About What We Can Learn From Animals

Welcome,

And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.

Today,

I want to talk a little bit about what we can learn from animals.

This meditation is based on a live session that I did recently,

And I dedicated it to Smudge,

Who was the cat of our dear friend Tina,

Who recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Animals are natural teachers of presence,

And their wisdom often speaks in silence and in stillness and in instinct.

We can learn from the cat's stillness.

Cats embody effortless awareness.

Just watch a cat sunbathe or perch quietly watching birds outside the window.

They don't chase thoughts or worry about tomorrow.

Their stillness is alert,

Not passive.

Think about the dog's joyful return.

Dogs greet each moment and each person as if it's the first time.

Their tail-wagging presence reminds us to meet life with openness,

To let go of struggles and to return to joy.

They often think about the birds at dawn.

They don't sing because they have answers.

They sing simply because it's morning,

And their song is a declaration of being.

Think about the turtle.

Slow,

Deliberate,

Unhurried.

The turtle teaches us that presence isn't a race.

Or the deer.

Deer are attuned to subtle shifts,

A rustle,

A scent,

A change in the wind.

Their presence is embodied vigilance.

In observing animals throughout my life,

I see forgiveness.

When they do something wrong,

They may pout for a moment,

Then it's all back to normal.

And when it comes to forgiveness,

Animals are the best.

We can learn from them to stop harboring resentment and negativity and just let little things go.

From animals,

I also learn focus.

Animals pay attention.

In a time when we're glued to our televisions and phones,

We need to stop and look at the animals.

They are looking at you and all that's around them.

Animals focus on being in the present moment with the people they love.

They're related to be with each other,

And they're related to be with us.

Then there's the idea of love,

And I mean unconditional love.

Animals,

Just generally speaking,

Teach us about love,

About sacrifice,

About protection,

And about taking care of one another.

Animals don't abandon each other,

And they certainly don't hurt each other.

An animal will sacrifice everything to protect each other,

Especially their young.

They are selfless creatures,

Another thing we desperately need to learn to be.

Then there's persistence.

Animals never give up.

They work at something until they get what they need.

They keep trying until they get it right.

And it serves as a great reminder for us to hustle,

To work for what we want,

And when you fall down to get back up.

Animals pay attention,

Especially dogs.

They give us their undivided attention,

And when you come in,

They rush to see you.

They're devoted and loyal.

And animals also let us know that it's going to be okay.

Animals in general,

But especially our pets that live with us,

They help us with stress.

They remind us that everything is going to be okay,

Even when it doesn't feel like it.

Perhaps the one thing that animals teach us is presence.

Animals are always present.

They're always in the present moment,

And that's the only way they know how to be.

I've related this story before,

But I'm going to say it again.

One night,

My dog Chip got me up in the middle of the night to go outside,

And it was gently raining.

So I let him out for a little while,

And then I went to the door and looked out.

And he was just casually moving around the yard,

Sniffing here and looking there,

Looking underneath this leaf and looking underneath this stone.

And I wanted him to come in because it was raining.

But in that moment,

In looking at him,

I could tell that he didn't care.

He was busy doing what he was doing.

He was busy focusing on what he wanted to do.

And in that moment,

I realized that he was in the present moment.

So I walked out into the yard and stood out there with him.

He wasn't concerned with the rain.

It was just part of what was.

And I stood out there and looked around and noticed things and looked at the things he was looking at.

He was in the present moment,

And I want to be like him.

Close your eyes now.

Let's get in touch with our breath.

It doesn't matter if you're sitting,

Standing,

Or lying down.

The only thing that truly matters when you meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.

So as we start to settle in,

Let's scan our body.

Relax your face.

Unfurl your brow and unclench your jaw.

Relax your neck.

I roll mine around.

You can do whatever makes you happy,

Because it always is your meditation.

I'm just a guide.

Relax your shoulders.

I raise mine up and let them drop.

Relax your arms and your hands.

Look for any tension in your chest and belly.

Relax your legs and your feet.

And as you begin to relax,

Let's focus even more on our breath.

Our breath is our anchor.

It's there for us in all moments.

Our breath is like a river,

Because it flows in and flows out.

And if you have thoughts,

They're just part of us.

Just let them go.

They're like clouds in the sky,

Or waves on a lake,

Or leaves floating downstream.

And the same is true for sounds.

If you hear sounds in the room,

Just let them go as well.

We're just breathing.

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

And that is the present moment.

Just one breath,

And then the next,

And then the next.

So in this moment,

Let your breath arrive.

Let the world soften around you.

For just a moment,

I'd like you to take a few breaths,

And inhale through your nose,

And exhale through your mouth.

We'll just do it three times.

So if you're ready,

Breathe in.

Exhale.

Breathe in.

Exhale.

Last time,

Breathe in.

Exhale.

Now just breathe normally.

Feel the weight of your body as it's supported by the earth.

Feel the air brushing your skin.

Feel the quiet invitation to listen,

Not just with ears,

But with presence.

Notice your breath,

Like the steady rhythm of a sleeping cat,

Effortless,

Natural.

Let it flow in and out without needing to change it.

And in this moment,

Scanning your body from head to toe,

Notice where you feel spacious.

Also notice where you feel tight.

We're just breathing,

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Now if you will,

I'd like you to imagine walking into a quiet forest in your mind.

And here in this space,

The animals come to teach us.

A deer steps lightly.

It listens before it moves.

And you feel into that kind of presence that alerts stillness.

Let yourself be like the deer,

Aware,

Gentle,

And grounded.

The swan glides across the water.

It doesn't rush.

It trusts the current.

And you soften into grace today.

Let go of the need to push.

Just float for a moment.

The elephant remembers.

It grieves.

It celebrates.

It walks with dignity.

And you honor your own memory,

Your own wisdom.

Feel the strength in your bones.

And just breathe.

Just breathe.

The dog loves without condition.

It forgives quickly.

And it returns with joy.

And you open your heart even just a little to yourself,

Someone you've held at a distance.

The butterfly transforms.

It doesn't rush its becoming.

And you trust your own unfolding,

Even when you feel cocooned.

Sit and breathe for a moment and think about these things.

Each animal carries a lesson,

A way of being,

A whisper of truth.

As we begin to return,

Bring your awareness back to your breath,

Back to your body,

Back to this moment.

Feel the animal wisdom within you,

The grace of the swan,

The strength of the elephant,

The love of the dog.

The transformation of the butterfly.

Carry this quiet knowing with you and let the animals walk beside you today.

Now as we come to a close,

Open your eyes and come back to the room.

Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive,

To be in this moment,

To be here with your breath.

I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session for each and every one of you,

And I'm so thankful for each of you.

Time is precious.

Time is the one thing we spend without knowing what our balance is.

And so I'm honored that you've invested some of that precious time here with me.

If you follow my meditations,

You know that I like quotes,

So I have a couple to share with you today.

Fact novelist Milan Kundera said,

Dogs are our link to paradise.

They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.

Very true.

And then primatologist Jane Goodall,

Who just died recently,

Said,

You cannot share your life with a dog or a cat and not know perfectly well that animals have personalities and minds and feelings.

I know that that's true.

So we can learn so much from the animals that are all around us,

And especially our pets.

Animals are present by nature.

They don't know any other way to be but in the present moment,

And I want to be like them.

Till next time.