Welcome to this guided meditation with your cat.
For this meditation,
You'll need a safe,
Comfortable space to practice in,
And a sweet,
Cuddly cat to practice with.
Begin seated or lying down with your cat on your lap or next to you.
Gently place one hand on your cat's back or side,
Or wherever they will allow you to touch,
And close your eyes.
If it feels more comfortable for you,
You can leave your eyes open,
Eyelids heavy,
With a soft gaze on the floor a few feet in front of you.
If you're seated,
Allow the crown of your head to gently reach upwards,
Lengthening through the spine.
Throughout this practice,
Your cat is your anchor.
If her mind becomes distracted at any time,
Simply bring your awareness back to the feeling beneath your palm.
The warm,
Soft,
Relaxing feeling of your cat's sweet little body.
Begin by deepening your breath,
Making each breath a little fuller than the last.
Notice the expansion in your ribcage as you breathe in,
And the gentle contraction in your belly and chest as you breathe out.
Bring your full awareness to each breath,
Noticing the gentle rise and fall of each breath.
Notice the cyclical path of the breath.
The inhale,
The pause at the top of the inhale,
The exhale,
And the pause following the exhale.
Follow the breath each step of the way,
Briefly lingering in that space in between the inhales and exhales.
Allow any thoughts to pass through your mind without attaching to them.
Let them drift through your mind like white fluffy clouds floating through the blue sky.
The next time you exhale,
Allow all of the muscles in your face to relax.
Allow the teeth to part,
Keeping the lips closed,
And relax the base of the tongue.
Relax the eyes and eyelids,
The forehead,
And even the scalp and the ears.
On your next exhale,
Relax your shoulders.
Allowing them to move away from your ears and down towards the ground.
Let the muscles in your back soften,
And relax the muscles in your chest and belly.
Feel your whole body relaxing more and more with each breath.
Now,
Bring your focus back to your cat.
Feel the warmth beneath your hand and the softness of their fur.
If your hand is on their side,
You might be able to feel their body breathing.
Bring your full awareness to all the sensations you feel beneath your hand.
How gentle their breath is.
How relaxed their body feels.
So warm and soft.
As you breathe,
Imagine breathing this relaxation into your body.
Each breath increasing your connection with your cat.
Allow any thoughts that might come up to pass through your mind and immediately bring your attention back to the connection between your hand and your cat.
I invite you to take a moment of gratitude here for this special connection the two of you have.
A connection unlike any connection you have with any person in your life.
That beautiful soul connection that exists between you and your cat.
Notice any feelings or sensations that might arise in your heart or in your body as you reflect on the love the two of you share with each other.
Enjoy a few more deep breaths soaking up this moment with your cat.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to deepen your breath.
Begin to expand your awareness outwards.
Noticing the connection between yourself and the chair or the floor.
Notice any sounds or smells around you.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Don't forget to thank your cat for spending this time with you.
You can give them a gentle scratch on the head,
A kiss on the cheek,
Or a treat.
Thank you for practicing this meditation with your cat.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
