GRAIN: meeting emotions with gentleness and awareness

G Ground

·      Pause. Take a breath. Feel your feet, your body, the contact with the ground, or a sense of spaciousness around the body.

·      This step creates the internal stability needed to meet your experience with presence.

R Recognise

·      Notice and name what’s happening.

·      Does the emotion present have a name?

·      Recognising means waking up from auto-pilot and turning toward your experience with awareness.

“Agreeing to pause in the face of what’s here, and just acknowledge the actuality.”— Tara Brach

A Allow

·      Let the emotion be there, just as it is. No need to distract, deny, or fix.

·      Allowing is the courageous act of staying with what is.

You might say gently to yourself:

“Yes.”“This belongs.”“It’s okay to feel this.”

I Investigate

Turn toward your experience with curiosity and care. Ask:

• What am I feeling in my body?

• What does this part of me believe?

• What is this emotion needing from me right now?

• 
  

Approach your experience like a kind scientist — observing without judgment.

“Make friends with your experience. See what it feels like in your body.”— Sharon Salzberg

N Nurture

·      Bring compassion to what you find.

·      Offer yourself the kindness you would give a dear friend.

Try:

“I’m here with you.”“I care.”“You’re not alone.”

Closing pause

·      Take a few moments to rest in awareness after the steps. No need to rush.

·      Notice how you feel now in your body, your breath, or your heart.