So welcome to this short 10 minute RAIN practice.
RAIN is an acronym for Recognize,
Allow,
Investigate and Nurture.
And it's from the teacher Tara Brock.
So whenever you're ready,
Just coming into a seated position or laying down if you prefer.
And allowing your eyes to close so that we can tune into the body and the breath.
Just going to locate the breath as an anchor of this practice.
Just noticing the inflow and outflow of the breath.
We can use the breath as a place to come back to if during this practice,
Any emotion or thoughts become intense.
We can always leave the practice and come back to the breath.
As a way of self-care.
So as you rest here with your breath,
Scan our week for any stressful communication with another.
See if there's an event that happened in this past week or two where you had a disagreement or argument with another person.
And see if you can locate an event that's not the most difficult one that you can think of.
Maybe on a scale of 10 might have been a five or six.
This allows us to be able to work with the scenario without becoming too over activated.
So scanning through your experiences until you land on one.
Bringing into mind what happened.
Who the other person or people were.
Seeing where you were and what was said.
Without getting too wrapped up in the story.
The seeing if you can remember really how you felt in that moment.
The beginning of the hour of rain.
Recognizing.
If it helps you might be able to put a name on it.
Like perhaps I was feeling afraid or angry,
Small or not heard.
Seeing if you can get in touch with however you were feeling.
And this and this recall of this event is the beginning of the a ever rain which is allowing allowing yourself to be with this feeling.
Maybe telling yourself it's okay.
It was okay to feel this way.
Not needing it to go away.
Seeing if you can breathe a little space.
And allowing doesn't mean that you like feeling this way.
It just means that you're acknowledging that this feeling belongs.
This is part of being human.
And as you're breathing with this emotion,
Or these sensations,
Seeing if you can investigate the eye of rain,
Noting where it might be showing up in the body.
Sometimes it can help to even take the facial expression of how you were feeling in that moment.
And without getting too wrapped up in the story.
Noting if it might be showing up in the stomach or the shoulders,
Or as attention.
Maybe investigating by asking a question,
What am I believing right now about myself?
Am I believing,
Maybe I'm not good enough or not loved?
Seeing if you can really touch into the hurting place inside yourself.
And the beginning of the N of Nurture,
Seeing if you can begin to ask,
What does this part of me need?
What does it want to hear?
Does it want to hear that I'm safe?
I'm worthy.
It's going to be okay.
Seeing if you can perhaps begin to bring in an energy of deep compassion.
You're touching on the caring part of yourself that cares for others all the time.
And if it's difficult to find a loving and compassionate part within yourself,
Even imagining what would a dear friend say to you in this scenario?
Or what would a loving and trusted person in your life?
How would they support you right now and nurture these,
These feelings?
And as you're calling upon this wise and compassionate energy,
Imagining almost as if it's a warm blanket wrapping around you,
Or an arm around your shoulder.
Seeing if you can breathe this in and allow a bit of soothing through the body.
Not to make these feelings go away,
But to note how it feels to be supported.
And the last part of the RAIN practice is called After the RAIN.
Noticing if there's any shift in energy.
Noticing who you become as you begin to nurture yourself and bring forward that wise,
Compassionate either part of you or accessible part in your life.
And just resting in this supportive energy for the last few breaths.
And now bringing this short practice to a close.
Just taking a deep breath in.
And releasing this practice as you slowly come back into the room and open your eyes and bring this practice to a close.
