See if you can be present in your body.
Your body is always present,
But you may not always be within it.
By that I mean,
One way to get out of your head is to get into your body.
See if you can do that.
Appreciate it.
Feel its strength and its beauty and its wisdom.
And come to me today,
An attorney to the joy of dogs.
Not every dog is always joyful.
In fact,
Some suffer sometimes or a lot.
But some dogs,
They're lucky enough,
Have safe and peaceful lives where they can explore and be joyous.
If you have a dog or have had dogs or you know of a dog,
Think of a moment where you saw a dog being joyous.
Not in any human sense,
But in a way that made sense to the dog.
Likely the dog is running and playing and searching,
Abounding across the field.
Just take a moment now and see what your imaginary dog is doing.
Digging,
Barking at a squirrel up a tree,
Sniffing something out,
Digging.
Goodness knows digging is such a joy for some dogs.
Sometimes just being petted and stroked and cuddled is joyous for a dog.
So just take a moment and imagine one way in which the dog you're imagining is joyous or several ways.
And now see if you can become the dog.
Dive in.
Take on his or her eyes,
Fur,
Claws,
Ears,
Incredible ability to smell and hear.
And imagine yourself being in that act that is joyous and delightful for you,
The dog.
You are running across the field.
You are trying to get up the tree to chase the squirrel.
You are digging,
Sniffing.
You are greeting other dogs.
Just be the dog.
How does it feel?
What is excitement to talk?
What is thrill?
What is having fun?
Probably a mixture of discovery and learning and uncovering.
Taking the lineage of your species which needed to be always curious and always on alert to survive and to hunt.
Going past that in our era now to moments of enjoyment.
Maybe you're enjoying your meal or a bone or your owner coming home.
Just be the dog for another minute.
And we can imagine that your joy as a dog includes your smell and your sense of hearing,
Your sense of taste.
Maybe you smell your owner coming home.
Maybe you recognize the vehicle driving up the driveway,
The sound of it.
You'd be hearing the squirrel in exquisite detail at the top of the tree,
Mocking you.
Maybe you smell deep into the earth something you're trying to dig out.
Senses just overloaded with sensations.
Body vibrating in an ecstatic manner.
As you live your life fully and alive.
You'll now step back from the dog and see dogs around the world that are able to have moments of joy,
Having moments of joy,
Being loved and supported.
Just feel what joy is with these wonderful creatures we call dogs.
And when you're ready,
Give thanks and back into the room.
And have a wonderful day.
