Summer is a powerful time to tune into the wisdom of animals and Nature. A fantastic way to do this is using meditation. When we experience meditation with the help and guidance of animals and Nature, it creates an open-hearted, peaceful, balanced state of being for the highest good of all.
Animals are grateful when we radiate love and are peacefully present. A fun and easy way to access this compassionate healing space is through meditating with animals.
Why? Because it’s how the animals live. Animals teach us to recognize the importance of always living in our heart centers and being present in the moment. When we are in this space, we become grounded, calmly present, and heart magnates to the animals. Animals also reap the benefits meditation brings, like deep relaxation, stress reduction, and overall wellness. Plus, meditation with animals brings about healing and transformation.
When I first started meditating over thirty years ago, I found myself getting too much in my head and struggled to stay focused on my heart center. In 2008, when I studied Animal Reiki and the Let Animals Lead® method with Kathleen Prasad and became an Animal Reiki Teacher and Practitioner, I discovered practicing Animal Reiki is essentially meditating with animals for healing and self-discovery just like animal communication..
When I allow animals and Nature to teach and guide me, my meditation practice becomes more effortless, meaningful, and a whole lot more fun. Meditating with animals gives me more flexibility, creativity and enhances my animal communication and Reiki skills while increasing my inner peace, balance, and compassion.
Another aspect I enjoy about meditating with animals is freeing myself from the notion that I must always sit still with my eyes closed in a quiet room to meditate effectively. The goal of meditation is to bring peaceful heart energy into every moment of our life, not just for a few minutes a day while you “formally meditate.”
While there are many different meditation methods, here are three easy ways to mediate with animals:
Sitting
Many people find it easier to start a sitting meditation practice with their animal family because it can be less distracting. Whenever I communicate telepathically or share Reiki with an animal, the animal is always in control of how they respond to our meditation practice. It’s always up to the animal because it empowers them, helps them feel safe, and allows us to work in partnership with them. Plus it builds trust and strengthens our relationship.
It’s important that you let your animal do whatever feels most comfortable to them when you meditate with them. Let go of your expectations of how you want your animal to respond whether they sit next to you or choose to be in a separate room.
Standing
As you become more relaxed doing sitting meditation with your animals, you may want to venture outside to experience standing meditation.
This can be done by finding a quiet place in Nature where you can stand and feel your deep connection to Mother Earth and all her Nature spirits.
As you stand in Nature, breathe deeply and easily. Open up your senses and childlike curiosity. Imagine roots growing out your feet like a wise old tree that will keep you grounded and present. As you continue to breathe from your heart center, located in the center of your chest, gently notice all the plants and wildlife that are around you.. Share a sense of gratitude for the birds, bees, and trees as you allow this loving energy to radiate and shine outward from your heart center.
Or, you might choose to stand quietly next to a field of horses, cows, sheep, or llamas while softly observing them from a safe distance and being with them in the present moment.
Sometimes I go out into Nature and stand with my arms spread wide like an eagle soaring and set my intention to be open and receptive to whatever I need in the present moment. As I breathe, I radiate my love and appreciation for Mother Nature and her sentient beings outward from my heart center like the sun. Then I quietly wait to see what surprise awaits, like encountering a butterfly or a bunny hopping nearby. Or I simply listen with an open heart feeling my oneness of all life.
Walking
My favorite way to meditate is walking with my dog, Yogi Bear. As we walk connected by our leash, we stay quietly present in the moment, embracing our heart connection and observing what’s around us. In these moments, we feel a strong sense of interconnectedness and oneness with Nature.
During our walking meditation, we stay open to seeing different wildlife and hearing their wisdom. For example, we saw a pair of bald eagles and their chicks during our meditation the other day. One day, we spied an osprey sitting on her nest feeding her chicks, which hadn’t noticed a couple of days before.
Want to learn more about the power of meditating with animals? My upcoming class, The Art of Meditating with Animals, teaches you about the joy, healing and transformation that comes when you meditate with animals.
