There are times when Buddha is my teacher. Not the 6thcentury ‘enlightened one’ Siddhartha Gautama Buddha who sat under a Bodhi tree; but my furry-teacher, Buddha, the 2 year old Tibetan terrier.
Dogs are good, mindful meditators. They live in the moment. They naturally slow down and get quiet. They sit around for hours doing nothing and it’s perfectly okay. Nobody is telling them to get a job or go make themselves useful. And they don't feel guilt for doing nothing. We’ve given dogs permission to just be dogs. They feel pressure when we put false expectations on them to perform or interact in social situations that are too much. Yet, they are sentient beings that have limitations.
My Buddha has been figuring out his place in the world. He’s a homedoggy. He likes simple things in life: a good bone, a long walk (as long as it’s not too hot), a mud puddle, and a nap just because it’s Wednesday. I envy Buddha.
Although, at times, we’ve had our struggles to figure out what he’s all about. Buddha feels insecure around strangers and strange dogs. I’ve watched him lunge, bark, and growl at others. He needs time to figure out if they can come into his space. It’s made socializing in our home difficult; we don’t have many people over. We don’t want to stress Buddha, and we don’t want to make our guests afraid of a barking, growly dog. He’s the sweetest dog to us. And he’s become easier and less demanding to be around over time. Like people, like me, Buddha is a work in progress too. His issues are not going to quickly go away with commands, e-collars, treats or tricks. He will find his way with time and patience. I only wish I didn’t have to apologize so much.
I get Buddha. It’s nice when people ‘get’ you. You can be relaxed and yourself. There is no expectation to have your act together. There is nothing but love offered in his presence (even if he wants to lick his bits and go sit on the other side of the room).
I get Buddha. It’s nice when people ‘get’ you. You can be relaxed and yourself. There is no expectation to have your act together. There is nothing but love offered in his presence (even if he wants to lick his bits and go sit on the other side of the room).
Buddha likes to meditate. He takes full ownership of my lap and settles in. He’ll look up at me and expose his neck. Without words, he'll beg for the never-ending scratch (sometimes I’ll hold his head in one hand while scratching his neck with the other). Then we’ll just settle in and breathe together. After the scratches are done, meditation begins. I’ll use all my senses to feel and smell his fur, and listen to him breathe. Petting and breathing go together. Our Doggy Meditation can last 5 minutes or 50. I’ll eventually close my eyes and just BE with Buddha. There is nothing to accomplish and nowhere to go.
It’s a gift to have a furry-teacher slow you down. Inhale. Exhale. I notice my thoughts: “This is so nice. I love this dog. I wonder how long he’ll sit like this? What is the world record for meditating with a dog? I’m hungry? Can he hear my belly rumble? I have to pee soon.”
Eckhart Tolle calls our pets our ‘Guardians of Beings.’ “Animals are not thinking. They are present. They are more connected with Being then we are. People get lost in their trapped stressful minds. The only time they get out of that is when they are relating to their animals. Animals also banish loneliness and provide non-judgmental companionship.”
Eckhart Tolle calls our pets our ‘Guardians of Beings.’ “Animals are not thinking. They are present. They are more connected with Being then we are. People get lost in their trapped stressful minds. The only time they get out of that is when they are relating to their animals. Animals also banish loneliness and provide non-judgmental companionship.”
