We had our sixth Introduction to Meditation Class at Yoga Bliss yesterday.   We shared a guided meditation called RAIN:  Recognizing, Allowing, Investigating, Nonidentification.  I drew this inspiration and meditation instruction from meditation instructor and author Tara Brach.

In her book, True Refuge, Tara  explains that this practice is intended to help us cultivate mindfulness in difficult times.

I appreciate the opportunity to come together intentionally pausing for reflection.  It’s not easy to stop the forward momentum in our lives even under the best of circumstances.  Past experience and human nature usually condition us to react or escape when strong emotions arise.  Inner agitation and outer conflict often obstruct the ability to see or hear clearly.   Tara writes that we can use this practice to decondition the habitual ways we resist our moment-to-moment experience.  Over time, we can begin to undo unconscious patterns of attempting to control or resist what is.

Like yoga, the practice involves turning our awareness to sensation in the body.  Sensation, the language of the body expresses itself before thinking.  It is often the first response to difficulty and can reveal our deeper truth – our heart’s truth.  By pausing we can attend to these messages in the first step of Recognizing.  Then we cultivate an inner resilience or tolerance by Allowing these sensations and whatever thoughts or emotions that arise to just be.   Tara says that allowing is intrinsic to healing.  In allowing we let go of preconceived ideas and listen to our bodies and hearts.

Most of us know that this is much easier said then done.  Emotional triggers are sometimes old familiar friends that have a strong pull.  We can Investigate them with a sense of curiosity while inquiring “What most wants attention?”  “How am i experiencing this in my body?”  “What am I believing?”  “What does this feeling want from me?”   Unless we become aware of our deeply held inner beliefs they can continue to control and limit our experience.  In order for investigation to be healing and freeing, we need to approach experience with an intimate quality of attention.   Tara urges us to “Offer a gentle welcome to whatever surfaces.  Without this heart energy, investigation cannot penetrate;  there is not enough safety and openness for real contact.”

The last step is Non–identification means that your sense of who we are is not defined by any limited set of emotions, sensations, or stories.  Tara explains that

when identification with small self is loosened, we begin to intuit and live from openness and love that express our natural awareness.  RAI require intentional activity.  N expresses the result:  a liberating realization of natural awareness.  It arises spontaneously on its own.

We followed the first three steps like a path leading to the last:  an experience of natural presence.  Abiding in natural presence is meditation:  a gift we give ourselves and each other.

You can find this week’s homework and other resources at:

Sunday Meditation Class 6 Homework