Take Refuge in RAIN
Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture
One of my revered teachers, Tara Brach, PhD, originally introduced me to the powerful practice of RAIN. The original version was presented by Michele McDonald around 1999. In it, N stood for
Non-Identification. Based on her own experience with students, Tara modified it to address the importance of approaching oneself with kind intention. This is something particularly unfamiliar in western cultures. Thus, N as presented here, represents Nurture. Tara also added After the RAIN to allow individuals to fully reap the benefits of RAIN. (I liken this to śavāsana, "final rest", in yoga practice.)
Non-Identification. Based on her own experience with students, Tara modified it to address the importance of approaching oneself with kind intention. This is something particularly unfamiliar in western cultures. Thus, N as presented here, represents Nurture. Tara also added After the RAIN to allow individuals to fully reap the benefits of RAIN. (I liken this to śavāsana, "final rest", in yoga practice.)
What is RAIN?
An on-demand tool to process difficult emotions by practicing mindfulness and compassion in
4 simple steps:
Recognize what is happening; "What's happening inside me right now?"
Allow the experience to be there, just as it is; "How can I be with this?"
Investigate with interest and care; " Where am I feeling this?" Stay with the sensation vs thinking
Nurture with self-compassion. Let go of doing and simply be. Rest in awareness
An on-demand tool to process difficult emotions by practicing mindfulness and compassion in
4 simple steps:
Recognize what is happening; "What's happening inside me right now?"
Allow the experience to be there, just as it is; "How can I be with this?"
Investigate with interest and care; " Where am I feeling this?" Stay with the sensation vs thinking
Nurture with self-compassion. Let go of doing and simply be. Rest in awareness
After the RAIN
Notice the quality of your presence and rest in this awareness for as long as you like. A key gift of RAIN is realizing you are no longer identified with any limiting sense of self.
Notice the quality of your presence and rest in this awareness for as long as you like. A key gift of RAIN is realizing you are no longer identified with any limiting sense of self.
RAIN Unpacked
R - Recognizing means consciously acknowledging, in any given moment, the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are affecting you. This can be a done with a simple mental whisper, noting what you are most aware of.
A - Allowing means letting the thoughts, emotions, feelings, or sensations you have recognized simply be there, without trying to fix or resist anything. For example, you might recognize fear, and allow by mentally whispering “it’s ok” or “this too” or “yes. Allowing creates a pause that makes it possible to deepen attention.
I - Investigate with natural curiosity - the desire to know truth - and direct a more focused attention to your present experience. Investigation is most transformational when you stay with the felt-sense in the body vs getting into the head and conceptualizing or analyzing.
For inquiry: What am I believing? Where do I feel this in my body? What does this area that's asking for attention most need? How is it asking me to be with it?
Ruby Sales, an African-American social justice activist put it this way: "Where does it hurt, and what does this hurt place need?"
Nurture
Intentionally nurture your inner life with self-care. You might sense what the hurting place inside most needs, and then offer some gesture of kindness and care that addresses this need.
Experiment and see what gesture of care works best for you.
It might be a kind message of kindness, such as This is really difficult right now, and I'm here for you.
Or you might offer the warmth of your palm on your chest or belly. Sometimes it's useful to envision radiant light, allowing it to linger where it's needed most like a soothing balm.
If it feels difficult to offer yourself kindness and care, you might bring to mind someone who loves you unconditionally - a friend, pet, spiritual figure, family member, or somewhere in nature where you feel alive and whole.
Allow yourself to soak in the goodness of this, letting it fill you from the inside out for as long as you like. Current neuroscience suggests staying with this kind of positive experience shifts a temporary state, like feeling happy, to a lasting trait, like living joyfully!
R - Recognizing means consciously acknowledging, in any given moment, the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are affecting you. This can be a done with a simple mental whisper, noting what you are most aware of.
A - Allowing means letting the thoughts, emotions, feelings, or sensations you have recognized simply be there, without trying to fix or resist anything. For example, you might recognize fear, and allow by mentally whispering “it’s ok” or “this too” or “yes. Allowing creates a pause that makes it possible to deepen attention.
