Welcome to your RAIN meditation.
This is a simple yet powerful process to step outside of habit loops,
Cravings,
Or strong emotional reactions and learn to effectively manage your response when triggers arise.
RAIN is an acronym which I'll be guiding you through in this meditation.
I encourage you to make this a regular practice so when you do encounter challenging moments,
It will be a natural,
Easy tool to turn to.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable seated position for your meditation.
As you settle into your seat,
Plant your sit bones down into whatever it is that's supporting you.
Begin to grow your spine long as you sit up nice and tall,
And feel free to roll your shoulders out a few times,
Releasing any tension in the neck and jaw,
And then eventually settle into stillness.
Close the eyelids if they're not already,
Seal the lips,
And rest your attention on the tip of the nose as you begin to observe the natural flow of breath.
Inhale,
Allow your belly to relax and expand,
And exhale,
Scan your body for tension and soften.
The R in RAIN is for recognize.
So recognize what's alive in you in this moment,
Whether it's an intense craving,
Stress,
Overwhelm,
Or perhaps a more neutral state.
Simply notice what's here.
The next step is to allow for the experience.
Rather than trying to push it away or distract yourself,
Can you accept this moment exactly as it is?
Give yourself permission just to feel whatever it is that you're feeling,
And from that place of acceptance,
We can begin to explore it further.
The I in RAIN is to investigate.
Can you locate where this feeling is most alive in your body right now?
What is the physical sensation of this feeling?
Does it feel like a tightening or a softening,
A constriction or expansion?
Is there a temperature associated with this feeling or a pace at which it moves?
As you investigate further,
Get really curious without needing to change or fix your experience.
And the final step is to nurture.
Practice offering yourself the kind,
Nurturing presence that you would offer a friend or a loved one.
What are you most in need of in this moment?
Reassurance,
Forgiveness,
Compassion.
We can't shame or judge our way into better feeling states,
So give yourself permission just to be in this experience and know that even if you are in a difficult moment,
It will pass,
Just like the passage of each inhale and exhale breath.
And just allow yourself to rest in this tender space of self-compassion for the final moments of meditation,
Offering yourself whatever it is you need in this moment to feel more at ease.
Then begin to deepen and lengthen your breath,
Allowing each inhale and exhale to enliven and purify every cell of your being.
And then bring your palms to touch at heart center,
Closing your practice with one final breath.
Take a deep inhale,
And as you exhale,
Simply bow your forehead to your fingertips,
Sealing in your practice with intention.
As you feel ready,
Gradually lift your head,
Blink your eyes open,
And prepare to transition into the rest of your day.
Thank you for joining me for this practice.
