The last few weeks have been fairly quiet on the Sharing The Now Horse Mindfulness blog. Outside of the blog world though, they have been anything but. Our lives have been turned upside down here at Spirit Farm by the arrival of a special little being, Riley. While this blog explores the ways in which being mindful (i.e. being compassionately and bravely tuned into the present moment just the way it is) can be cultivated by time spent with our equine partners, we’d like to broaden our perspectives and look at ways to be present with other animal companions. Today, we’d like to look at the magical teachings of mindfulness borne of our companion animals, including a miniature Australian shepherd puppy named Riley.
Words can’t begin to describe how this pup has wholly transformed our lives! This beautiful ode to the love of a dog by Mary Oliver, in her Dog Songs, is one account of the adventure and joy that a dog can offer its humans.
The Storm (Bear)
Now through the white orchard my little dog
romps, breaking the new snow
with wild feet.
Running here running there, excited,
hardly able to stop, he leaps, he spins
until the white snow is written upon
in large, exuberant letters,
a long sentence, expressing
the pleasures of the body in this world.
Oh, I could not have said it better
myself.
Dog Songs, Mary Oliver
How does Riley teach Frank and me to be fully present? Her world is entirely absorbed with right now. Right now let’s cuddle, right now let’s explore what lies under that tree over there, right now let’s go smell that sidewalk, right now let’s eat some snow, right now let’s dance in circles because we can! That complete immersion in everything she does, noticing with all her senses, enthusiastically engaging with whatever and whomever she observes – that is a way to be mindful. Her giddy attention to everything is infectious and allows me to practice the mindful attitude of beginner’s mind in an unexpected way. By staying connected to her and being curious about her experiences, I start to see certain things through her eyes and therefore notice them for the first time. Being with her has also taught me that there may be another mindful attitude, Playfulness, which describes the lighthearted humorous approach Riley takes to everything arising in her day.
Often, mindfulness implies a dedicated intention or path for some readers; as you practice these skills and create a journey to heighten awareness of yourself and others, even when things are hard, it can feel overly serious or important. What you can remember though, when watching Riley or your animal companions, is that being attentive to what arises in the present moment can also be FUN. It can be playful, it can be exciting and it is all in how we immerse ourselves. Joy can be found in any moment. Perhaps for us joy isn’t seized with the exuberance of a puppy, but it is there nevertheless. Even though there may be situations or moments where one experiences thoughts, physical sensations or feelings that are painful, the way you respond to these moments is shaped by your openness and courage to stay present to whatever arises. Every moment has the potential to be fully lived, and staying wholly connected to experiences in those moments is a way to really live RIGHT NOW.
Few things are as immediate and perfect as the feel of a warm paw or head leaning against your lap, the soft gaze of an animal reacquainting themselves with you after you get home at the end of a long day, or the mirth of watching a pet’s everyday quirks and mannerisms.
People often speak of the healing impact that animals have on humans. Whether physiological, emotional, spiritual, or on other levels, animal lovers can share stories of how they’ve felt grounded, happier and healthier around their pets. One way of viewing this is, just as with horses, our other companion animals teach us about how therapeutic it can be to just be as we are, RIGHT NOW. A common saying is that there is no better time than the present. How many of us experience instances where we are totally connected to the present?
There is magic in being mindfully aware and these skills are just one way to build a life worth living, as Dr. Marsha Linehan would say. Magical paws and hooves can guide us along this mindfulness journey! If we are open minded, we can see things we’d never noticed before and deepen the bonds with our pets and nature by being fully present.