RAFT to Freedom stages & appropriate responses

Task	The stages of the journey to the Far Shore & Appropriate Response Phrases
Setting Out	Setting out: Setting the foundations of our raft before we embark on the journey – Daily-Intentions -Phrases
R	Recognise: Life is inherently painful, difficult, and disappointing. We often do not get what we want, yet frequently encounter what we don’t want. Gotama encouraged us to clearly see and deeply understand this reality. Appropriate response – Self-Compassion Phrases
A	Abandon: Much of our pain, difficulty and disappointment stems from habitual cravings, compulsions, aversions, and preferences. Gotama urged us to abandon these destructive inclinations – not through force or suppression, but through compassionate understanding and skilful letting go. Appropriate response – Self-Love Phrases
F	Feel: Freedom from craving and compulsive patterns is possible. Gotama insisted that we can personally experience – feel – this liberation by actively cultivating moments of clarity, peace, and non–reactivity. Appropriate response – Self-Appreciation Phrases
T	Train: Gotama provided a structured programme – the Noble EightfoldPath – that integrates wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline into our daily lives. Through ongoing training, we develop resilience and equanimity, steering ourselves consistently towards freedom. Appropriate response – Self-Balance Phrases

RAFT Workbook downloads and links

The individual PDF’s below have inbuilt hyperlinks to self-reflection sides:

