The expensive anxiety medication that made your dog drowsy but didn’t stop the destructive chewing.

The trainer who promised results, but your dog still panics when you leave.

The calming supplements, the thunder shirts, the special toys—and yet, your pet still shakes and melts down when you leave her alone.

And every single day, you see the fear in your pet’s eyes.

You come home sensing that your pet suffered while you were away.

It breaks your heart.

You feel guilty leaving for work. Frustrated that nothing helps. You’re concerned about how this stress is affecting your pet’s health.

Maybe your cat hides under the bed all day. Your dog can’t handle visitors. Your senior pet is in pain, and nothing brings relief. Your rescue still flinches from sudden movements years later.

You’d do anything for your pet. But watching them suffer day after day is heartbreaking.

You’re worried that you’re running out of options to help relieve their anxiety, but you don’t know what else to try.

What if there was something simple you haven’t tried yet?

What if the answer wasn’t another expensive treatment, supplement, or medication with side effects?

Something that helps you both heal naturally and strengthens your bond at the same time?

The solution is simpler than you think: meditating with your pet.

Meditating with our pets is often overlooked or not even considered. Yet in my years as an Animal Reiki Master Teacher and pet anxiety specialist, I’ve found it to be one of the most foundational practices you can create together. It’s an activity that enriches both of you—not just your pet, but you too.

Here’s what makes my approach different: I view your pets as family members, because that’s what they are. And I work with you and your pet in partnership. You’re not separate. Just as your pet supports your calm energy. Your calm energy supports their peacefulness.

When I help animals, I’m always working with both of you together—because that’s where real, lasting healing happens.

Why Meditation Works for Pets

Meditation is an ancient practice—simple, powerful, and accessible to everyone. It’s not about emptying your mind or sitting perfectly still. It’s about being mindful—paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Meditation is a form of mindfulness in which you spend quality time being peacefully present with your pet, just being here, now.

For thousands of years, humans have used this practice to find peace, heal stress, and connect more deeply with themselves and the world around them. And now, you can share this gift with your pet.

And here’s the best part: You don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor. You can meditate while walking your dog, grooming your cat, standing in your yard, or riding your horse. Meditation is a shared experience that fits into your daily routine.

I’ve seen many pets improve through shared meditation practice. In fact, Animal Reiki—which I teach and practice—is simply meditating together with animals. This shared experience is where real healing happens.

Meditation is a powerful tool that benefits both of you. While your pet learns to calm their nervous system, you learn to be more present and connected with them.

The Power of Healing Together

Here’s what I’ve learned working with anxious pets for over 25 years: your pet feels everything you feel.

When you’re stressed about leaving for work, your dog picks up on that anxiety. When you’re worried about their behavior, they sense your tension.

Animals are incredibly sensitive to the energy around them. And your pet reads our energy like no one else, even when you don’t say a word.

But this connection works both ways—and that’s the beautiful part.

When you sit quietly with your pet and breathe deeply, they feel your calm. When you release your worry and BE with them, they begin to relax as well. You’re not trying to fix them. You’re healing together.

This is why I believe meditation is so powerful for pets. It’s not a technique you do TO them—it’s an experience you share WITH them. As you both settle into a peaceful state, something shifts—the anxiety loop breaks. Trust deepens. A new pattern begins.

Your calm becomes their calm. Their peace becomes your peace. This shared healing is what creates lasting change for both of you.

How Meditating Together Heals You Both

Calming Anxiety & Separation Stress

Pet anxiety is one of the biggest challenges that pet parents face today. Through gentle breathing exercises and guided relaxation, meditation helps your pet’s nervous system shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-restore. When you slow down and practice staying calm in a mindful way, your pet picks up on your peaceful energy rather than your rushed stress. Over time, they learn that your departure doesn’t mean danger—because you’re not treating it like danger anymore.

Releasing Fear & Building Confidence

Whether your pet is afraid of loud noises, new places, or carries fear from past experiences, intentionally creating a peaceful, calm space offers them a safe, relaxed environment. When you remain calm and grounded during scary moments like thunderstorms, fireworks, or vet visits, you’re showing them through your own calm energy that they’re safe.

