Welcome to this guided meditation.
My name is Lucy and I'm here today to guide you through this meditation track which has been designed for dads and birth partners.
This meditation today will be taking you through the RAIN meditation technique which is an acronym which stands for Recognize,
Allow,
Investigate and Nurture.
So let's begin then.
Finding somewhere to rest comfortably,
Wherever you are just ensuring that you are comfortable and that you feel supported.
Feel free to use any cushions to support your posture and gently allowing your body to relax and rest back into the surface that supports it.
So this meditation today is particularly helpful if you have strong emotions.
Pregnancy after loss can really create a sense of uncertainty and it's not uncommon to experience anxiety or worrisome thoughts and that can be really difficult for dads and birth partners especially when the focus very much of the time is on mum.
So let this meditation today be an opportunity for you to hold space for whatever's showing up for you.
By recognizing,
Allowing,
Investigating and finally nurturing,
This technique is really helpful in navigating these sometimes very intense emotions and thoughts and all of the complexity that pregnancy after loss creates.
So allowing your eyes to gently close or you can lower your gaze.
And let's begin by taking in a few deep strong breaths.
So breathing deep into your body and then releasing your breath out of your mouth.
And a few more times at your own pace,
Breathing deep into your body,
Some nice big deep breaths.
And as you release your breath just allowing your body to relax and rest back,
Allow the shoulders to drop down and really giving yourself permission just for this short amount of time to really and truly rest.
Put down the heaviness and let this moment be a moment for you.
So beginning then,
We'll begin by recognizing what's present.
So taking a moment to scan your inner world.
What are you feeling right now?
Maybe it's grief,
Hope,
Fear,
A mixture of emotions.
Whatever's here,
Say to yourself,
This is what I'm feeling right now and it's okay to feel this way.
You may not even be able to pinpoint how you are,
So sometimes it can be helpful to bring to your mind the weather,
A weather type.
So maybe there's a certain weather type which may match how you are in this moment.
Maybe that might be rainy,
Stormy,
Foggy.
And also checking in with your body too.
So how is your physical body feeling?
Where in your body do you notice pleasant sensations or unpleasant sensations?
And again,
Whatever you find,
Saying to yourself,
This is what I'm feeling right now and it's okay to feel this way.
And then moving into the second part of the practice,
Which is the allow.
So allowing the experience.
So rather than pushing your feelings away or trying to fix them,
This is about allowing them to exist.
So maybe even imagining opening a door and allowing them in,
Even if they're uncomfortable.
Reminding yourself that you don't have to fight this moment and it's okay to sit with what's here.
And that indeed you can use the breath as you breathe deeply.
You can create space for all of the emotions that are here.
Because they are all parts of your story now.
All of them.
So really allowing the experience.
Breathe deep into your body.
You may find that there are difficult sensations or emotions or thoughts.
So whatever's present for you,
Just really allowing it in.
This is just for a short amount of time.
So giving yourself permission to do this.
And then moving into now the third part of this meditation practice,
Which is all around investigating.
So gently exploring what's beneath these emotions.
What's driving this feeling?
What am I believing about myself or the situation?
For example,
Grief might carry a belief that you failed in some way.
Fear might hold a worry about the future.
So approach these thoughts with kindness,
As if you were comforting your partner or a close friend.
And then finally moving into the final part of this practice,
Which is nurture.
So nurturing yourself.
So this is all about offering yourself understanding and care.
Thinking of the way that you would encourage or reassure your partner or maybe a friend or a family member.
And turning that same kindness inwards.
You might say I've been through a lot and it's okay to need time.
I'm strong and I'm doing the best for my family.
And I can hold both grief and hope at the same time.
So really showing yourself compassion.
Picturing yourself as a steady presence,
A source of strength and love,
Both for yourself and the life growing within your family.
Breathing deep into your body.
And as you release the breath,
Feel the weight in your chest lighten slightly.
Returning your breathing to its normal pace and rhythm.
And if your eyes have been closed today,
Just gently allowing your eyes to open.
Knowing that you can return to this practice anytime.
No one even has to know that you're listening to this practice.
You can just put your headphones in.
And just for this short amount of time,
Sit,
Listen,
Follow along.
It's a really great practice for processing all you're carrying.
Often unspoken.
But it's okay to feel as you are,
Even in the privacy of your own heart.
This is really about building a foundation for the parent you are becoming.
So thank you so much for listening and following along today with this meditation practice.
We hope here at The Project that this practice has brought you a sense of ease and comfort.
And we wish you so much love as you move forward on this very,
Very beautiful journey together.