Task	Link to Website Page	Full PDF	Meeting PDF	Audio
Setting out	01 – An introduction to The RAFT to Freedom	01 – Full PDF	01 – Extract PDF	01 – Audio
Setting out	02 – Gotama’s Intoxications	02 – Full PDF	02 – Extract PDF	02 – Audio
Setting out	03 – Generosity – the gift of open hands	03 – Full PDF	03 – Extract PDF	03 – Audio
Setting out	04 – The Five Gifts	04 – Full PDF	04 – Extract PDF	04 – Audio
Setting out	05 – Māra – I know you: meeting the inner saboteur	05 – Full PDF	05 – Extract PDF	05 – Audio
Recognise	06 – Recognising life is painful, difficult and disappointing	06 – Full PDF	06 – Extract PDF	06 – Audio
Recognise	07 – Compassion	07 – Full PDF	07 – Extract PDF	07 -Audio
Recognise	08 – The First Anchor of Mindfulness	08 – Full PDF	08 – Extract PDF	08 – Audio
Recognise	09 – Mindfulness of Breathing	09 – Full PDF	09 – Extract PDF	09 – Audio
Recognise	10 – Mindfulness of Posture	10 – Full PDF	10 – Extract PDF	10 – Audio
Recognise	11 – Mindfulness with clear comprehension	11 – Full PDF	11 – Extract PDF	11 – Audio
Recognise	12 – Mindfulness of the reality of the body	12 – Full PDF	12 – Extract PDF	12 – Audio
Recognise	13 – Mindfulness of the Body through the lens of the elements	13 – Full PDF	13 – Extract PDF	13 – Audio
Recognise	14 – Mindfulness of the Body’s Impermanence	14 – Full PDF	14 – Extract PDF	14 – Audio
R	15 – The Four Resolves – Overview	F15	M15	Four Resolves
R	16 – The Resolve to Prevent	F16	M16	Prevent
R	17 – The Resolve to Abandon	F17	M17	Abandon
R	18 – The Resolve to Cultivate	F18	M18	Cultivate
R	19 – The Resolve to Maintain	F19	M19	Maintain
R	20 – The Four Creative Powers – Overview	F20	M20	Creative Powers
R	21 – Noble Desire as a Creative Power	F21	M21	Noble Desire
R	22 – Courageous Energy as aCreative Power	F22	M22	Courageous Energy
R	23 – Heart’s Compass as a Creative Power	F23	M23	Heart’s Compass
R	24 – Fearless Investigation as a Creative Power	F24	M24	Investigation
A	25 – Abandoning Cravings and Compulsions	F25	M25	Abandoning
A	26 – An Appropriate Response – Befriending	F26	M26	Befriending
A	27 – The Second Anchor of Mindfulness – Feeling our way to Freedom	F27	M27	Feeling Tones
A	28 – The Five Defenders of Liberation	F28	M28	Five Defenders
A	29 – Confidence as a Defence	F29	M29	Confidence
A	30 – Courageous Effort as a Defence	F30	M30	Courageous Effort
A	31 – Healing Mindfulness as a Defence	F31	M31	Healing Mindfulness
A	32 – A Gathered Mind as a Defence	F32	M32	Gathered Mind
A	33 – Discernment asa Defence	F33	M33	Discernment
F	34 – Feel the freedom	F34	M34	Feel
F	35 – An Appropriate Response – Joy-Gladness	F35	M35	Joy-Gladness
F	36 – The Third Anchor of Mindfulness – Monitoring Mindfulness	F36	M36	Monitoring Mindfulness
F	37 – The five Hazards – Overview	F37	M37	Five Hazards Overview
F	38 – The Hazards – Sensual Desire	F38	M38	Sensual Desire
F	39 – The Hazards – Ill-will	F39	M39	Ill-Will
F	40 – The Hazards – Tuning Out	F40	M40	Tuning Out
F	41 – The Hazards – Anxiety and Agitation	F41	M41	Anxiety and Agitation
F	42 – The Hazards – Immobilising Doubt	F42	M42	Immobilising Doubt
F	43 – The Seven Supports – Overview	F43	M43	The Seven Supports – Overview
F	44 – Liberating Mindfulness as a Support	F44	M44	Liberating Mindfulness as a Support
F	45 – Penetrating Inquiry as a Support	F45	M45	Fearless Inquiry as a support
F	46 – Enthusiasm as a Support	F46	M46	Enthusiasm as a support
F	47 – Energetic Joy as a Support	F47	M47	Energetic Joy as a support
F	48 – Calmness as a Support	F48	M48	Deep Calm as a support
F	49 – A Unified Mind as a Support	F49	M49	A Unified Mind as a Support
F	50 – Balancing Equanimity as a Support	F50	M50	Balancing Equanimity as a support
T	51 – The Training stage of our  journey – the journey to freedom	F51	M51	51 – The Training stage of our  journey – the journey to freedom
T	52 – AnAppropriate Response – Resilience	F52	M52	52 –  An Appropriate Response: Resilient Equanimity
T	53 – The Fourth Anchor of Mindfulness – Ethical Mindfulness	F53	M53	53 – How to remember to remember
T	54 – The Five Components of selfing	F54	M54	54 -You are a verb not a noun
T	55 – Our Lens on the World – The Six Doors	F55	M55	55 – Stop habit loops at sense doors
T	56 – Gotama’s Middle Way programme	F56	M56	56 – Skilful balance – beyond indulgence and guilt
T	57 – Skilful Perspective	F57	M57	57 – Stop fighting reality with outdated maps
T	58 – Skilful Intention	F58	M58	58 – Steer the mind with skilful intention
T	59 – Skilful Speech	F59	M59	59 – The four gates of skilful speech
T	60 – Skilful Action	F60	M60	60 – Four permissions to live lightly
T	61 – Skilful Livelihood	F61	M61	61 – A biological necessity
T	62 – Skilful Application	F62	M62	62 – minimum effective dose
T	63 – Skilful Mindfulness	F63	M63	63 – Stay on course with the captains memory
T	64 – Skilful Collectedness	F64	M64	64 – Stay steady in your daily storm
T	65 – Forgiveness as an Essential Practice	F65	M65	65 – Forgiveness is a one player game
T	66 – Conclusion: Living Skillfully on the Safe Shore	F66	M66	66– Abandoning the raft that saved you

RAFT to Freedom community resources

Link to Website Page or Document

Navigational aids for the voyage – list of well-being groups (April 2026)

RAFT to Freedom host script general information

Setting Out – RAFT to Freedom host script – (Chapters 01 – 05 and 66)

Recognise – RAFT to Freedom host script – (Chapters 25 – 33)

Abandon – RAFT to Freedom host script – (Chapters 25 – 33)

Feel – RAFT to Freedom host script – (Chapters 34 – 50)

Train – RAFT to Freedom host script – (Chapters 51 – 65)

RAFT to Freedom – Co-host guidance

Code of conduct for RAFT meeting hosts

Code of conduct for RAFT meeting participants

Daily Intention phrases

Legacy downloads

PDFs by Vince Cullen

The Heart of Forgiveness Workbook (June 2024)

From Hungry Ghost to Being Human (July 2022)

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