[flute with permission from Jonathan Foust]
So let's practice together;
find yourself a way of sitting so you're comfortable;
let your eyes close;
you might take a few full breaths - inhaling deeply,
filling the chest and lungs,
and then a slow out-breath; relaxing, releasing, and letting go with the out-breath.
You might scan your life right now and sense a situation where there is a recurrent
kind of reactivity that comes up; it may be with another person
where you feel that you go unconscious some...
where you no longer have access to your inner resources.
It might be that you go into blaming or defensiveness... hurt...
where you pull back or lash out...
I wouldn't pick a situation that feels that it has got a current of trauma in it - that won't serve you...
But something where you feel your emotions get triggered,
you get some sense of strong emotion - maybe anxiety, fear, guilt...
And you might imagine as if you were watching it in a movie just
letting the film roll until you get to the frame that most
epitomizes when you're getting stuck,
when you don't feel like you have many choices.
And freezing; pausing right there...
and sensing; we begin with "recognize" - the "R" of RAIN -
just to notice what's predominant,
what is it you're most aware of in the moments of being stuck;
is it anger, or hurt? Judgment, embarrassment?
We begin RAIN by just recognizing - you might mentally whisper whatever you're most aware of
Then the "A" of RAIN - allow it... just let it be there.
The "A" of RAIN is a kind of pause where you give space to what is here
without trying to change it in any way.
For some, it might be helpful to mentally whisper "yes"; you're agreeing to fully experience this,
with friendliness, with interest...
That allows you to move into
the "I" of RAIN, which is "investigate".
You begin to really sense: "so, when I'm feeling this, where do I feel it in my body?"
See if you can maybe even let your posture change to
represent the posture that most expresses the feelings and
it may be that your hands go into fists or just sense how your facial expression changes
if you're really in touch with and contacting the inner experience.
It's very useful to let your body posture express it; feel the place in your body where you
most feel the sense of the fear, the anger, the hurt...
You might ask yourself the question: "When this is going on, what am I believing about myself?"
Is it that others don't care, or that I'm going to fail?
Or that something terrible is going to go wrong?
I'm not respected...
I'm invisible...
What am I believing?
If you have a sense of the belief,
notice the feelings that go with it, in the body
and how they might change or intensify when you are really believing the belief.
So you can feel right into the place in you that's most vulnerable
and ask that part of you:
"What do you really need? How do you want me to be with you?"
"What do you most need to experience;
is it love, or forgiveness? Understanding? Safety?"
You might ask that place: "What is the message you most wish you could hear from a trusted other?"
"What would be most reassuring... healing?"
And just listen; sense what this part of you most needs, and as you're listening,
you might shift your posture a little so you feel like you're
really inhabiting a more full sense of your being right now.
So you're listening really from your true self, from your wise heart.
And you might put your hands on your human heart here
and experiment with this right now:
let the touch express a kind of tenderness
because we're entering into "nurture", the "N" of RAIN.
Listening to what is needed you have investigated;
listening to what's needed and now sensing how you want to respond,
how this part wants you to be with it,
what message you might offer yourself...
Letting your attention go inward and through the touch,
and with a message,
offering the love, care that this part of you most needs,
however most resonates.
Notice your own sense of presence and care
as you hold and communicate with this part of you.
Let yourself really rest in and inhabit
that heart space
that clarity that can be with this part of you.
And sense, as you rest in this natural presence,
what your life would be like if you didn't believe
that there was something wrong with you...
If you didn't believe the limiting thoughts... what would your life be like?
Who would you be?
And just let go and rest in that awakened heart space.
"This is how a human being can change:
there is a worm addicted to eating grape leaves...
Suddenly he wakes up; call it grace - whatever.
"Something wakes him and he is no longer a worm:
he is the entire vineyard,
and the orchard too... the fruit, the trunks...
"A growing wisdom and joy that doesn't need to devour."
Namaste and thank you for your attention.
[music]