Managing Pain & Discomfort

Meditation has long been used to activate the body’s natural healing responses and reset the nervous system. For pets experiencing chronic pain, injuries, or age-related discomfort, these peaceful sessions can provide significant relief. The shared experience: When you sit with your pet in their pain without trying to fix it, simply being present and calm helps them relax their body. Your peaceful energy helps ease their tension, which often makes pain worse.

Healing Trauma & PTSD

Animals, especially rescued pets, who’ve been through abuse, neglect, or accidents, often struggle with fear and anxiety. When you meditate together, it creates a safe, calming space where they can start to feel secure again.

Improving Focus & Training

Have a hyper dog who can’t seem to settle? Meditation enhances concentration, mental clarity, and impulse control. The more you practice being calm and focused together in a conscious way, the more your pet learns to match your peaceful energy. This can make training feel less like work and more like a connection.

Deepening Your Bond

Perhaps the most meaningful and powerful benefit is that meditation strengthens your heart connection. It builds trust and understanding, bringing you closer together. Spending as little as 5 minutes of quiet time together, free from distractions or trying to fix anything, can create a deep sense of love and safety.

Getting Started is Easy

Meditation with your pet doesn’t require special equipment, training, or even sitting still. You can meditate:

• While walking your dog around the neighborhood

• Sitting together on the couch watching TV

• During your horse’s grooming routine

• Standing in your backyard with your pet

• While your cat sits on your lap

• Taking a nap together

Sharing a calm, peaceful state for even 5-10 minutes per day can make a real difference in their well-being and in your relationship. And pets love this. They love the calm, peaceful energy created with meditation, even if you only have 5 minutes. In fact, pets are natural masters at meditating. They don’t overthink it or judge themselves. They sink into the peace you’re creating together. The key is consistency. Animals thrive on routine, so making this quiet connection a regular part of your day, even while doing things you already do, is what brings lasting results.

Get Your Personalized Pet Meditation

Ready to start healing with your pet? I’d love to create a Custom Meditation with Your Animal Family—a personalized meditation recording tailored to you and your pet’s unique situation. Each session is designed around what you and your pet are experiencing right now—whether that’s anxiety, fear, trauma, behavioral challenges, or simply wanting to feel closer. You’ll receive guidance you can use over and over as you build this healing practice together. As an Animal Communicator, Reiki Master Teacher, and pet anxiety specialist who works with you and your pet as partners, I create these meditations to help you both heal together. [Get Your Custom Meditation Here]

Get Your Custom Meditation Here

Remember: Each animal is unique. While meditation is a powerful tool, patience and consistency are essential. For any health concerns, you should always consult with your veterinarian

The post Healing Pet Anxiety Naturally: The Power of Meditating Together appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

In today’s fast-moving world, it’s easy to get caught up in reacting, worrying, rushing, and multitasking. And in the rush of doing, we tend to forget how to pause and just be.

They naturally live in the moment, which is one reason being quietly present with them can feel so calming and healing for both of you.

Why Stillness Matters

Stillness happens when the mental and emotional noise that can leave both people and animals feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected quiets.

Your animals can feel your inner state before you say a word.

When you’re rushing or anxious, they feel it.

When you settle, they settle.

Stillness isn’t passive — it’s one of the most powerful things you can offer your animal family.

When we slow down, our animals often respond to our slower breathing and heart rate.

Their breathing softens.

Their nervous systems relax.

And both of you settle.

How to Achieve Inner Stillness

Your mind will try to fill every quiet moment. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to stop your thoughts — it’s to slow them down enough that your heart can be heard.

Start with your breath. Let it naturally slow the activity in your mind and body. When you feel yourself beginning to calm, bring your attention to your heart. Breathe love and a sense of peace into that space. If thoughts come up, don’t fight them. Just gently return to your breath and your heart.

From that quieter place, you can reset. You begin to sense what your animals are feeling. You become available to each other in a deeper way.

The more you practice, the faster you get there. Even a few minutes makes a difference.

Practical Ways to Bring Stillness Into Your Day With Your Animals

Start your morning with a few quiet breaths before you greet your animals. Let that set the tone.

Before entering a space where your animal is — especially if they are anxious or unwell — pause, check in with yourself. Am I coming from my head or my heart?

If your animal is unsettled, resist the urge to fix it immediately. Sit near them. Breathe. Let your calm presence do the work.

Practice stillness as a daily ritual, not just when things feel hard. The more it becomes your baseline, the more your animals will feel it.

