Animals and Mindfulness Part 2
One thing that comes to mind when I think about animals is that they do not care about our plans. To be fair, animals have a way of interrupting our plans, although this could seem like a negative thing it actually can help us be unstuck from being stuck in our mental chatter and bring us back to reality. This reason given animals can help us in meditation practice.
So yet again karrot why are you saying all of this? Well you see have you ever tried to meditate and then heard a barking dog in the background or a cat trying to climb on you for a cuddle. Meditation is not about escaping from the present moment but to embrace it. When we take our meditation very seriously animals are just living their lives. And so that dog who was barking or the kitty that just wanted your love and affection helps you to keep the flow of the presents. They act as reminders that we are not in control and the best way to cope with life is to let go of the premade ideas of how things should be and join in with how they really are. We can do all of this by noticing our reactions to them, if we feel annoyed about our meditation being interrupted, we can stop and think and look at why was that. Perhaps it because we may have an inaccurate idea of what meditation really is. Animals can remind us that our meditation practice does not place us in an elevated state above the rest of life but the fact that meditating is just like the barking that is happening in the streets. It's just one small part of life in its entirety.
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My friend's cat who ran away 6 months ago - just came back! On Tuesday! He sat in the front lawn, looked at my friend who was working out front, locked eyes, my friend took his picture and went inside and brought out some food and offered it to him, and he looked at it and walked away.
Amazing. 6 months. Came to say hello and goodbye. Everyone thought he was dead! It was incredible! To know that he was still alive! And my friend had moved 2 doors down, and the cat still found him! What an amazing thing. I'm so glad he was still alive and ok. He was fat and roughed up but great to see him again.
Greatful.
@KarrotCake Hi there Karrot! I really like your take on "interruptions" during meditation. I just look at them as a part of the present too! And it's helpful to not put too much pressure on myself to be perfect with meditation either. 
