In this gentle body blessing,
You will be guided to offer loving attention and gratitude to your senior dog's body.
Your dog does not need to be present in the room for this meditation.
You can do it with them beside you,
Or simply by bringing them to mind in your imagination.
Now,
When you're ready,
Find a comfortable position.
Either sitting or lying down.
If your dog is next to you,
You might rest a hand on their body,
But that is absolutely not necessary.
Take a slow,
Comfortable breath in,
And a long,
Gentle exhale.
Again,
Take a slow,
Comfortable breath in,
And as you exhale,
Feel your shoulders soften.
One more easy breath in,
And out.
Letting your face,
Your jaw,
Your neck relax.
If it feels comfortable,
Let your eyes close down,
Or soften your gaze.
Think about your dog,
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 small smile,
Just for them.
You do not have to change anything right now.
You are simply here together,
Either physically or in your mind.
Now,
We will gently move our attention through your dog's body,
Part by part.
Like a slow,
Loving thank you.
You can do this silently in your mind,
Or whisper the words,
If you like.
Begin with your dog's head.
Imagine you are softly placing your attention there.
Their eyes,
Their ears,
Their nose,
Their muzzle.
You might think or say,
Thank you,
Eyes,
For all the things you have seen with me.
Thank you,
Ears,
For all the sounds and all the times you listened to my voice.
Thank you,
Nose,
For all the scents you have followed,
All the joy of sniffing.
Notice how it feels to offer this quiet gratitude.
There is nothing to fix,
Nothing to judge,
Just appreciation.
Now,
Let your attention move to your dog's neck and shoulders.
You could say,
Thank you,
Neck and shoulders,
For holding up your head,
For turning towards me so many times.
If there is stiffness there or an old injury,
Just acknowledge it with kindness.
You might add,
May this area be as comfortable as possible.
May you feel supported.
Let your awareness travel to your dog's front legs and paws.
These legs have walked beside you so many times.
Softly offer your words,
Thank you,
Legs and paws,
For all the walks,
All the runs,
All the adventures.
Even if you are slower now,
I am grateful for every step we still take together.
Take a soft breath in,
And breathe out with a sense of warmth and appreciation.
Now move your attention to your dog's chest and heart.
Think of the steady beat inside,
This heart that has been beating since before you met.
You might say,
Thank you,
Heart,
For all the days you have kept my friend here with me.
May you continue to beat in peace and comfort.
Let your attention soften towards your dog's ribs,
Belly and inside organs.
The parts you cannot see,
But that work for your dog every day.
Offer a quiet blessing,
Thank you,
Body,
For digesting food,
For keeping energy flowing.
Thank you for everything you do in silence every single day.
If there have been health worries in this area,
Then offer this,
I see you,
I care,
May there be ease here as much as possible.
Now bring your awareness to your dog's back and spine.
This may be an area that has carried a lot over the years.
Imagine you are wrapping the whole back in a soft,
Warm light.
You might say,
Thank you,
Back,
For carrying you through life,
For jumping,
Climbing,
Stretching,
Playing.
May you feel supported,
May you feel gently held.
Let your attention move to your dog's hips and hind legs.
These are often busy and hard-working joints.
Offer them some extra kindness.
Thank you,
Hips and hind legs,
For all the stairs you climbed,
All the times you jumped into the car,
All the times you followed me around the house.
Even if your movement is different now,
I am grateful for the way you still carry yourself throughout the day.
Now move your focus all the way down to your dog's hind paws.
You can say,
Thank you,
Paws,
For every step you have taken towards me.
May each step you take now be as easy and comfortable as possible.
Take a slow breath in,
And sigh it out.
Now,
In your mind's eye,
Imagine your dog's whole body at once,
From the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail.
And see if you can hold them in a field of gentle,
Loving attention.
You might picture them surrounded by a soft,
Golden light,
Or by whatever color feels healing and comforting to you right now.
And silently offer this blessing.
Dear body of my dear friend,
Thank you for all the years of companionship you have made possible.
Thank you for every walk,
Every cuddle,
Every nap,
Every game.
May you be as comfortable as you can be.
May you feel supported,
Loved and safe.
May each day we have together be touched with ease and joy.
Notice how that feels for you and for your dog.
Take a moment to simply rest in this shared space.
Now,
If it feels comfortable,
Place a hand on your own chest for a moment.
Remember that you too have a body that is doing its best for you.
Offer yourself a small blessing as well.
Thank you,
Body,
For everything you do as I care for my dog.
May I also feel supported,
Loved and safe.
May I be kind to myself as I walk this path with them.
Take a deep,
Comfortable breath in,
And let it go slowly.
If it is night time,
And you are ready to rest,
You can simply let my voice begin to fade into the background now,
And you can drift off into sleep,
Holding this feeling of gratitude and loving attention in your heart.
But,
If it is daytime,
And you want to return to the rest of your day,
Then begin to notice your own body again.
Feel the contact you have with the chair or the bed.
Notice the weight of your feet,
Your hands,
Your back.
Gently start moving your fingers and your toes.
Maybe roll your shoulders.
If your eyes are closed,
Then you can open them whenever you feel ready,
Bringing this calm,
Grateful feeling with you into the rest of your day.
And remember,
If you enjoyed this meditation,
You can come back here anytime you like,
And offer this gentle body blessing to your dog at any time.
Thank you for listening.