The Animal Muse P.A.W.S. Way

That’s why I created The Animal Muse P.A.W.S. Way — a simple 5-minute practice to help you and your animals create calm, connection, and a compassionate shared space.

Take a slow breath and notice your feet on the ground. Invite your animal family to join you in whatever way feels comfortable to them.

P — Presence: Brings Groundedness

A — Acceptance: Allows Your Heart to Open

W — With Intention: Connect from Your Heart

S — Share Your Love: As You Rest in the Stillness Together

In that stillness, you create a compassionate space where real connection becomes possible — and you may be surprised by how much can be felt and understood without a single word.

I created a free P.A.W.S. Way practice guide you can return to anytime.

Download your free P.A.W.S. Way practice guide and start creating more calm and connection with your animal family.

Today, take a few quiet moments with your animal family — whether they’re physically next to you, down at the barn, or in spirit.

You may be surprised by how much peace can be shared in the silence.

If this resonated with you, feel free to share it with a fellow animal lover. And if you’re not already subscribed, I’d love to have you join our community.

The post How to Help Your Anxious Pet Relax and Feel Safe appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

You’ve Tried Everything to Ease Your Pet’s Anxiety.

You’re feeling overwhelmed, maybe even exhausted and heart-broken trying to help your pet feel less anxious.

The anxiety medication. The trainer who promised results. The calming supplements, the thunder shirts, the special toys.

And still, your dog panics when you leave. Your cat hides all day. You come home knowing your pet suffered while you were gone.

What if you could both move from anxious and stressed to calm, relaxed, and peaceful together?

What if the solution isn’t another product, protocol, or expensive treatment with side effects.

The post How to Calm an Anxious Pet Naturally appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

Caring for animals—whether it’s your own beloved animal or helping those in shelters and rescues—can feel like you’re holding a piece of their world in your heart. Some days are full of joy; others carry the weight of worry or the ache of wanting to do more.

I recently had the honor of leading a webinar for Holistic Actions! Community to share tools for bringing calm, connection, and healing into our relationships with animals—especially during challenging times.

Dr. Jeff from Holistic Actions! wrote this beautiful reflection afterward, and I wanted to share it with you here:

“At Holistic Actions!, we know that healing animals starts with your connection with them. That means nurturing you both. This week, we’re sharing a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the love that drives your care. Our recent webinar gave us powerful tools to do just that.”

Here’s an easy practice for you: Before you walk into any space with an animal, pause. Ask yourself: Am I coming from my head (stress, worry, urgency) or from my heart (calm, presence, love)? Animals can feel the shift in our energy immediately, which changes everything. There’s no wrong way to love an animal.

5 Ways to Support Animals with Presence and Heart

1. Animals mirror our energy. When we’re anxious or rushing, they feel it. When we’re grounded and calm, they can finally exhale and feel safe.

2. Use the “Freeze Frame” technique. Initially developed by HeartMath®, I’ve adapted this to support both people and animals: Take 3 conscious breaths, shift your attention from your head to your heart, and recall a moment of pure love with an animal. This simple act can reset your nervous system—and theirs.

3. Practice the Animal Muse P.A.W.S. Way. This simple, heart-centered practice helps you reconnect with yourself and the animal in front of you.

• P — Presence: Brings Groundedness

• A — Acceptance: Allows Your Heart to Open

• W — With Intention: Connect from Your Heart

• S — Share Your Love: As You Rest in the Stillness Together

4. Honor compassion fatigue. The pain you feel caring for animals is a reflection of your deep love. Honor it, tend to yourself first, and let that grounded energy ripple out to help them.

5. Let simple words heal. “You are safe. I’m here. You matter.” These simple phrases, spoken from your heart center, can turn a shelter kennel into a sanctuary and help an anxious animal finally de-stress and relax.

If this message speaks to your heart, I invite you to explore more ways to support your animal family with presence and peace.

Whether you’re at home or in an animal shelter, your calm energy matters—and the animals feel it.

I’d love to hear from you.

Which of these practices resonates most with you today? Or, if you have a story of a moment when your calm presence helped an animal, please share it in the comments below or reach out to me directly.

The post There’s No Wrong Way to Love an Animal appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

From anxiety and trauma to fear and pain, pets require our attention and nurturing care. It can also be frustrating and overwhelming to find solutions that actually work.

