One of my favorite meditation systems is called RAIN, and I’d love to share it with you. RAIN is a simple yet profound tool that helps us move through difficult emotions with awareness and compassion. The metaphor behind it is just like after each rain, the water clears away the dust and brings fresh air. Originally introduced by the senior Buddhist teacher Michelle McDonald in the 1980s, RAIN has since been adopted by many mindfulness teachers. I'm really excited to work with my students on this system during my upcoming yoga wellness retreat in Sedona this May.
So, what does RAIN stand for?R: RecognizeA: AllowI: InvestigateN: Non-Identification
I first learned about this system from a Buddhist monk back in 2005. At the time, my parents were visiting me in Phoenix from India, and I was preparing for my very first yoga teacher training. I was juggling a lot—creating the curriculum, getting it approved by the Yoga Alliance—and I was anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed. I remember one particular night, scrambling to organize my files to meet a deadline, my mind feeling just as frantic as the disorganized documents in front of me.
At one point, my mother quietly entered the room to bring me dinner, noticing how glued I was to the screen. She left the food on my desk without saying much, but when she left, something hit me. Here she was, having traveled all the way from India to spend time with me, and I was too "busy" to be present with her or my father. This wasn’t the first time I had been unavailable during their visit either. I had spent most of our time together looking for ways to excuse myself back to work.
Whether it was at lunch, during car rides, or even casual conversations, I was always looking for an escape, consumed by the demands of preparing for the teacher training. My parents, bless them, never made me feel guilty, but I carried this deep sense of regret. A week before they were due to return to India, I realized how absent I had been.
That’s when I decided to visit my Buddhist teacher, seeking guidance on how to deal with this internal struggle. He introduced me to the RAIN system and asked me to sit with it, guiding me through the process to understand what I was feeling.
The first step, R—Recognize—meant simply acknowledging what was happening inside of me. I had to admit that I was feeling a whirlwind of emotions: guilt, anxiety, and sadness.
Next came A—Allow. I was instructed not to push the feelings away, but to allow them to be there. Breathing through it, observing the discomfort, and resisting the urge to fix anything. I had to accept that these feelings, though unpleasant, were valid.
By allowing these emotions, I created space to move into the third step, I—Investigate. I turned my attention inward, exploring the guilt. What was it rooted in? I realized it was the fear that if I didn’t have the curriculum perfectly done, I would fail, disappointing both myself and others. At the same time, I felt guilt for being emotionally unavailable to my parents, fearing I had let them down.
Finally, I reached the last step, N—Non-Identification. This is where the real transformation began. I asked myself, “What do I need right now?” and “How would I feel if I let go of the fear I’ve created around this story?” In that moment, I realized all I needed was reassurance that things would be okay. I wasn’t going to fail, and my parents still loved me deeply. The weight of the guilt lifted, and I felt a deep sense of peace and clarity.
Now, think about a situation in your life where you feel stuck—whether it’s a conflict with a loved one, fear of failure, guilt, or anxiety. Try using RAIN to explore the experience:
Recognize what’s happening—ask yourself, "What am I feeling right now?"
Allow the emotions to be there, without judgment. Breathe and let them exist.
Investigate with curiosity—ask, "What part of me needs attention or acceptance?"
Non-Identification—rest in the awareness that these feelings are not the entirety of who you are. Let go of the story and just be.
This process helped me find peace, not only in my relationship with my parents but also in realizing that I am not defined by the pressures I put on myself. I hope it brings you the same sense of clarity and freedom.
Σχόλια