even just acknowledged.
As you investigate,
Allow whatever is there just to be there.
Surrender to it by just noticing and allowing without judgment.
Just exploring with kindness and care.
Now offer yourself some nurturing attention.
Recognize that this challenging experience is part of being human.
You're not flawed,
You are human and you're not alone in feeling this way.
You may find it helpful to place your hand on your heart or over where you feel the emotion or sensation in the body.
Wherever feels soothing and comforting.
Feel the warmth and gentle pressure of your touch.
Ask the vulnerable part of you,
How can I be with you or what do you most need right now?
Imagine that you can listen from that place in you that is the wise old sage.
What do you need?
Is it love,
Reassurance,
Acceptance,
Forgiveness,
Connection,
Truth?
Offer yourself some words of kindness and compassion.
You might say,
This is difficult but I'm doing my best.
Or this too shall pass.
Or it's not your fault.
Or may I be kind to myself in this moment.
Or I'm here for you always.
Or I love you,
I love you and I'm listening.
If it feels difficult to offer yourself love,
Bring to mind a loving being.
It could be a spiritual figure,
Family member or friend who you know loves you.
And imagine their love,
Compassion and acceptance pouring in and washing over you.
Feel it as it happens.
Let your deepest intention be to let that vulnerable place in you be washed in love,
Light and warmth.
Whatever it needs.
Remember,
You are not your thoughts or feelings.
Often the physical manifestation of the emotion isn't the problem.
It's the meaning we give it or the identification with the emotion that is.
But if we see the emotion like weather passing through,
We don't have to take it personally.
We don't have to like the storm or to identify with it.
We trust that it will pass just as emotions and thoughts are simply visitors that come and go.
As we near the end of the practice,
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Observe any shifts in your physical sensations or emotional state.
Notice the quality of presence that you have right now.
Perhaps you now have more spaciousness,
Openness and loving presence.
Relax into it.
Take in this wonderful feeling of love and equanimity.
As you begin to wind down,
Gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Notice the sensations of the breath,
The rise and fall of your chest.
Take one final deep nourishing breath.
As you exhale,
Allow yourself to feel a sense of completion and peace.
Remember,
You can use the RAIN technique anytime you need support in dealing with challenging experiences.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Coming back to the present moment.
Take this sense of calm and clarity with you as you continue your day and remember to be kind to yourself.