While there are many approaches to addressing pet problems and challenges, one often overlooked and simple solution is meditating with your animal.

Meditation creates a calm and peaceful space to deepen your heart-connection and mutual understanding. 

Meditation is a powerful practice that benefits you and. your animals. Incorporating simple, easy, and fun meditation techniques into your lives will help your animal friends heal various issues, find inner peace, and experience improved communication and overall well-being.

Pet Meditation or Animal Meditation, can be practiced in various ways, including sitting, standing, walking, or even while riding a horse.

Meditating alongside animals, whether a cat, dog, horse, or other species, creates a compassionate and open-hearted space where healing is possible.

Meditation is the foundation for learning animal communication, Animal Reiki, and other healing techniques.

In fact, Animal Reiki involves meditating with animals for healing and transformation.

The cool thing about meditating with your animal family is that it can help you solve your animal family’s issues while promoting overall mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

1. Calming Anxiety: Anxiety, including separation anxiety, is a common problem among pets, especially dogs. Anxiety can manifest in various ways, such as restlessness, pacing, stress, or destructive behaviors. Sharing meditation and mindfulness techniques like deep breathing exercises and guided relaxation creates a sense of calmness, reducing your pet’s anxiety levels. By teaching pets to focus their attention and find inner peace, Meditation offers them a tool to cope with stressful situations and promotes a more balanced emotional state.
2. Overcoming Fear and Phobias: Pets can develop fears and phobias due to various triggers, such as loud noises, unfamiliar environments, or past traumatic experiences. Meditation provides a safe space for pets to relax, refocus their attention, and reframe their responses to these triggers. Regular meditation sessions allow pets to gradually overcome their fears, build resilience, and regain confidence in challenging situations.
3. Chronic and Acute Pain Relief Aggression in pets can be a challenging issue to address. Meditation practices can play a crucial role in helping pets develop better self-control and manage their aggressive tendencies. By incorporating mindfulness techniques into training routines, pets can learn to recognize and regulate their emotions, ultimately reducing aggressive behavior.
4. Post-traumatic stress: Pets that have experienced trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or accidents, may exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meditation can assist in creating a safe and soothing environment, allowing pets to gradually heal from their traumatic experiences and regain a sense of safety and security.
5. Promoting Relaxation and Sleep: Just like humans, pets can struggle with sleep disturbances and restlessness. Guided meditation or relaxation exercises before bedtime can create a soothing environment that promotes better sleep quality for pets. By helping them unwind and release tension, Meditation can contribute to a more restful and rejuvenating sleep experience.
6. Senior Pet Care: As pets age, they may encounter age-related issues such as joint pain, cognitive decline, or anxiety. Meditating with your older pet offers comfort and relief while supporting their overall well-being. By promoting relaxation and reducing discomfort, Meditation can improve their quality of life during their golden years.
7. Enhancing Focus and Attention: If you have a hyper dog or pet who has difficulty focusing or following directions, they will benefit from incorporating Meditation into their training routines. Mindfulness exercises help pets develop better concentration, mental clarity, and impulse control. This increased focus enables them to respond more effectively to commands and learn new behaviors.
8. Building Trust and Bonding: Meditation can be a beautiful bonding experience for pets and their owners. Engaging in a regular meditation practice together fosters a sense of shared calmness and connection. This shared practice strengthens your bond while promoting trust, empathy, and understanding.
9. Dealing with Change and Easing Adjustment: Pets often face challenges when transitioning to new environments or experiencing significant life changes. Meditation can help ease this process by providing them with a familiar and calming routine. Whether moving to a new home or introducing a new family member, Meditation can assist pets in adjusting more smoothly, reducing stress and promoting a sense of security.
10. Shared Energy and Presence: Meditating with your pet creates a calm and focused environment. Animals are highly attuned to energy and can sense when you’re in a relaxed state. Being present with your pet during Meditation establishes a connection based on shared energy and mutual awareness.

Developing a regular meditation practice with your pet can strengthen your bond, deepen your heart connection, and heal problems.

Animals thrive on routine and consistency, so dedicating time to meditate together can create a shared experience that deepens your connection.

However, it’s important to remember that each pet is unique, and patience, consistency, and professional guidance are essential when implementing meditation practices.

