I’m continuing my doggy theme at the moment with this posting (see @maninayton/do-dogs-help-people-suffering-with-depression for the other) so please indulge me.
Let me ask a question of those of you who have dogs. Have you ever stopped to consider how naturally Mindful your furry friend is? Do they lie awake at night fretting over where the next meal or walk is coming from? Do they go over and over the details of the events of the day? Of course not. Dogs live for the moment. They immerse themselves in what is happening now. They are not bothered about how they look or what other dogs think of them. They don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future. They are in the here and now. They just are.
Watch your fur baby (I love that term) next time they are playing. Healthy, well adjusted dogs will abandon themselves totally to their play. Everything else is forgotten in the pursuit of enjoyment. It can even reach the point that their human has to step in to stop them exhausting themselves.
When out for a walk your dog is keenly aware of their surroundings. Unlike their human who is most likely preoccupied with what is happening inside their mind (or focused on their smart phone), the dog is soaking up through smell, sound and sight all that is happening around them. They have curiosity about what is around the next corner. They feel themselves to be part of the living, breathing world that surrounds them.
I have three dogs (pictured at the top of this post). An 12 year old Patterdale called (Grumpy) Mutley (Mutty for short). A three year old Jack Russell called (Hyper) Pippy and a 2 year old Jackapoo (Jack Russell crossed with a Poodle) who goes by the name (Chilled) Tiggy (who even has a facebook page by the way which is occasionally updated! - https://www.facebook.com/TiggyBarstow).
I often watch them going about their daily lives and feel they have a lot to teach me. They are not after fame or fortune because they are happy to enjoy even the little things in life. After they have had a spat between themselves over a toy or bone and sorted out what belongs to who they hold no grudges. They totally chill out and relax when tired - just see Tiggy below.
They are wonderful teachers of Mindfulness.
