Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

CHAPTER 7: OFF THE CUSHION: INFORMAL MINDFUL PRACTICES • 139

The RAIN mindfulness tool of inquiry provides support for working with challenging
states of mind (Brach, 2012). It is an acronym to help trigger mindful presence and inquiry
during your current situation, whatever it may be. According to Brach (2012), RAIN stands
for: “Recognize what is happening, Allow life to be just as it is, Investigate inner experience
with kindness, Non-identification [and] rest in Natural awareness” (p. 40; see Figure 7.2).
Steps one and two (i.e., recognizing and allowing) are considered the basic components of
mindfulness (Brach, 2012). The last two components are opportunities for deeper insight
(Brach, 2012).
Informal mindful practice can be viewed using these four steps: recognize (e.g., A wave
is coming or the water is calm), allow (e.g., I accept and allow the wave or the stillness as
present in my life), investigate (e.g., What is the nature of the wave? How am I experienc-
ing the wave?), and nonidentification (e.g., I am not the wave). To follow the metaphor, the
waves can arise from within us via body sensations, emotions, or thoughts and memories.
The waves can also arise from our external world as events and challenges for our close
friends and family, our communities, or our culture (see Figure 7.1).

Recognizing What Is Happening

Recognizing involves mindful awareness, presence, and attention to what is happening
right now in your internal experience (i.e., mental events, sense impressions, thoughts, or
emotions). It involves a noticing of what is arising. This presence can be awakened by ask-
ing yourself, “What is happening inside me right now?” (Brach, 2012, p. 40). This is done
without judgment and with an attitude of inquiry and curiosity (Cook-Cottone, 2015).

Allowing Life to Be Just as It Is

Once you have checked and asked yourself what is going on intrapersonally, the next task is
to allow what is to simply be (Brach, 2012). This includes mental events, sense impressions,
emotions, and thoughts (Cook-Cottone, 2015). You ask yourself, “Can I let this be just as it
is?” (Brach, 2012, p. 40). You will notice the feeling-tone and any natural sense of attachment

Allow

RAIN

Recognize Investigate

Non-

indentification

Natural

awareness

FIGURE 7.2 The RAIN process.

Source: Cook-Cottone (2015); used with permission.