Sometimes, we can find the best mindfulness teachers in our own homes, literally underfoot. Pets and children have an uncanny ability to live fully in the present moment, thus they can serve as “mini mindfulness masters” to guide our practice. Cats, dogs, and babies each contribute their own unique teachings.
When you see a cat basking in the sunshine, it’s easy to appreciate such mindfulness-related qualities as acceptance and sensual fulfilment. Revelling in the present moment, cats find contentment in the experience of napping in a warm, dry place. Rather than insistently dragging a well-loved toy nearby or striving for the perfect angle at which to sleep, the cat simply settles into the space. And when the sun passes, cats almost always continue napping in the shade, rather than chase the sun to another well-lit spot. Cats stretch to relish the warmth of the sunny day as it unfolds, without worrying about the chance of rain, or regretting bygone sunbeams.
Dogs are also wonderful teachers of mindfulness practice. They can demonstrate an enviable level of concentration and focus on the present moment. Don’t believe me? Have you ever tried to eat lunch in front of a hungry dog? Salivating unabashedly, dogs focus visually on every bite of food as it travels from plate to mouth. Paying such exquisite attention to the process of eating is an integral part of several mindfulness-based psychotherapies (for example, Kristeller and Hallett 1999). Dogs’ loyalty is a wonderful example of a relationship without criticism or condemnation. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you’ve had, what you look like, or how your breath smells; you can be confident that your dog loves you unconditionally. Dogs don’t pass judgement on you or set limits on when and how they express their affection for you.
With reactions unmitigated by expectations, babies, too, fully engage with the present moment. Given their nascent cognitive development, babies don’t yet have memories to guide their interactions with the environment. If a baby is hungry, wet, sick, or tired, crying ensues. If a baby is well fed, warm, healthy, and well rested, you’ll likely see big smiles and hear soft cooing. In this respect, babies’ expressions reflect their immediate experience, unmediated by thinking or judging. From a baby’s perspective, what happened in the past is over. A hungry baby is hungry even if he just ate. A tired baby is tired even if she slept through the night. And babies have little appreciation of the future. For example, as every parent knows, a plaintive “Wait a minute!” does little to soothe a crying baby who’s sitting in a cold, wet diaper.
Given these mini mindfulness masters’ apparent sagacity, here are a few tips on how to apply their teachings. They have much to teach us, even if they can’t talk.
Be with your pet or child. Spend some time following your mini mindfulness master’s lead. This might simply mean lying next to your cat, nuzzling your dog, or gazing at your infant. See if you can get in touch with some of the sensual aspects of the present moment your pet or baby might be experiencing (for example, temperature, sound, lightness or darkness, and so on).
Watch how your mini mindfulness master interacts with the present moment. Does your pet or baby seem to be experiencing something pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral? What behaviors or expressions do you notice that lead you to this conclusion? What is your own experience of this moment? Are you having a similar reaction or a completely different one? To what degree does what’s going through your mind influence your experience, as opposed to what’s actually happening in the world around you?
Ask yourself, “What would Bruno [or whatever your mini mindfulness master is called] do?” How would your pet or infant respond to this situation? You might anticipate reactions like purring, barking, crying, or tail wagging. Alternatively, you might expect a cocked ear or nonplussed acknowledgement. The idea isn’t to embody or mimic this reaction (can you imagine growling in a crowded restaurant?) but simply to consider a different response from your usual automatic programming. If the image of your pet or baby’s reaction merely brings a smile to your face, all the better.
Notice how your mini mindfulness master’s actions push your buttons. While pets and babies might be free from judging and striving, we’re not. So the cat that “decides” to vomit while you’re running late will likely spark feelings of anger and contempt rather than compassion. Try to bring awareness to how and when your emotions get triggered when your pet or infant behaves in ways you dislike. Some Zen parables recount how disciples became enlightened after being hit on the head or slapped in the face by the top priest. So maybe you’re just one spit-up encounter away from achieving nirvana yourself!
When you see a cat basking in the sunshine, it’s easy to appreciate such mindfulness-related qualities as acceptance and sensual fulfilment. Revelling in the present moment, cats find contentment in the experience of napping in a warm, dry place. Rather than insistently dragging a well-loved toy nearby or striving for the perfect angle at which to sleep, the cat simply settles into the space. And when the sun passes, cats almost always continue napping in the shade, rather than chase the sun to another well-lit spot. Cats stretch to relish the warmth of the sunny day as it unfolds, without worrying about the chance of rain, or regretting bygone sunbeams.
Dogs are also wonderful teachers of mindfulness practice. They can demonstrate an enviable level of concentration and focus on the present moment. Don’t believe me? Have you ever tried to eat lunch in front of a hungry dog? Salivating unabashedly, dogs focus visually on every bite of food as it travels from plate to mouth. Paying such exquisite attention to the process of eating is an integral part of several mindfulness-based psychotherapies (for example, Kristeller and Hallett 1999). Dogs’ loyalty is a wonderful example of a relationship without criticism or condemnation. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you’ve had, what you look like, or how your breath smells; you can be confident that your dog loves you unconditionally. Dogs don’t pass judgement on you or set limits on when and how they express their affection for you.
With reactions unmitigated by expectations, babies, too, fully engage with the present moment. Given their nascent cognitive development, babies don’t yet have memories to guide their interactions with the environment. If a baby is hungry, wet, sick, or tired, crying ensues. If a baby is well fed, warm, healthy, and well rested, you’ll likely see big smiles and hear soft cooing. In this respect, babies’ expressions reflect their immediate experience, unmediated by thinking or judging. From a baby’s perspective, what happened in the past is over. A hungry baby is hungry even if he just ate. A tired baby is tired even if she slept through the night. And babies have little appreciation of the future. For example, as every parent knows, a plaintive “Wait a minute!” does little to soothe a crying baby who’s sitting in a cold, wet diaper.
Given these mini mindfulness masters’ apparent sagacity, here are a few tips on how to apply their teachings. They have much to teach us, even if they can’t talk.
Be with your pet or child. Spend some time following your mini mindfulness master’s lead. This might simply mean lying next to your cat, nuzzling your dog, or gazing at your infant. See if you can get in touch with some of the sensual aspects of the present moment your pet or baby might be experiencing (for example, temperature, sound, lightness or darkness, and so on).
Watch how your mini mindfulness master interacts with the present moment. Does your pet or baby seem to be experiencing something pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral? What behaviors or expressions do you notice that lead you to this conclusion? What is your own experience of this moment? Are you having a similar reaction or a completely different one? To what degree does what’s going through your mind influence your experience, as opposed to what’s actually happening in the world around you?
Ask yourself, “What would Bruno [or whatever your mini mindfulness master is called] do?” How would your pet or infant respond to this situation? You might anticipate reactions like purring, barking, crying, or tail wagging. Alternatively, you might expect a cocked ear or nonplussed acknowledgement. The idea isn’t to embody or mimic this reaction (can you imagine growling in a crowded restaurant?) but simply to consider a different response from your usual automatic programming. If the image of your pet or baby’s reaction merely brings a smile to your face, all the better.
Notice how your mini mindfulness master’s actions push your buttons. While pets and babies might be free from judging and striving, we’re not. So the cat that “decides” to vomit while you’re running late will likely spark feelings of anger and contempt rather than compassion. Try to bring awareness to how and when your emotions get triggered when your pet or infant behaves in ways you dislike. Some Zen parables recount how disciples became enlightened after being hit on the head or slapped in the face by the top priest. So maybe you’re just one spit-up encounter away from achieving nirvana yourself!
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