I'm so glad your dog is also learning to quiet his mind! Actually, I suspect they just pick up on what's happening in your mind. Even if my cat is going nuts because she doesn't consider she's had an adequate breakfast (she is, I would stress, always served an adequate breakfast before I sit down to meditate, but you know cats - sometimes she decides she's bored with that flavour and wants something else), her wailing circles get slower and quieter and eventually she sits down quietly for as long as I do. I experience it as the spiral of energy/concentration inside me exerting a force which she tunes into. Possibly this is a major self-delusion. I don't think psyching our your pet features in the ancient scriptures. This morning as long as me was not very long, but at least I made effort.
I don't know about exerting a force on the dog, but I have thought bemusedly that his settling energies parallel mine. He will lie down nearby and spend perhaps 5 minutes licking and preening, then heave a sigh and lie quietly the rest of the time. In my mind, I have watched the parallels with my settling monkey mind. He actually does better than the monkey!
On loan from a friend: Tibetan Tales for Little Buddhas, by Naomi C. Rose with a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from Clear Light publishing. It's a lovely little book if anyone knows a child. Of course, I enjoyed it too, but it's targeted for gradeschool age probably.
About 16 minutes, total creeping up, and I enjoyed the session. Of course I am at home at the moment, so am not constrained by having to leave for work. I have just landed a small job for this coming Thurs/Fri/Mon , so my sitting time may shorten in the mornings once I start working again.
I don't know whether it is a side-effect of the meditation prompting me, but I have been avoiding tackling one particular issue, which I have realised today I can't put off any longer. I am therefore committed to taking the first steps tomorrow morning (gulp) after the meditation session.
Ah, the animals. Jean, your cat and mine must be related, the behaviour is so similar. We don't live that far apart after all. ;-)
I notice, even outside of meditating, that my two cats really resonate with my state of mind. The more agitated I feel, the more agitated they act. An oddity, but there it is. Perhaps they react to certain physical and postural cues. Who knows.
Dale, I am an ignorant heathen. What is Umze'd?
Mary, congratulations on the job. I wish you luck and courage in tackling your issue.
Mary, good for you. It sounds like you're feeling a bit better, and that's great.
Moira, it's so difficult to feel lke an invalid, even when you aren't one. And it sounds lke you might be blaming yourself for the miscarriage - I certainly hope not. Personally, I don't think that's how it works at all. I am not a mother and was only pregnant once, so I don't know much, but I can certainly send calm thoughts your way. Just rest and do what the doctors say; nearly everyone feels better after the first trimester is over.
I'm feeling better too - much less depressed, just kind of grumpy now. And maybe I can brace up and get over that too. {{Dale}}
Beth, glad you're feeling a little better. I don't entirely understand what you've been through recently, but I do understand that it has been incredibly difficult. Best wishes to you.
10 Comments:
22 minutes. The dog sat silently off to one side. He's a good kid.
I'm so glad your dog is also learning to quiet his mind! Actually, I suspect they just pick up on what's happening in your mind. Even if my cat is going nuts because she doesn't consider she's had an adequate breakfast (she is, I would stress, always served an adequate breakfast before I sit down to meditate, but you know cats - sometimes she decides she's bored with that flavour and wants something else), her wailing circles get slower and quieter and eventually she sits down quietly for as long as I do. I experience it as the spiral of energy/concentration inside me exerting a force which she tunes into. Possibly this is a major self-delusion. I don't think psyching our your pet features in the ancient scriptures. This morning as long as me was not very long, but at least I made effort.
:-)
Umze'd at the sangha last night. Grumpy with the sangha and generally wrought up. But sitting, anyway.
{{Dale}}
I don't know about exerting a force on the dog, but I have thought bemusedly that his settling energies parallel mine. He will lie down nearby and spend perhaps 5 minutes licking and preening, then heave a sigh and lie quietly the rest of the time. In my mind, I have watched the parallels with my settling monkey mind. He actually does better than the monkey!
On loan from a friend: Tibetan Tales for Little Buddhas, by Naomi C. Rose with a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from Clear Light publishing. It's a lovely little book if anyone knows a child. Of course, I enjoyed it too, but it's targeted for gradeschool age probably.
Meditated this morning.
About 16 minutes, total creeping up, and I enjoyed the session. Of course I am at home at the moment, so am not constrained by having to leave for work. I have just landed a small job for this coming Thurs/Fri/Mon , so my sitting time may shorten in the mornings once I start working again.
I don't know whether it is a side-effect of the meditation prompting me, but I have been avoiding tackling one particular issue, which I have realised today I can't put off any longer. I am therefore committed to taking the first steps tomorrow morning (gulp) after the meditation session.
Ah, the animals. Jean, your cat and mine must be related, the behaviour is so similar. We don't live that far apart after all. ;-)
I notice, even outside of meditating, that my two cats really resonate with my state of mind. The more agitated I feel, the more agitated they act. An oddity, but there it is. Perhaps they react to certain physical and postural cues. Who knows.
Dale, I am an ignorant heathen. What is Umze'd?
Mary, congratulations on the job. I wish you luck and courage in tackling your issue.
Sorry, Moira!. The "umze" is the person who leads the prayers and rings the bells to begin & end a meditation session.
Yes, good luck, Mary! Holding you in my practice.
Mary, good for you. It sounds like you're feeling a bit better, and that's great.
Moira, it's so difficult to feel lke an invalid, even when you aren't one. And it sounds lke you might be blaming yourself for the miscarriage - I certainly hope not. Personally, I don't think that's how it works at all. I am not a mother and was only pregnant once, so I don't know much, but I can certainly send calm thoughts your way. Just rest and do what the doctors say; nearly everyone feels better after the first trimester is over.
I'm feeling better too - much less depressed, just kind of grumpy now. And maybe I can brace up and get over that too. {{Dale}}
Beth, glad you're feeling a little better. I don't entirely understand what you've been through recently, but I do understand that it has been incredibly difficult. Best wishes to you.
Post a Comment
<< Home