I - Investigate with natural curiosity - the desire to know truth - and direct a more focused attention to your present experience. Investigation is most transformational when you stay with the felt-sense in the body vs getting into the head and conceptualizing or analyzing.
For inquiry: What am I believing? Where do I feel this in my body? What does this area that's asking for attention most need? How is it asking me to be with it?
Ruby Sales, an African-American social justice activist put it this way: "Where does it hurt, and what does this hurt place need?"
Nurture
Intentionally nurture your inner life with self-care. You might sense what the hurting place inside most needs, and then offer some gesture of kindness and care that addresses this need.
Experiment and see what gesture of care works best for you.
It might be a kind message of kindness, such as This is really difficult right now, and I'm here for you.
Or you might offer the warmth of your palm on your chest or belly. Sometimes it's useful to envision radiant light, allowing it to linger where it's needed most like a soothing balm.
If it feels difficult to offer yourself kindness and care, you might bring to mind someone who loves you unconditionally - a friend, pet, spiritual figure, family member, or somewhere in nature where you feel alive and whole.
Allow yourself to soak in the goodness of this, letting it fill you from the inside out for as long as you like. Current neuroscience suggests staying with this kind of positive experience shifts a temporary state, like feeling happy, to a lasting trait, like living joyfully!
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Try RAIN on with this brief (~12 min)
guided reflection led by Tara Brach, PhD: |
RAIN Study Guide Companion to Tara's Latest Book, "Radical Compassion"
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Testimonials
"I loved the practice. Thank you for introducing it - I really appreciate you. I feel much better with the quietness and calm this provides." -AM
"Thank you so much for offering the opportunity to participate in RAIN. I found the practice to be truly enriching and 'just what the doctor ordered'". -LZ
"What a wonderful gift! The RAIN practice inspires kindness and generosity. We need this - now!" -TH
"Thank you so much for offering the opportunity to participate in RAIN. I found the practice to be truly enriching and 'just what the doctor ordered'". -LZ
"What a wonderful gift! The RAIN practice inspires kindness and generosity. We need this - now!" -TH
RAIN Partners - The Power of Practicing in CommUNITY
The RAIN Partners practice was developed by Tara Brach, PhD, in response to the overwhelming demand from her students and workshop participants over the years. It is generously offered for free on her website. For your convenience, a .pdf version is also offered and includes a link to an audio guided co-reflection (~30 mins.)
Whether in small groups or with one other person, practicing in community offers healing. Your RAIN partner might be a friend or family member, colleague or acquaintance. RAIN partners agree to do RAIN sessions together on a regular basis - weekly, biweekly, monthly, or whatever frequency works. A session takes about 30-40 minutes and can be done in person or via Internet. Over time, this partner work facilitates deepening trust, safety, and mutual support.
Feedback about the benefits of the RAIN partners practice includes how the heavy sense of "my problem" can shift to "the problem", it becomes less personal. The richness of practicing with partners also allows benefits to "stick".
See my virtual teaching class schedule through FitPoint and join my Reflect, Restore, Reset Meditation/Yoga class Tue nights @ 6:30 PM! In the meantime, I'd love to hear how your "RAIN Dance" goes...!
The RAIN Partners practice was developed by Tara Brach, PhD, in response to the overwhelming demand from her students and workshop participants over the years. It is generously offered for free on her website. For your convenience, a .pdf version is also offered and includes a link to an audio guided co-reflection (~30 mins.)
Whether in small groups or with one other person, practicing in community offers healing. Your RAIN partner might be a friend or family member, colleague or acquaintance. RAIN partners agree to do RAIN sessions together on a regular basis - weekly, biweekly, monthly, or whatever frequency works. A session takes about 30-40 minutes and can be done in person or via Internet. Over time, this partner work facilitates deepening trust, safety, and mutual support.
Feedback about the benefits of the RAIN partners practice includes how the heavy sense of "my problem" can shift to "the problem", it becomes less personal. The richness of practicing with partners also allows benefits to "stick".
See my virtual teaching class schedule through FitPoint and join my Reflect, Restore, Reset Meditation/Yoga class Tue nights @ 6:30 PM! In the meantime, I'd love to hear how your "RAIN Dance" goes...!