This worksheet uses the RAIN method created by Tara Brach to lead you through a creative drawing exercise that can help you process emotions and restore balance through art and mindfulness. 

Follow each step below and use your creativity to express your feelings visually. You can start anytime — in a quiet moment when you can focus, in the middle of a tough emotional experience, or even as a way to end your day before bed. 

Ready? Grab a piece of paper and something to write and draw with, and then work through these steps.

Step 1: RECOGNIZE What is Happening

  1. Take a moment to breathe, and notice what is arising within you. Are there specific emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations? Write a few words or phrases to describe them on your sheet of paper.
  2. Now, draw a symbol, shape, or image that represents what you’re feeling right now. Don’t worry about your level of artistic skill. Instead, focus on capturing the essence of your experience.

Step 2: ALLOW Feeling to Be Just as It Is

  1. Sit with what you’ve recognized within yourself. Let the feeling exist without trying to change or judge it. Reflect on these questions as you look at your work:
    1. What would it look like to simply allow this emotion to continue?
    2. Can you visualize holding this feeling with gentle acceptance?
  2. Add to your drawing or create a new one that reflects the act of allowing. Consider adding open shapes, flowing lines, or a visual that symbolizes spaciousness for you.

Step 3: INVESTIGATE with Interest & Care

  1. Bring curiosity to your experience. Gently ask yourself:
    1. What is this feeling telling me?
    2. Are there deeper needs or beliefs beneath this emotion?
  2. Add in colors, textures, or other details into your drawing that represent what you discover during this moment of curiosity. Use your art to explore the layers of your experience, honoring each layer as you discover it.

Step 4: NURTURE with Self-Compassion

  1. Offer yourself kindness and care as you would a close friend. Reflect on these questions:
    1. How can I comfort myself in this moment?
    2. What words or actions feel supportive and loving to me?
  2. Complete your drawing by adding elements that symbolize nurturing, such as warm colors, soothing patterns, or images that represent self-compassion. You can also write a few words of encouragement or affirmation around your artwork.

Step 5: Pause and Reflect

  1. Pause: Take a moment to look at your completed drawing. 
  2. Reflect: What stands out to you about the journey you’ve just taken? 
  3. Write: Note a few points as a brief reflection of how this exercise helped you process your feelings.

Thank yourself for taking the time to engage in this creative and mindful practice. Remember, the RAIN method and your creativity are always available to support your well-being, your creative process, and your mental health.

Source: Brach, T. (n.d.). RAIN practice: A mindfulness tool for radical compassion. Tara Brach. Accessed December 1, 2024, from https://www.tarabrach.com/rain-practice-radical-compassion 

Help improve My Digital Sanctuary!

    Was this content useful?

    Was it relevant to your life?

    Would you refer it to a friend or colleague?

    Your email

    Age

    Zip code

    Additional Resources

    My Digital Sanctuary

    Cultivate hope in your life in ways that help you:

    • LiberateFree your mind, body and spirit
    • RelateConnect with yourself and others
    • MotivateFind stories that inspire taking action
    • CreateBring what’s inside outside

    About My Digital Sanctuary

    My Digital Sanctuary brings information and creativity together to support soul care, a holistic approach to emotional, physical and spiritual well-being from the Steve Fund. Created by mental health experts who specialize in serving young people of color and their families, My Digital Sanctuary shares the help, hope, and healing we need not just to survive but to thrive.