In this meditation,
I will guide you to expanding the heart connection you have with your dog.
Your dog can be in the room with you,
But does not need to be.
You can do this meditation whether you are physically together or not.
Now,
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Take a slow,
Comfortable breath in,
And a long,
Easy breath out.
And again,
Breathe in,
And as you breathe out,
Feel your shoulders soften and drop away from your ears.
One more gentle breath in,
And out,
Letting your face,
Your jaw,
Your neck relax.
If it feels comfortable,
Let your eyes close and soften your gaze.
Look at your dog for a moment,
Either in reality or in your mind.
Their breathing,
Their warmth,
The shape of their body.
This is your companion,
Your friend,
The one who has shared so many moments with you.
Maybe allow a smile,
Just for them.
You don't have to change anything right now.
You're simply here together,
In this moment.
Now,
Gently bring your attention back to yourself,
To your own body,
And let your attention,
Your the area of your chest.
If it feels good,
Place a hand there,
On your chest,
On your heart.
Feel the movement under your hand as you breathe,
The subtle rising as you exhale.
This is your heart space,
The place that holds your love for your dog.
It also holds worries,
Hopes,
And memories.
If there are mixed feelings,
Allow them.
Joy,
Gratitude,
Fear,
Sadness,
They all belong.
Now,
Imagine a gentle light in the center of your chest,
Somewhere behind your hand.
The color doesn't matter.
It could be soft gold,
Pale green,
Warm white,
Or anything that feels pleasant right now.
If you cannot visualize it clearly,
That's alright.
Simply have a sense of warmth,
Or softness,
Or a point of focus there.
This light represents your love and care,
The quiet strength of your heart.
Stay with it for a few breaths.
Breathing in,
Noticing the light.
Breathing out,
Let it become a little steadier,
A little brighter.
Now,
Gently shift your attention towards your dog's heart space.
If your dog is physically with you,
You might look at their chest for a moment,
Or rest your other hand lightly on that area,
But only if they enjoy touch.
And if they are not with you,
Picture them in your mind.
See their chest as you remember it,
Rising and falling when they sleep,
Or when they rest beside you.
Inside that chest is a heart that has been beating since before you met,
A tireless engine that has carried them through all the days you have shared.
Thank you,
Heart,
For all the days you have kept my friend here with me.
May you be as comfortable as possible.
May you beat in peace and ease.
Now,
Imagine a gentle light in your dog's chest as well.
The color doesn't matter.
Let whatever image arises be good enough.
It might be bright,
It might be soft.
It might be more a feeling than a clear picture.
This light represents your dog's own life force,
Their unique way of being in the world,
Their side of the bond between you.
Take a few breaths to rest with the sense of both lights.
The light in your own chest,
And the light in your dog's chest.
Now,
Very softly,
Imagine there is a thread of light between the two,
A bridge from your heart to your dog's heart.
It may be subtle,
Like a fine golden thread,
Or a soft ray of light that reaches from one chest to the other.
This is the connection between you and your dog.
The connection from years of shared life,
In big events and in tiny everyday moments.
With each breath in,
Imagine this heart-to-heart connection becoming clearer,
Brighter.
And with each breath out,
Imagine that any tension falls away,
As if you were gently brushing off dust,
Until only the quiet connection remains.
Now,
Bring your attention to the flow from your heart to your dog through this bridge of light.
You might ask yourself,
What would I like to send right now?
Maybe it is gratitude.
Thank you for being in my life.
Maybe it's reassurance.
I am here with you.
You are safe with me.
Maybe it is simple love.
I love you,
Exactly as you are.
Breathing in,
And as you breathe out,
Letting the words and the feeling travel along the light towards your dog.
And if your dog is no longer in his first youth,
You might add,
Thank you for all the years that we have shared.
May the time we have together be as comfortable and joyful as possible.
Now,
Maybe see if you can be open to receiving as well.
We often think about what we give to our dogs,
But they are constantly giving to us too.
You this same connection of light,
What might it be?
And just see what comes.
Maybe you sense a feeling of trust.
Maybe you sense simple contentment.
Perhaps what comes is acceptance.
Or maybe something entirely different.
Whatever arises is welcome.
And if nothing clear shows itself to you,
That is fine too.
And now,
For a few breaths,
Imagine,
Sense and feel that love and care are flowing both ways.
From your heart to your dog,
And from your dog's heart back to you.
Rest here in this shared field for a little while.
Now imagine the two lights expanding just a little.
Enough to surround each of you in a soft glow.
The gentle aura of warmth and light around your chest and around your dog's chest.
Where these two glows meet,
In the space between the two of you,
There is a sharing,
A place of us.
You might offer a simple blessing into this shared space,
Such as,
May we feel safe,
May we feel loved,
May we enjoy the time we have together.
Silently repeat one of these lines a few times,
Or let your own words arise.
When you are ready,
Begin to let the visual image fade a little.
The light in both your chests can soften back inside.
The thread between your hearts can become a quiet knowing.
We are connected,
Even when I do not think about it.
Now,
Softly and gently,
Start bringing your awareness back to the physical sensations of your body.
Notice again where you are supported.
The weight of your hips,
Your back,
Your legs.
Start to wiggle your fingers and your toes a little.
Take a slightly deeper breath in,
And a long easy breath out.
If your eyes were closed,
You can slowly let them open,
Or lift your gaze.
Take in the room around you,
The light,
The colors,
The shapes,
Any sounds you may hear.
Gradually come back into your current reality.
Know that you can come back to this heart-to-heart connection anytime.
In the middle of a busy day,
You can place your hand on your chest for a moment and think of your dog.
And remember,
There is a thread,
A connection between the two of you.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself and for your dog.
And if it feels good,
Consider coming back to this meditation anytime in the future.
May you both feel the quiet strength of this connection in the moments that matter.
Thank you.
