Find a comfortable spot where you and your cat,
Dog,
Or other furry friend can sit together.
You may want to do this meditation when they are calm and at ease.
If they do decide to leave the room,
You can always pause this track and resume when you are both ready,
Or you can listen to the guidance in this track and practice at your own pace at a later time.
Choose a posture that helps you feel relaxed and alert.
Let your arms rest where they naturally fall.
Once you're ready,
Relax your eyes and maintain a soft gaze,
Looking a few meters ahead of you,
Without focusing on anything in particular.
Take a few deep,
Soothing breaths,
Allowing yourself to fully arrive in the present moment.
Deepen your inhales and extend your exhales.
Feel yourself coming home with each breath.
With every inhale,
Allow your heart to open and expand.
With every exhale,
Allow any tension in your body to slowly melt away.
Now slowly open your eyes and bring your full attention to your furry friend.
We'll start by sharpening our sense of sight and observing them with a childlike curiosity.
First notice the colors of their fur.
Are there different colors,
Shades,
Or patterns?
What other colors do you observe?
Notice their eyes,
Their nose,
Their paws.
What other distinct features or markings can you see that make them unique?
You might also notice their movements.
If they are at rest,
You may see the gentle rise and fall of their chest or belly.
Their tails or their paws might even be twitching if they're dreaming.
If they're active and awake,
You can also observe how they move as they go about their day.
Take the time to observe what's present here with a gentle and kind attention.
We'll gently shift our focus now to sounds.
Listen to your furry companion and notice what's there.
Can you hear their breathing?
Perhaps a soft snore or a gentle purr.
If they're more active,
Maybe you can hear sounds as they move,
Like the gentle tapping of their paws on the floor or brushing against different objects in the room.
Listen as if this were the very first time you're hearing these sounds.
Note what you can hear without judging or reacting to these sounds.
We'll slowly shift your attention now to smells.
What do you notice about your furry friend's scent?
Is it pleasant or unpleasant?
Is it subtle or strong?
Are there any distinct smells that you notice?
Perhaps a different smell when they're sleeping,
Or maybe a different smell after playing outside.
Observe how we naturally crave pleasant scents and resist unpleasant smells.
See if you can let go of any judgment here and simply be with your furry companion.
Lastly,
We'll turn to our sense of touch.
If your furry friend is comfortable with it,
Gently place your hand on their fur.
Notice the texture here.
Is it soft,
Coarse,
Or somewhere in between?
Feel the warmth of their body beneath their fur.
Pay attention to the different parts of their body.
How does their coat feel like on their back compared to their belly?
If they allow it,
Feel their paws.
Are their pads soft or rough?
Take your time to explore these textures with a sense of love and affinity.
As we close this short meditation,
Take a moment to appreciate this sensorial immersion with your furry friend and maybe sense a deepening of your bond.
Whenever you're down or overwhelmed,
You can always go back to this meditation as a resourcing activity.
May you stay centered and connected for the rest of your day.
