Free Yourself From Emotional Turmoil With This Quick Practice From One Of The World’s Top Mindfulness Teachers
You can’t shame yourself into wholeness
I closed the door behind me and immediately felt it.
The heat in my face. The weight in my chest. The shame curling in my stomach.
I had just snapped at a co-worker—someone who didn’t deserve the edge in my voice or the blame I threw their way.
And I knew it.
But I didn’t know what to do with the guilt that came afterward.
So I did what I’d always done.
I replayed it. Justified it. Judged myself for it. Promised I’d be better next time.
None of it helped. Because soon enough, I’d be on the next reactive guilt-ridden loop.
A Different Way to Heal
Years later, I discovered a practice I wish I’d known back then.
It’s called RAIN—a mindfulness method developed by mindfulness teacher Michele McDonald and popularized by Tara Brach.
Today, it’s one of the most widely practiced tools for transforming emotional discomfort, especially in moments of guilt, shame, or overwhelm.
But RAIN isn’t just a self-forgiveness technique.
It’s a compassionate way of meeting any emotional or physical pain—so that instead of spiraling, you can soften, listen, and begin to let go.
It stands for:
Recognize what’s happening
Allow it to be there
Investigate with curiosity
Nurture with compassion
At first, it feels simple.
But when you’re in it, when you pause to ask:
What am I believing about myself right now?
What does this hurting place most need?
You start to uncover the real wound.
Not the surface reaction—but the deeper fear: that you’re not okay. That you need to be punished before you can be forgiven.
That’s when something shifts.
You stop treating your imperfection like a flaw to correct.
You stop trying to fix yourself through shame.
You begin offering yourself the kind of presence, care, and forgiveness you’ve been waiting for.
The Practice That Brings You Home
RAIN is not a one-time fix. It’s a path you return to, especially when the old emotional patterns of the past show up.
Here’s how to use it when you're caught in emotional turmoil:
1. Recognize
Name what’s happening.
“I feel shame.” “I’m angry.” “I feel like I failed.”
The moment you name it, you create space around it.
2. Allow
Let it be there without resisting it. Don’t push it away or judge it.
This is hard, but powerful.
You can say, “This belongs,” or simply breathe with it.
3. Investigate
Bring gentle curiosity to your inner world. Ask:
What am I believing right now?
Where do I feel this in my body?
What is this part of me really afraid of?
What does this part most need?
You’ll often find the need underneath is simple
To know you’re okay. To feel safe, seen, and soothed.
4. Nurture
Offer yourself what that part of you most needs.
A kind phrase. A hand on your heart. A deep breath.
Let the wisest part of you speak to the part in pain.
You might whisper:
You’re doing the best you can.
You don’t have to be perfect to be loved.
I’m here. I’ve got you.
Let it land. Let it soothe.
Then pause.
Rest in that warmth.
This is what wholeness actually feels like.
If you're ready to break free from old emotional patterns and step into a deeper sense of wholeness, start with The Ultimate Guide to Identity Shifting—a free resource to help you release self-judgment and embody the truest version of you.