26 Oct The Kitten Chronicles: The Kitten Meditation
I sat on the end of the bed. I was feeling strangely unmotivated. I had plenty of ideas what I “should” do and yet I didn’t find myself moving to do those things; office work, going for a walk, even reading a book.
I could tell that our kitten, Baby, was in a drowsy mood. She is often up and animated but now she was content to lie in my arms. I had the impulse to lie back on the bed but I wasn’t sleepy. Yet, still, lying back with the kitten stretched out beside me suddenly felt compelling. Scooting back, I took Baby with me. I laid my head on my pillow and new options appeared: I could grab my iPad and read a book if I wanted or I could snooze along with her. But I wasn’t interested in reading or snoozing. Lying there, I realized I was interested in being – being in the fullness of the moment without an activity or distraction.
For forty minutes or so, I just rested, floating in a sea of sensation; the warmth of Baby, the softness of her fur, the bed supporting me. There was the occasional car driving by, distant birdsong, light filtering through the blinds. As I lay there, I wasn’t going anywhere or “doing” anything. I just was.
Eventually I emerged from this restful state and gently disentangling Baby I sat up and went about the rest of my day.
I didn’t intend to “meditate” that day. In fact, in the late 80s when Shya and I lived in a meditation center for the better part of 2 years, my mind was busy and we regularly “did” meditation and practiced that art many times a day. These days, I find that all aspects of my life could be considered meditational. But rarely are they filled with nothing but sensation and being and apparently doing nothing.
Even now, I find my spontaneous Kitten Meditation to be particularly sweet.
See all posts in The Kitten Chronicles series here.