Drawn from Tara’s book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Through the framework of this practice, we look at how we can reconnect with the gold of our true nature, navigating life’s challenges with mindfulness and love.

In Part 2, Tara explores:

• How unmet needs and emotional reactivity block authentic connection in relationships.
• The "limbic controller" and its strategies, such as blame, avoidance, and pretending, that create distance in relationships.
• The transformative power of the RAIN practice in healing relational patterns and fostering deeper intimacy.
• The importance of recognizing the "goodness behind the mask" in ourselves and others to bridge separation.
• Stories and reflections that illustrate the healing potential of Radical Compassion in even the most challenging relationships.

In this guided meditation we begin with a body scan, and rest in awareness with our senses awake. The key practice is to recognize when the mind immerses in virtual reality, reawaken our senses, and surrender again and again into the immediacy, vibrance and mystery of living presence.

Drawn from Tara’s book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Through the framework of this practice, we look at how we can reconnect with the gold of our true nature, navigating life’s challenges with mindfulness and love.

In Part 1, Tara explores:

• How the RAIN practice weaves mindfulness and compassion to release self-judgment and awaken our hearts.
• The story of the "golden Buddha" as a metaphor for discovering our inner radiance beneath protective layers.
• The shift from "I" to "We" as an essential movement toward connection and wholeness.
• The importance of self-compassion in transforming the trance of unworthiness and reconnecting with our true nature.
• Practical ways to bring mindful presence to our daily lives and relationships, creating space for healing and growth.

This meditation calls on the image and felt sense of a smile as we scan through the body, and invites a receptive and caring presence, as we open our attention to the changing flow of life.

We all need ways to guide our attention that allow us to find wisdom, love and freedom in the midst of our lives. This talk reviews three archetypal gateways—Buddha/awareness, Dharma/truth, and Sangha/loving community. Through teachings, guided meditations and a traditional refuge ritual, we engage together in bringing alive these pathways to healing and peace.

In this video, Tara explores:

• Spiritual practice as a journey of remembering our inherent goodness and reconnecting to what truly matters.
• The Three Refuges—Buddha (awareness), Dharma (truth), and Sangha (community)—as pathways to peace and belonging.
• The difference between false refuges, like seeking approval or blame, and true refuge found in presence and self-compassion.
• How the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) transforms challenging emotions into spacious awareness.
• The power of widening our circles of belonging through vulnerability, active listening, and embracing shared humanity.

This guided meditation helps us find ease and wakefulness in our body and mind. With the breath as our home base, we offer a gentle and full attention to the changing waves. We close with a beautiful poem, “Walk Slowly,” by Danna Faulds.

Our habitual ways of avoiding pain keep us from experiencing intimacy with our inner life and with each other. This short talk and guided meditation offers instruction in saying “yes” to the life we encounter. As we release resistance, we discover the creativity, wisdom and love that express our truest nature (a reflection from the archives).

Listen to the full talk: Saying “Yes” – Meeting Your Edge and Softening.

When we are suffering, we are believing something untrue - usually a limiting story about who we are. This talk explores the roots of our self-doubts, and the teachings and practices that remind us of our basic goodness - the loving awareness that is our source (given at the Fall 2019 IMCW 7-Day Silent Retreat - 2019-11-06).