R.A.I.N.

In meditation class last night the teacher, Tara Brach focused on an acronym that is useful, RAIN.

It is intended to be used when we're suffering.

R = Recognize
Pause and recognize that you are experiencing suffering

A = Allow
Accept and allow the suffering without judgment

I = Investigate
Ask yourself why you are experiencing the suffering. What is going on? Is the situation itself causing your suffering or is there a larger source of suffering impacting other aspects of your life? This is to be done without judgment. It is simply about what is.

N = No identity
We acknowledge that what we are experiencing is not a reflection of who we are. It does not define us. It is not our persona; it does not make up our identity.

This is useful to me because I get caught up in fears about a new business I am starting and those fears generate negative thoughts. I tend to believe those negative thoughts. RAIN gives me a framework to look at myself and my thoughts from the third person, "Look at Dave giving energy to his fears and getting stuck in negative thoughts. He does this all the time even though his experiences prove that 99.9% of the things he worries about never happen. The negative thoughts are not real and he does not need to identify with them."