The practice of RAIN
This practice, based on Buddhist teachings on mindfulness and compassion, was introduced several decades ago by meditation teacher Michele McDonald. Since then, different versions and variations have appeared. In our sessions, we will use the one developed by Tara Brach, which reconsiders the fourth stage of RAIN, originally Non-identification, and replaces it with Nurturing, putting more emphasis in self-compassion. Non-identification is rennamed as After the RAIN.
RAIN is as acronym of an active four-step meditation.
01
Recognize
The R stands for Recognizing the situation we want to work on. We start by bringing to mind something in our lives that we find difficult to deal with. It can be anything: a conflict with someone, a health problem, a preoccupation about the future, a feeling of guilt, an inner critic that berates us. Anything that stands between us and our peace of mind, our well-being.
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In this first stage we are bringing to our minds that situation, remembering the details of the situation, seeking to relive it as much as we can.
02
Allow
In the second stage, we're going to allow the activated emotions, feelings, and sensations that arise when bringing the situation to our minds to be fully present. In this stage, we let everything that arises just be here. We don't judge the emotions and feelings we may experience, we don't explain them, we don't try to put them in context, we don't blame ourselves for having them, nor we justify their presence. We seek to avoid getting lost in thoughts about what we feel and simply be present with whatever arises.
We simply give all that content space to fully be here. If we feel anger toward someone, we allow that anger to be there; if we feel anxiety about a health problem, we allow the anxiety to be there. Without judging it, as much as possible, without trying to make it disappear.
We can tell ourselves, “This is part of my life right now!”, “This is real,” “This is part of this moment,” or any other phrase that reinforces this intention not to interfere with what we are feeling. It doesn't mean we like it or want to keep feeling this way; it's just a momentary acceptance of this present situation in our lives so we can understand it better.
03
Investigar
The next step is to investigate. Here, investigation means inquiring, getting in touch with the feeling of the experience rather than trying to understand it intellectually, it is getting in touch as intimately as possible with the felt sense, rather than carrying out a cognitive or analytical process.
Although the story we tell ourselves and others and our beliefs about it can be a gateway to direct experience, in meditation we return again and again to focus our attention on the body, on the felt experience, and on the bodily sensations of the place where we feel most vulnerable…
But even so, it can be helpful to begin the investigation by asking ourselves, "What is the hardest, worst, most painful thing about all of this?" Sometimes a belief arises such as, "I can't be loved," "I don't deserve it," or "I will always fail." Simply feel if there is something there.
Focusing your attention on your body, notice what emotions are present. Is there fear, anger, sadness, pain? And where do I feel them? In what part of my being do I feel these emotions?
You might ask yourself, "What is the physical experience of these emotions?" Perhaps we notice a contraction somewhere—in the chest, the abdomen, the throat. Perhaps a feeling of suffocation or emptiness, or heat. In this way, we come into intimate contact with the physical expression of the situation and with the vulnerability that makes this situation particularly intense for us.
04
Nurture
The fourth stage of the process, the N in RAIN, is Nurture. Getting in contact with our inner vulnerability, we will ask ourselves what it needs and how it wants us to be with it. Inviting our most compassionate self in this phase, we will offer our most vulnerable part whatever it may need: acceptance, love, forgiveness, compassion, or whatever protection is most healing.
After these four stages comes the final part of RAIN, which is called After the RAIN, which is a time to stop all “doing” and take a few moments to rest in the presence and heart space that has emerged.
