When I think of my cats, emotional honesty is the word that comes to mind. When I attune, give in or, worse, attend to that emotional honesty in my cats’ puffy faces, it quickly spirals into a kind of manipulation, where the word manipulation loses its meaning.
So, to answer my own question: ideally, you should meditate when you wake up. Before coffee and toothpaste. Cats love the smell of morning breath. It reminds them of their victory from previous mornings when they sniffed your face until you woke up and you let out a tired sigh and a yawn, we shall call that measly muttering, sigh-yawn-asana.
Without burying a cat under the duvet as you throw it away from your face to sit for pranayama – straighten your spine and tuck your chin and belly slightly inwards, magically toward your chest, where your heart is (always?) located. Once you remember who you are, it’s demeaning but extraordinarily important; when you do, follow the Pavlovian sound that your cat is making, to the empty food bowl. It’s important to go on this almsgiving or else your awakened state is for nothing. My cats often show me where their food is kept neatly out of reach and my mind doesn’t have to do much thinking in the morning. Each cat must eat.
The happiness that may arise out of almsgiving could be selfish. Do not try to control or reject it. Tea or coffee?
Meditation practice:
When you’re comfortably seated in a space where you can let the breath fall in and compassion arise, invite the singing bowl and gently lower your eyelids to the sound. Cats have to feel called to your presence, so be present and let the thoughts pass by like a cat softly pawses you by without you ever knoticing.
Story goes, when Buddha was nearly enlightened, even though he was always enlightened, Mara, the lord of death, destruction and desire came forward to discourage Buddha’s succession to Bodhisattva. Mara brought forward the most alluring worldly pleasures to the still Buddha, who had knowing that maya was not it. Buddha went on to become ‘the enlightened one’ regardless of Mara.
During your sitting, watch the breath fall in, then fall out, then fall out and fall back in . Not before long, the fearful thoughts about the upcoming hours of work and painful thoughts of the creeping loneliness as a result of resentments and miscommunications will arise. Once the chants and mantras are playing on automatic in your mind, you will realize you’re Buddha and identify the mind where truly nothing is happening and thoughts are happening. Formless forms are prevalent, it is as it is. The cats have much to teach you.
My cats are sensitive and elegant – as are yours. One of them gently nudges on my elbow and jumps onto my lap. My lowered eyelids and folded hands are not the same. I adjust my hips and thighs to accommodate the thankful cat’s head on my knee and grateful sharp paws on my thighs. Purrs break the silence and I draw a sharp breath in and let out a smile. My lowered eyelids catch a glimpse of a cat’s lowered eyes lids looking up at me. I see the non-duality in those perfectly round eyes. My meditation draws to an end but my practice has just begun.
Cats are selfish in a way that they never deceive you – Alan Watts said that. ——-They are as they are. Much of it is perspective and once you learn to become the witness of your various perspectives that include the past, the future, the ringing of the past into the future, you will KNOW all things are meow. Moments have sound and form and purpose but not necessarily a meaning.
sense of humor in parentheses 