Wider RAIN practice

I’m a big fan of Tara Brach’s RAIN meditation (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) and it’s companion “After the RAIN”.

I’ve been thinking about extending these forward / earlier slightly, continuing with the rain metaphor.

Before the RAIN

• Notice the early warning signs, the triggers, that something RAIN-worthy is incoming.
• Warm up the mindfulness muscles.
• Plan to do a RAIN after the event.

RAINdrop

Sometimes something RAIN-worthy comes up while you’re in the thick of it. There’s not enough time or space to RAIN there and then. It’s usually possible to do just a RAINdrop, though, a tiny RAIN.

• Recognise.
  • Notice what’s arising.
  • Name the emotions and feeling tones.
• Allow.
  • Give everything a warm welcome.
  • Be patient, wait a little longer.
• Plan when to come back and do a longer RAIN.

Light RAIN in difficult times

Sit at ease. Also alert and awake.

Where might want healing attention. Perhaps somewhere you’ve been judging or blaming yourself. Somewhere you’re having a hard time, or expecting to have a hard time. Be brave and go a little closer to it.

• Recognise. Let mindfulness recognise whatever’s strongest. Name it with a mental whisper.
• Allow. Really let it be here. Pause. Don’t add any judgement. Or try and fix it.
• Investigate. Check your throat, chest, belly. Place a hand wherever you feel most agitated. Let it help you. Where does it live in your body. Directly contact that, with courage. Be willing to pay attention to the feeling. Vulnerability. Fear, isolation, sadness, anger.
• Nurture. What does this most need? Acceptance? Forgiveness? Understanding? Love? Compassion? Belonging?
  • Sense how the awake part of you can offer some kindness.
  • Trust your goodness. Truly, it’s okay.
  • Let the nurturing in. Sometimes it’s the most challenging. Can be easier to sense the message coming from someone you trust.
• Sense the presence that’s right here. Notice the shift, small or large. From how you felt when you start, to a more presence to what’s here.
  • This loving presence is more the trust of who you are.

RAIN

• Recognize.
  • Notice what’s arising.
  • Name the emotions and feeling tones.
• Allow.
  • Give everything a warm welcome.
  • Be patient, wait a little longer.
• Investigate.
  • The embodied sense of it.
  • The story you’re adding to the feeling tone and the raw sense data.
• Nurture.
  • Find a sense of what would be comforting right now.

When you have trouble with the N of RAIN, go back to the I. Look more closely for what and where it’s hurting.

Heavy RAIN

• Recognize.
• Allow.
• Investigate.
  • What are trying to protect yourself from?
  • What are you unwilling to feel?
  • What are you numbing or distracting yourself from?
  • If you dropped the story you’re adding, what would you be doing instead?
• Nurture.

After the RAIN

After a RAIN meditation, stay in the open, awake, awareness for a while.

Added 2023-12-04, last updated 2024-12-17.