PREFER TO LISTEN?
Listen to Matt share today's session as you savor 8 minutes of stillness 🧘👇
TODAY'S INTENTION
Today, let's nurture those emotionally reactive parts of ourself by combining two powerful methods of self-compassion.
Self-compassion naturally arises in the moments that we recognize we are suffering and intentionally nurture our inner life with self-care. When the intention to awaken self-compassion is sincere, the smallest gesture of turning towards love, of offering love (even if initially it feels awkward) will nourish your heart, ease the mind, heal the body, and feed the soul.
THE METHOD
Let's merge two powerful methods of awakening through self-compassion.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is the evidence-based psychotherapy model that reveals how each of our inner “parts” contains valuable qualities (especially those reactive parts). Each of these parts are sub-personalities of our core Self—that knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole.
RAIN is a synonym for paying attention (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Nurture) that helps us presence our reactive parts and provide the support for working with intense and difficult emotions.
LET'S PRACTICE
Let's move through the practice of RAIN while compassionately speaking directly to a reactive part of our self:
Taking a moment to get comfortable. Creating stillness. Taking a few breaths to invite all of yourself to this moment.
Bringing to mind a part of your self that has been experiencing difficult emotional reactivity recently.
R – Recognize what is happening, by asking this part:
- How as this part been feeling emotionally reactive and unsettled? What sensations does this bring up?
A – Allow life to be just as it is, by letting this part know:
- I see you. Yes, you are welcome here. Thank you for making yourself known. It's okay to be here. I know you have something valuable to share.
I – Investigate with a curious attention, by asking this part:
- How do you want to be with me? What emotions are you feeling right now? What do you most need right now?
N – Nurture with loving presence, by affirming to this part:
- I'm sorry for the ways I may have disregarded you. Please forgive me for the ways I have not been listening. Thank you for showing me what you need to feel nurtured and whole. I love you.
Be still for another minute or two and let yourself rest in this clearing.
TRAIL MANTRA
All parts are welcome.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
What is one way you can show yourself more self-compassion today?
We'd be delighted to hear in the comments!