This past Sunday, the writers I was on a call with finally let the tears fall.

After weeks of being in quarantine during a global pandemic, they finally had a TOOL to work with the emotions they were carrying. I led them through the R.A.I.N meditation, which is an incredibly effective and healthy way for dealing with emotion.

I say “meditation,” but it’s really a mindfulness tool that can be done in real time, when you’re activated in some way - distressed, anxious, sad, or feeling any feeling at all.

The R.A.I.N Method

R = Recognize (I’m having a feeling)

A = Allow (I’m going to let myself feel this feeling, rather than compartmentalize or push it away or distract myself from it. Even if this feeling is unpleasant, I’m going to sit with it and feel it).

I = Investigate (I’m going to get curious about what this feeling physically feels like. Where do I feel it in my body? What does sadness or fear or anger or peace physically feel like? I’m going to just sit and investigate the physical sensation of the feeling. I’m not going to attach a story line to it (why I feel it or how I shoudld feel about feeling it or who I want to blame for me feeling it).

N= Nurture (After I’ve felt the feeling - and by now, it probably holds less intensity and heat because I’ve born witness to it and let it play out - I’m going to give myself a little love. Maybe I put my hand on my heart and say, “You are enough. You’re okay. Good job being human.” Or I’m going to do some lovingkindness for myself (“May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be safe. May I be in flow.”)

This is a great practice to do on the spot or on the cushion. We explored how it felt to be writers during this time, wanting to write, but maybe not having a lot of bandwidth for that. We shared our experiences, and I offered some thoughts and suggestions.

The key is that we need to let ourselves feel what we’re feeling so we can give voice to that on the page.

Being present with what we’re feeling right now is how we hold space for the world’s feelings too. We have to be in it so that we can later articulate this collective experience with specificity and meet the world’s needs for our words.

“It’s good for the world for a writer to bear witness, and it’s good for the writer, too. Especially if she can bear witness with love and humor and, despite it all, some fondness for the world, just as it is manifesting, warts and all. 

All of this is to say: there’s still work to be done, and now more than ever.”

— George Saunders in a letter to his students during the pandemic

One of the questions that we dug into was from a writer on the call who asked:

“If I can’t write my novel right now, should I write anything that’s coming up?”

I suggested they check out George Saunders’ letter to his students in the face of the pandemic, which was absolute word medicine to me. I also mentioned he did an interview about it on Cheryl Strayed’s new podcast for writers, Sugar Calling.

George’s letter was a great answer to this question, but we got into some practical tips:

Journal - Jot down feelings, impressions, word lists, whatever you want
Bear witness to what’s happening because in the aftermath of this, it’s us writers who will be on the front lines, helping a world that is shell-shocked and confused.
Write emails or letters - the epistolary form is great for flow! Save them all or take pictures of anything you mail out.
I suggested doing some fun things like flash fiction (I like to copy Erin Morgenstern’s prompt for her Flax Golden tales).

“What are some tips for being on screen all day, then having to go and write on a screen? I’m burned out!”

My suggestions for this are:

Create transitions between screen time events and especially between not writing and writing. I like to use meditation or stretching or a walk as a transition so that when I sit down to write, I’m fresh and more expansive.
Rituals are helpful too: Ring a bell before you write. Draw a tarot card. Read a poem. Say a prayer. Something that makes THIS time on the computer sacred.
Write in a different place than you do your other work. (If possible). Or at least clear other work from the space when you’re writing.
Try using a notebook more for note taking and side writing.
To save your eyes, I recommend the free f.lux blue light app. I have it on my computer and it’s a lifesaver.
Disable Internet. Use the laptop just for writing when it’s writing time.

The most widely recognized teacher of this method is Tara Brach, though the method was conceived by mindfulness teacher Michele McDonald. Brach is a meditation teacher and trauma therapist who has also written one of my favorite “dharma” (Buddhism) books - Radical Acceptance. She has a slew of resources on RAIN, which you can access here.

For a writer’s bent on the practice, you can listen to my RAIN meditation for writers on Insight Timer.

Really, at the end of the day, writing is about intention + devotion. Put those two together and you’ll be right as R.A.I.N.

I’m rooting for all of you!

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