RAIN: Guided Meditation

When Difficult Feelings Show Up, Don't Fight Them

A few years ago I started practicing and using a simple practice with clients who feel flooded — by shame, anger, grief, whatever the moment brings. It's called RAIN, developed by psychologist and meditation teacher Tara Brach, and it's become one of the tools I return to most often in my own Relational Mindfulness practice, and to help my clients.

The acronym RAIN is an easy-to-remember tool for practicing mindfulness and compassion using the following four steps:

• Recognize what is happening;

• Allow the experience to be there, just as it is;

• Investigate with interest and care;

• Nurture with self-compassion.

That's it. No fixing, no forcing calm. Just enough space to meet what's real.

I've used RAIN with individuals working through anxiety, fear, or those who often feel as if they are not good enough. For couples, RAIN has helped each person experience deep and complex emotions with kindness. As a result, some clients are able to show up to tough conversations calmer and more integrated, regulating their behaviors while taking care of themselves.

• On her site, you can find RAIN here.

• On Spotify, you can access it here.

• On Youtube, here.

For more detail, see original article in her website. RAIN: A Practice of Radical Compassion

If you want to go deeper, Tara Brach's website has a full guide to the practice, plus a free printable and her book Radical Compassion. Worth exploring on your own between sessions.