Welcome,
To this grounding practice dedicated especially to you as a pet parent.
My name is Biggie Junge,
I'm a dog trainer and behaviour consultant,
As well as a coach for dog guardians.
Join me in this meditation and in just a few minutes you'll feel more centred and ready to meet your pet.
Be it a cat,
A dog,
A rabbit,
A bird,
A horse,
Or whichever animal lives in your heart,
With calm presence.
Before you begin interacting with your pets,
Be it at play,
Scratching them behind the ears,
Massaging their back,
Or going for a walk,
Take a moment just for yourself.
You don't need to sit in any special way,
Just pause wherever you are.
Maybe your pet is nearby.
Maybe they're resting,
Watching you,
Or moving around the house.
Let this simply be a small moment of arrival.
Now bring your attention to your breath,
Without forcing anything.
Notice the inhale,
And notice the exhale.
Allow the breath to move naturally for a few moments,
In,
In,
And if it feels comfortable,
Begin to extend the exhale just a little.
Inhale,
Breathe in,
And breathe out a little more slowly than before,
And again,
Inhale,
And a longer,
Softer exhale.
And with each breath out,
Imagine your shoulders softening,
Your jaw unclenching,
Your body settling a little more into the space around you.
Animals are incredibly sensitive to the emotional state of their humans,
Not because they need us to be perfect,
But because they can feel when we are steady,
Or when we are not.
So,
In this moment,
You are not trying to change your pet,
You are simply creating a calm place inside yourself.
Take another slow breath in,
And exhale gently.
Now bring your awareness to your body,
Feel your feet on the floor,
Or your body being supported by the chair beneath you.
Let gravity hold you.
There is nothing you need to do or fix right now,
Just breathe,
Just be,
Here,
Now.
And when you are ready,
Notice your pet again.
Maybe you can hear them breathing,
Like I can hear my dog Lucia snoring in the background.
Maybe you can hear that too.
Maybe you hear a small movement,
A paw shifting,
A collary jingling,
Or the quiet rhythm of their presence nearby.
You don't need to call them or do anything differently.
Just notice that you are sharing this space together,
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
With every calm exhale,
Imagine that sense of calm spreading through your body,
From your chest,
Through your arms,
Down to your hands,
The same hands that will soon hold a leash,
Offer food,
Give a scratch behind the ears,
Or open a door.
Your calm travels with you,
Your animal can feel that.
Take one more slow breath in,
And let it go with a long,
Easy exhale.
And then,
Set a simple intention for the next few minutes with your pet,
Something like I will meet you with patience,
Or I will bring calm with me,
Or simply,
We're okay.
Take one final breath,
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes if you had them closed.
You've just given both yourself and your pet something valuable,
A moment of calm to begin from.
Now,
Gently return to your day together.
And if you enjoyed this meditation,
There are many more like this in my teacher profile here on Insight Timer.
They are all designed specifically for you as a pet parent,
So you and your pet can live the best life possible,
Together.
Take good care of yourself,
And of your pet.
Bye for now.
