Welcome to Mutt Meditation,
An easy way to find time to meditate every day while taking care of your dog.
Please be alert and aware of your surroundings when listening to this audio.
Do not use this audio while operating machinery.
Before we begin our dog walk meditation today,
Let's stand quietly together for a few moments.
You can do this either inside or outside your home.
Gently close your eyes.
Let's take three slow breaths together.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Let your arms hang heavy by your sides.
Pull your shoulder blades up to your ears,
And then let them drop down and back so you're standing up tall.
Feel the top of your head reaching for the ceiling,
And your feet connecting down into the floor like the roots of a tree.
Keep your eyes closed and your knees a little bit soft.
Gently shift your weight to your left foot.
Then slowly shift your weight to your right foot.
Shift to the left.
And again to the right.
Now stand with your weight distributed evenly between both feet.
Let's breathe in silence together for the next ten seconds.
Slowly open your eyes.
Now we're ready to start walking.
Pause this audio if you need a few moments to get you and your dog ready.
Let's start by walking at a slow pace today,
Perhaps a bit slower than you're used to,
But not so slow that it feels unnatural or strange.
As you become familiar with this technique,
You can adapt it to any pace you'd like.
As you walk today,
Keep your eyes softly focused about eight feet in front of you.
Hold the leash short so your dog is right beside you during our entire walk.
Start walking slowly and comfortably along your chosen path.
Pay attention to the feeling of each foot as it connects with the ground.
Notice the sensation as one heel touches the earth.
Then the feeling as the rest of the foot rolls forward.
Then the other heel touches the earth and rolls forward.
Each time your heel touches the ground,
Notice the sensation.
Each time your foot rolls forward,
Notice the sensation.
As you walk,
Simply keep your attention in your feet and notice the feeling as each foot connects with the ground.
We'll now walk in silence together for a few moments.
As you walk,
You may or may not observe different sensations in your feet.
Perhaps you feel pain in your right big toe or in your left heel,
Or perhaps your feet are free of pain.
Maybe the ground feels hard,
Soft,
Bumpy,
Or smooth.
Perhaps you notice tingling in your feet or fluidity in your steps.
Or you might not notice any of these things at all.
No matter if you do or don't,
Just keep bringing your awareness back to the feeling of your feet connecting with the ground.
Keep your posture comfortably straight,
Shoulders back,
Walking in a relaxed manner.
Step by step,
Notice the sensation of your feet touching the ground.
Let's walk in silence together for a few moments.
Now let's bring our awareness to our walking companion.
This is Mutt Meditation after all.
As you walk,
Notice the leash you're holding in your hand.
You have one end of it.
At the other end is your beloved friend.
This leash connects you together and keeps her safe.
Is the handle you're holding smooth or scratchy?
Is it made of hard plastic or soft rope or supple leather?
Does it feel weighty in your hand or is it light?
Now let all of that awareness go and simply notice the sensation of the leash in your hand.
As you walk,
Keep your attention on the sensation of the leash in your hand.
Let's continue on in silence together for a short time,
Keeping your attention on the leash in your hand.
As you walk,
Your attention will inevitably wander.
There's nothing wrong with a wandering mind.
In fact,
It's quite possible that it may happen over and over and over again.
The point of meditation isn't to stop all thoughts.
It simply trains us to bring our attention back to the present moment.
So if you notice your attention has wandered,
Take a breath.
And bring attention back to the feeling of the leash in your hand.
Notice the movement of your hand in time with your steps.
Notice the weight of the leash handle.
Just notice the sensation of the leash in your hand.
And if your attention wanders,
Simply bring it back to your hand.
Is your pup pulling at the leash,
Trying to sniff everything around her?
Or is she walking calmly by your side?
Does she bark at other dogs or smile at people as they pass?
Notice her natural behavior.
Then notice your reaction to her behavior.
Are you pleased with her?
Annoyed by her?
Are you enjoying this walk or trying to hurry it along and get it over with?
Notice your reaction to your dog.
Now let all of those feelings go.
Bring your attention back to the sensation of your feet walking on the ground.
Step by step,
Notice the feeling of each foot connecting with the ground.
Let's walk in silence for a short time,
Keeping your attention on the sensation of your feet touching the ground.
During most dog walks,
There are a lot of distractions.
Whether you're walking on a quiet path in a park or on the streets of a city,
You'll encounter a near constant stream of input.
You may encounter other people,
Cars,
Squirrels,
Dogs or cats,
Loud music,
Sun,
Rain or wind,
Or inevitably you'll have to pick up your dog's poop.
When any of these things happen,
See if you can avoid judging them as good or bad.
Simply notice them with your calm awareness.
If it helps,
You can label the things silently as squirrel or music or cat.
Then let it go and bring your awareness back to the sensation of your feet touching the ground.
Step by step,
One heel touches and rolls forward.
Then the other heel touches and rolls forward.
Keep your awareness on the sensation of your feet connecting with the ground.
Let's walk together in silence for a short time.
Notice your dog walking beside you on the path of life.
Take a moment to send her gratitude for sharing her life with you.
Silently thank her for all the benefits she brings to you,
For the experiences you have together,
And for providing this time for you to meditate.
The meditation instruction will end now,
And this audio will continue on for a total of 40 minutes.
You'll hear a bell every five minutes as a gentle reminder to bring your awareness back to the sensation of your feet connecting with the ground.
My wish is for Mutt Meditation to enhance your dog walks with peace,
Mindfulness,
And appreciation for the good buddy by your side.
May all beings be happy.
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