Ep. 74: Learning To Love Yourself With Tara Brach - Psychologist, Author and RAIN Meditation Teacher

We are delighted to have Tara Brach on Health Gig, especially during this time where many around the globe are dealing with a world of unknown and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tara Brach is a Psychologist, author of many books, including her most recent book, "Radical Compassion," and she’s a proponent of Buddhist Meditation. Tara is a guiding teacher who also founded the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C., which is now one of the largest and most dynamic non-residential meditation centers in the United States, and the RAIN meditation practice. Working as both a psychotherapist and a meditation teacher, Tara found herself naturally introducing meditation to her clients. Tara gives presentations, teaches classes, offers workshops, and leads silent meditation retreats around the world. One thing Tara wants us all to remember during this time of crisis is: “Whatever circumstances arise, may they serve the awakening of this heart and all hearts.” Enjoy listening and joining in on a meditation moment at the end.

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Show Notes

[00:23] Tara Brach is an American Psychologist, author of many books, including her most recent book, "Radical Compassion" and proponent of Buddhist Meditation. She's a guiding teacher and Founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C.. We are fortunate that Tara teaches Wednesday nights in Bethesda, Maryland, very near where Tricia and I live. Most importantly, she's a friend and our teacher and a much needed voice in the world we find ourselves living in today.
[1:03] What is this global pandemic like for you personally?
[1:10] My daughter in law is pregnant and she's a nurse at UCSF, which is the largest hospital in San Francisco. And as you all know, they're running out of equipment and reusing masks. So she's at high risk at home. My son and also my ex-husband lives with them because of a failing heart.
[2:22] And I've been kind of reflecting through the history of our species. We can see that when there's huge disruptions. Those are the times of amazing adaptation where beings tap their intelligence and creativity and their generosity and love.
[3:14] May whatever circumstances arise, may they serve the awakening of this heart and all hearts.
[3:41] If anyone is listening just to ask yourself, if you sense what's most difficult for you right now about this, that the fears and the worries and concerns, whether it's financial or health and then you just sense, please may this difficulty serve to wake up my heart.
[5:34] The reason I wrote "Radical Compassion" was to share a way of practicing mindfulness and compassion that could really help us through difficult times and really cultivate that kind of hearts space where, I love the word heart space, because it's not just a solid little heart it's a heart space. Where we really care about each other and care is active. It's not just abstract where we really engage.
[6:00] I share through the book it's kind of a training book in how to do what's called "The RAIN Meditation" and RAIN is an acronym. It's an acronym that shows us how to weave mindfulness and compassion when we're really stuck. How to bring it alive. The letters of the acronym the R of Rain is to recognize the A of rain is Allow, the I is Investigate and the N is to Nurture.
[8:49] What I realize is it's not my fear. This is the world's fear. And that realization really makes a difference. After the RAIN, the moments after, it was just resting in that sense of kind of being the ocean and letting the currents move through me. But there wasn't any suffering. And that's the whole gift of RAIN.
[9:10] We shift from being a scared self that feels helpless and powerless to being a field or a space of compassion, an awareness that has room for it, that makes all the difference.
[10:05] My sense is that in times of global crisis, we need practices like this that are totally accessible that you can remember and find our way back home again.
[12:00] Can you tell us a little more about what deepens radical compassion at times like this?
[12:32] I know when I've really touched into the places where I'm feeling grief and sorrow and then I'm with somebody else who's had a loss, there's no self-consciousness.
[12:42] It's like we know this. This is our shared grief. It feels really important that in these times that we stay attuned to each other.
[13:06] So the first thing in terms of deepening radical compassion is to be really intentional about connecting.
[13:41] To keep remembering the beauty you know keep connected with the natural world, with the spring blossoms and remember the beauty of how much people are carrying. And even when we're worried about each other, just to know that's an expression of our love, which is beautiful.
[15:12] Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle and it's so true right now. So in terms of deepening radical compassion for us to move through the day and when we're in touch with others, have a deep inquiry. What's it like for you? So that our hearts really remember and include others in an intimate way.
[15:41] I mean, that's what I'm struggling with the most, I think is being distant from people in my own family and my own children. Going to the grocery store and feeling like everyone are aliens. And, you know, we're all avoiding each other. And that's hard.
[17:21] Maybe this would be a good time. Could you lead us through a guided RAIN Meditation and show our listeners and us how this goes? So wherever you are sitting quietly, might close your eyes and take a few full breaths.
[17:43] And scanning your current life, bringing to mind something that brings up fear, agitation, it could be something to do with your relationships with people around you, your fears, your concerns, your sense of separation.
[22:07] Imagine that beings caring gaze is really holding you. And just imagine and feel love. Bathing the place of vulnerability, really washing through you. Let the love into the cells and the spaces between washing through your entire being.
[24:15] So please take a few deep breaths and open your eyes when you're ready.

