Hi,
My name is Asa.
Welcome to this guided meditation with your dog.
For this meditation,
You'll need a safe,
Comfortable space to practice in and a sweet snuggly pup to practice with.
Begin seated or lying down with your dog by your side or resting on your lap.
Gently place one hand on your dog and slowly close your eyes,
Or leave your eyes open 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 lift up on your next inhale,
Lengthening through your spine,
And on the following exhale,
Release any tension in your face and allow your shoulders to relax down.
Feel your whole body soften and allow it to relax more and more with each breath.
Throughout this guided meditation,
Think of your dog like your anchor,
Grounding you to the present moment.
Whenever your mind becomes distracted by a thought,
Simply bring your focus back to your dog and to the feeling beneath your hand,
The warm,
Calming feeling of your sweet pup.
And now deepen your breath,
Making each breath a little fuller than the last.
Notice the expansion in your body as you breathe in and the gentle softening in your body as you breathe out.
Notice the coolness of your breath as it flows in and how your breath feels a bit warmer as it flows back out.
Take a moment here to explore the sensations of your body breathing,
Noticing any other qualities you can feel or observe.
And if any thoughts arise,
Simply notice your mind is thinking,
Allow the thought to pass,
And then bring your attention back to your body breathing.
And now shift your focus from your breath back to your dog,
Feeling the warmth beneath your hand and the texture of your dog's fur.
You might even be able to feel your dog gently breathing here.
Bring your full awareness to all of the sensations you can feel beneath your palm.
Notice how peaceful and relaxed your dog feels.
If you like,
You can imagine breathing these feelings of peace and relaxation into your own body.
And again,
Allow any thoughts that might come up to pass through your mind and then bring your attention back to your sweet dog snuggled up next to you.
And before we close out our meditation,
I invite you to take a moment of gratitude for your dog and that beautiful soul connection the two of you have.
Notice any feelings or sensations that might arise as you reflect on this connection,
Perhaps a feeling of warmth around your heart,
Or you might notice the corners of your mouth effortlessly lifting into a grateful smile.
Enjoy a few more deep breaths here,
Soaking up this special moment with your pup.
And now slowly begin to deepen your breath.
While keeping your eyes closed,
Bring your awareness to the space around you and notice any sounds nearby.
When you're ready,
Take a deep breath in,
And on your exhale,
Gently sit back,
Take a stretch,
And blink open your eyes.
Be sure to thank your dog with a gentle scratch on the head,
A kiss on the cheek,
A pat on the back,
Or a tasty treat.
Thank you for practicing this guided meditation with your dog.
I wish you both a wonderful rest of your day.
