How often are you maintaining your mindfulness; your zen. Daily? Weekly?
Are you a perfect Zen human who makes no mistakes? Besides isn’t a mistake a zen lesson in the making? If all of our life experiences are considered to be living life lessons, then how can anything we do be un-zen?
One of the Cat Essences is Zen. As we know cats are very present, not worring about tomorrow or not concerning themselves with yesterday. A subtle quality they posses. For us humans, sometimes in our mind, we don’t see them as being very zen “worthy.”
It seems, in the eye of the Zen beholder we decide what constitutes zen-ness for our cats. So, if the cat does something we don’t like, does that mean he is being less Zen?
The cat is obviously being present and that to me is mindfullness, despite what un-zen labels we put on the kitty.
What to do…
- If your cat does something to make you upset, you need to figure out why it upsets you, before you get upset with the cat for it’s behavior.
- Cats don’t do things for spite. They do things for a reason. either they feel threatened, upset, sick, scared, loss of control, old age etc. This is a zen lesson in deduction; figuring out why.
- I know what you are saying. “The cat lives in a house and needs to act appropriately.” In other words, needs to act more human? Hmmm. Just remember, this is a cat so there needs to be a comprise. Pick your zen cat battles. If you don’t the cat will always win. Why, they’re being zen. You wanting your cat to “act” more human. Not so much.
- Don’t look at your own subjective zen mind. Look at the cats. If you were a cat, would it matter?
- Don’t hold on to tight to what is zen and what isn’t zen. Otherwise you are being attached to idea of what is zen, instead of actually being in it.
She thinks it is punishment. Actually I get to meditate.
A good zen story….
? author
A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her.
The senior monk carried this woman on his shoulder, forded the river and let her down on the other bank. The junior monk was very upset, but said nothing.
They both were walking and senior monk noticed that his junior was suddenly silent and inquired “Is something the matter, you seem very upset?”
The junior monk replied, “As monks, we are not permitted a touch a woman, how could you then carry that woman on your shoulders?”
The senior monk replied, “I left the woman a long time ago at the bank, however, you seem to be carrying her still.”
Hugs, Peace and Paws!! KT Cat Paws