Thank you for joining us on HealthGig. We loved having you with us. We hope you'll tune in again next week. In the meantime, be sure to like and subscribe to this podcast, and follow us on healthgigpod.com.

“We can see that when there's huge disruptions. Those are the times of amazing adaptation where beings tap their intelligence and creativity and their generosity and love.” - Tara Brach
“May whatever circumstances arise, may they serve the awakening of this heart and all hearts.” - Tara Brach
“My sense is that in times of global crisis, we need practices like this that are totally accessible that you can remember and find your way back home again.” - Tara Brach
“It feels really important that in these times that we stay attuned to each other.”- Tara Brach

Keywords

#RAINMediation #Meditation #Spirituality #Mindfulness #Relaxing #Yoga #Buddhism #BuddhistMeditation #TaraBrach #HealthGig #Pandemic #COVID19 #TriciaReillyKoch #DoroBushKoch #Love #RadicalCompassion #peace #breathing #breath #nature #health #wellness #psychology #psychologist #therapy #therapeutic #mentalhealth

Ep. 74: Learning To Love Yourself With Tara Brach - Psychologist, Author and RAIN Meditation Teacher

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Show Notes

[1:03] What is this global pandemic like for you personally?

[1:10] My daughter in law is pregnant and she's a nurse at UCSF, which is the largest hospital in San Francisco. And as you all know, they're running out of equipment and reusing masks. So she's at high risk at home. My son and also my ex-husband lives with them because of a failing heart.

[2:22] And I've been kind of reflecting through the history of our species. We can see that when there's huge disruptions. Those are the times of amazing adaptation where beings tap their intelligence and creativity and their generosity and love.

[3:14] May whatever circumstances arise, may they serve the awakening of this heart and all hearts.

[3:41] If anyone is listening just to ask yourself, if you sense what's most difficult for you right now about this, that the fears and the worries and concerns, whether it's financial or health and then you just sense, please may this difficulty serve to wake up my heart.

[9:10] We shift from being a scared self that feels helpless and powerless to being a field or a space of compassion, an awareness that has room for it, that makes all the difference.

[10:05] My sense is that in times of global crisis, we need practices like this that are totally accessible that you can remember and find our way back home again.

[12:00] Can you tell us a little more about what deepens radical compassion at times like this?

[12:32] I know when I've really touched into the places where I'm feeling grief and sorrow and then I'm with somebody else who's had a loss, there's no self-consciousness.

[12:42] It's like we know this. This is our shared grief. It feels really important that in these times that we stay attuned to each other.

[13:06] So the first thing in terms of deepening radical compassion is to be really intentional about connecting.

[13:41] To keep remembering the beauty you know keep connected with the natural world, with the spring blossoms and remember the beauty of how much people are carrying. And even when we're worried about each other, just to know that's an expression of our love, which is beautiful.

[15:41] I mean, that's what I'm struggling with the most, I think is being distant from people in my own family and my own children. Going to the grocery store and feeling like everyone are aliens. And, you know, we're all avoiding each other. And that's hard.

[17:21] Maybe this would be a good time. Could you lead us through a guided RAIN Meditation and show our listeners and us how this goes? So wherever you are sitting quietly, might close your eyes and take a few full breaths.

[17:43] And scanning your current life, bringing to mind something that brings up fear, agitation, it could be something to do with your relationships with people around you, your fears, your concerns, your sense of separation.

[22:07] Imagine that beings caring gaze is really holding you. And just imagine and feel love. Bathing the place of vulnerability, really washing through you. Let the love into the cells and the spaces between washing through your entire being.

[24:15] So please take a few deep breaths and open your eyes when you're ready.