RAIN in Spring
We are currently focusing on building our meditation and mindfulness practice. We are discussing a range of tools, and this week we are focused on Tara Brach and her RAIN meditation.
Tara Brach’s RAIN meditation method- an acronym for Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture- is a structured mindfulness practice designed to foster self-awareness and compassion in the face of difficulty.
For people living with Parkinson’s, the RAIN method offers a unique set of benefits that address both the motor and non-motor challenges of the condition.
Understanding RAIN: The Four Steps
Recognize
Notice and acknowledge what is happening in the present moment. Identify your thoughts, feelings, and the physical sensations throughout your body. Pay attention to Parkinson’s symptoms. Bring mindful awareness to your current experience. Identify feelings and emotions, and try to identify where these are in your body.
Allow
Let the experience be, just as it is, without trying to fix, avoid, or judge it. This involves accepting your emotions, thoughts, physical experience, and discomfort. Give all of it permission to be with you and exist in your awareness. Sit with what is. Sit in peace.
Investigate
Explore your experience more deeply with gentle curiosity and kindness. Ask yourself questions such as, “What is happening inside me?” or “How does this feel in my body?” The focus is on bringing compassionate, nonjudgmental attention to your inner experience, especially to the parts that are hurting or vulnerable.
Nurture
Offer yourself care and compassion. This could involve internally speaking kind words, placing a hand on your heart, or visualizing warmth and comfort. The goal is to respond to your suffering with self-compassion, as you would to a dear friend in pain.
After completing these steps, practitioners often rest in a state of “natural awareness”—a spacious, compassionate presence that arises when we do not identify with our emotions, stories, or past.
This method can be practiced as a stand-alone meditation or applied in moments of distress, making it accessible and adaptable to many circumstances.
Benefits of mindfulness and meditation for our community
Research consistently demonstrates that mindfulness and meditation, including methods like RAIN, provide significant benefits for people with Parkinson’s. These benefits span emotional, cognitive, and physical domains:
Emotional and Psychological Benefits
Reduced Anxiety and Depression: Mindfulness practices help break cycles of negative thinking, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression that are common in PD.
Improved Emotional Regulation: The RAIN method emphasizes recognizing and allowing emotions. This process helps individuals respond to distress with greater calm and less reactivity.
In a 2023 clinical trial, this emotional non-reactivity persisted even 20 weeks after mindfulness training was completed.
Increased Self-Compassion: The nurturing step of RAIN fosters a sense of kindness toward oneself, which can be particularly helpful for those coping with the frustrations and losses associated with Parkinson’s.
Cognitive and Behavioral Benefits
Improved Cognitive Function: Mindfulness meditation has been linked to improved memory, verbal fluency, and overall cognitive performance in people with PD.
Greater Resilience and Coping Skills: By cultivating a nonjudgmental awareness of symptoms and experiences, individuals develop resilience and a greater sense of control over their condition.
Physical and Quality-of-Life Benefits
Better Motor Function: Several studies report that mindfulness meditation can improve motor symptoms and daily functioning.
Pain Management: Mindfulness techniques help individuals manage chronic pain, a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s.
Improved Sleep and Reduced Fatigue: Regular practice is associated with better sleep quality and reduced fatigue, contributing to overall well-being.
Why RAIN is Especially Suitable for Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease presents unpredictable symptoms, both motor (tremors, rigidity, slowness) and non-motor (mood disturbances, cognitive changes). The RAIN method is particularly well-suited for this population because:
Adaptability: RAIN can be practiced in short sessions and adapted to individual needs, making it accessible even for those with physical limitations.
Focus on Compassion: The nurturing aspect directly addresses the self-criticism and frustration that often accompany chronic illness.
Integration into Daily Life: RAIN can be used in real-time for managing challenging moments, such as episodes of anxiety, pain, or frustration.
Evidence from Clinical Studies
I have mentioned these before, but I will continue to do so. It is important to know that these things will likely make a difference. Multiple randomized controlled trials and reviews have confirmed the benefits of mindfulness meditation for people with Parkinson’s:
An eight-week mindfulness program improved both motor and non-motor activities of daily living, with effects lasting up to six months after the intervention ended.
Mindfulness training was as effective as physical exercise in improving cognitive performance and even more effective in reducing depressive symptoms and maintaining emotional stability.
MRI studies have shown increased grey matter density in brain regions associated with motor function after mindfulness training, suggesting physical changes that may underlie symptom improvement.
Practical Considerations
For people with Parkinson’s, starting a mindfulness practice like RAIN is most effective when approached with consistency and self-kindness. Short, regular sessions (“daily-ish” practice) are sufficient to gain benefits. I often use this word ( although it is not really a word) “daily-ish.” It gives us a goal wrapped in a nonjudgmental wrapper.
We all understand that a lack of dopamine makes it hard, but push through. This is important, and it can help you in significant ways. Start small and do it today.
Guided meditations, such as those offered by Tara Brach, can provide structure and support for those new to the practice. Pick one out at tarabrach.com/guided meditations. You can search for RAIN meditations. You will also see many other meditations and the length of time each one takes.
Here's to a beautiful spring rain. May it refresh us all.
Please take a look at the following notes about the May schedule. It is different so please note the changes.
The May schedule is as follows. There are two changes due to when Nadine’s meeting falls and also due to my schedule.
Friday, May 2: NO Meeting
Friday, May 9: NO Meeting ( Nadine’s group will meet Wed May 7)
Friday, May 16: Meet at Whole Foods
Friday, May 23: NO MEETING - I have a conflict.
Friday, May 30: Meet at Park City Community Church—this is our last meeting on meditation and mindfulness and our last meeting before summer. During the summer, we will plan social get-togethers, and there will be more to come on that! We will not have weekly meetings during the summer.
References
Kwok JYY, Choi EPH, Wong JYH, Lok KYW, Ho MH, Fong DYT, Kwan JCY, Pang SYY, Auyeung M. A randomized clinical trial of mindfulness meditation versus exercise in Parkinson's disease during social unrest. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2023 Jan 21;9(1):7. doi: 10.1038/s41531-023-00452-w. PMID: 36681670; PMCID: PMC9862216.
Lin HW, Tam KW, Kuan YC. Mindfulness or meditation therapy for Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Neurol. 2023 Aug;30(8):2250-2260. doi: 10.1111/ene.15839. Epub 2023 May 21. PMID: 37158296.
Meinders, M. J., Speckens, E. M., Peerbolte, T. F., Bloem, B. R., & Helmich, R. C. (2021). Stress and Mindfulness in Parkinson's Disease: Clinical Effects and Potential Underlying Mechanisms. Movement Disorders, 36(1), 64-70. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28345
Pickut B, Vanneste S, Hirsch MA, Van Hecke W, Kerckhofs E, Mariën P, Parizel PM, Crosiers D, Cras P. Mindfulness Training among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: Neurobehavioral Effects. Parkinsons Dis. 2015;2015:816404. doi: 10.1155/2015/816404. Epub 2015 May 26. PMID: 26101690; PMCID: PMC4460233.
Speckens, A. E., Meinders, M. J., Rosenthal, L. S., Bloem, B. R., & Helmich, R. C. (2021). Stress and mindfulness in Parkinson’s disease – a survey in 5000 patients. Npj Parkinson's Disease, 7(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-020-00152-9