R.
A.
I.
N.
Stands for Recognize,
Allow,
Investigate and Nurture.
R.
A.
I.
N.
Is a mindfulness practice to navigate difficult emotions and strengthen the connection between body,
Mind and spirit.
Now let's begin.
Find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed.
Sit comfortably or lay down and allow your body to relax.
Gently close your eyes and let's use five senses to anchor yourself in the present moment.
Feel the surface beneath you.
Bring your awareness to the subtle sounds around you.
Notice the scent of the air or any taste lingering in your mouth.
Turn inward.
Let's scan your body and see what your body is telling you right now.
Bring your awareness to your feet,
Your legs,
Hips,
Your abdomen,
Your back,
Your chest and your shoulders,
Your neck and your throat,
Your face,
Your scalp and notice what parts that feel good today.
What parts of your body that feel neutral.
What parts are telling you that there is discomfort.
And now ask yourself,
What am I feeling emotionally?
What am I sensing in my body?
We will start the practice with step one.
Recognize.
Name your emotion.
What is the emotion that is most present for you right now?
Whether it's anxiety,
Sadness,
Frustration,
Something else.
Naming the feeling creates space between you and the emotion.
Say to yourself,
I feel this particular emotion.
For example,
I feel sadness or I feel frustration.
Imagine this act of naming is like spotting a storm cloud on the horizon.
The cloud represents your emotion but you are not the cloud.
You are the infinite sky that is holding it.
Now step two,
Allow.
Give yourself permission to feel whatever is present without resistance,
Judgment or agenda to fix anything.
Picture yourself opening a door to welcome your feelings in if they were visitors.
Let them come in without judgment or any agenda.
Allow them to be.
And silently say to yourself,
It's ok to feel this.
I can let this be here for now.
It's ok to feel what I feel.
Notice how your body reacts when you give yourself permission to feel.
Does it soften?
Do your shoulders relax?
Maybe the tension shifts?
What do you notice?
Step three,
Is investigate.
Gently explore your emotion with curiosity.
Let's go back into your body.
Where do you feel this emotion?
Is it a heaviness in your chest?
Maybe it's a tightness in your throat?
Or perhaps a knot in your stomach?
What is the texture,
Size or shape of the sensation?
Ask yourself.
Tune in.
Now ask your emotion questions.
What does this feeling need from me right now?
What is it serving me?
What message is it trying to send me?
Now let's go deeper.
Perhaps you felt this feeling before.
What does it remind you of?
Imagine the emotion as a color or an image.
Does it look like a dark storm or something else?
Or maybe a tangled vine?
Let your intuition to guide you to the depth of your emotion.
Step four,
Is nurture.
Offer yourself kindness and care to ease the intensity of the emotion.
Bring in your compassionate self.
Or imagine a loving figure like a friend,
Family member or even a spirit guide sitting next to you offering you support and care.
You may also use self-soothing touch by placing a hand on your heart or your belly.
Feel the warmth and gentle pressure.
Visualize light coming from your hands,
Circulating through your body,
Healing you,
Charging you.
Let this touch remind you of your own capacity to care for yourself.
And silently say to yourself,
I am safe.
I am safe right here and right now.
This too shall pass.
I am allowed to feel and heal.
Imagine the storm outside beginning to clear.
The rain softens the clouds part and the warm light shines through,
Touching your skin.
You feel protected,
Grounded and at peace.
Now again,
Bring your attention to the five senses to ground yourself.
Listen to the sounds around you.
Imagine the feeling of warm light on your skin.
Inhale deeply,
Noticing the coolness of the air entering your nose and the warmth as you exhale.
Now take a moment to reflect on what you've learned about yourself during this practice.
How did your body respond to kindness and care?
How does naming your feelings help you know yourself better?
How does this moment of self-awareness connect you to something bigger?
Maybe your spirit,
The universe or the sense of purpose?
And when you're ready,
Gently bring your attention back to the present moment.
Wiggle your fingers,
Your toes,
Stretch if you need to.
Open your eyes and take a deep breath.
May you bring the sense of peace and serenity into the rest of your day.
This is done.
This is done.