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Cultivating a daily meditation practice with your animal family is a precious and potent gift that allows them to flourish in all aspects of their lives—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually- which ultimately keeps them healthier and happier.

When you spend time meditating with your pets, you create a compassionate space with many positive healing benefits like stress reduction, relaxation, a sense of safety, mutual understanding, and joy. It also strengthens your heart connection and bond.

The ancient art of meditation can be layered with different expectations and be practiced in various ways. However, animals perceive mediation in straightforward terms. Animals live in the moment and are drawn to peaceful, calm, balanced, and open-hearted energy. Pet-led meditation teaches us how to live in the moment with a strong heart connection.

Here are 7 ways a daily meditation practice with your pets helps them heal:

1. Meditating with Your Pet Builds Trust and Safety
If your pet doesn’t feel safe, then it’s hard for them to trust you. And if your pet doesn’t feel safe or trust you, then they can’t experience your unconditional love. Many times, we don’t recognize when our pets feel unsafe. Therefore, it’s essential to create a safe environment so your pets can feel secure. 

A daily meditation practice is a beautiful way to give your animal companions a sense of stability, so they no longer need to come from a place of fear, worry, and insecurity. This is especially helpful for rescued and abused animals who need their human guardians to create a safe space for them.

2. Pets Mirror Our Energetic States

Whether you realize it or not, your thoughts influence both your’s and your pet’s health and overall well-being. Our thoughts and feelings are energy that flows outward from our physical bodies into the environment where our pets live. As your feelings of anger, anxiety, and fear reverberate, it can create stress, anxiety, and fear in your pet.

The more you meditate with your pets, the more you will be in a calmer and more open-hearted state of being.  And the more relaxed, peaceful, and present you are, the less your energy will negatively impact your pets and you! 

Animals make great teachers because they mirror our energetic states of being and respond to it, whether it’s loving or unkind. That’s why it’s important we work on being calm, open-hearted, and balanced because it helps everyone feel more relaxed and joyful, which is healing and nurturing.

3. Meditating with your pet promotes healing and overall wellness.

When you meditate together, you create a healing space that can relieve stress, anxiety, fear, and anger. This can be especially helpful for all pets but is an essential healing tool we all possess to help older, ill, dying, and rescued pets.

When my dog Bodhi Bear was riddled with terminal stomach cancer in his last days, I was anxious, scared, and worried. I noticed that my anxiety and fear were adding to Bodhi Bear’s pain and discomfort. When I shifted my focus and awareness to my heart center through meditation, I found that not only did I settle down, but it allowed Bodhi to relax.

4. Pet-Led Meditation Bolsters Oxytocin
No one can open our hearts better than our animal companions. When we are heart-connected with our pets and feel their unconditional love, oxytocin flows freely. Oxytocin is a hormone and a neurotransmitter associated with empathy, trust, and relationship-building, which is crucial for developing a strong, loving bond with your pet.

Daily meditation practice with your pet bolsters loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and awe because it increases oxytocin. What could be better?

5. Develops Mutual Understanding and Deep Listening
Meditation deepens your listening skills and telepathic connection between you and your pet. Clear communication is the basis of all healthy and balanced relationships. In the silence of meditation, you will learn to listen from your heart center, which builds a spiritual bridge of mutual understanding where your pets can share their thoughts, viewpoints, and heart with you.

A fun and easy way to hear your pet at a heart level is to simply feel all the unconditional love you have for them. Then visualize radiating your love outward from your heart center like the rays of the sun. Then remain open and receptive to whatever your pet wants to communicate with you in the moment. It’s okay if you don’t receive any messages since the goal is to simply share your hearts together as one. However, this will open the door for your pet to share their heart with you.

6. Pets Flourish with a Daily Meditation Practice
A daily routine of spending at least 5 minutes a day (of course, the longer, the better) being quietly present while sharing your heart with your pet can go a long way to helping them feel safe, secure, and loved. Pets do exceptionally well when we establish a daily meditation routine. It helps them in all aspects of their life.

Once I recognized that being quietly present with my cats or walking in Nature with my dog was actually meditating with them, it transformed the way I viewed meditation and my relationship with my pets.

Every day, I meditate with my cats first thing in the morning. It’s a perfect time for Mona to sit in my lap or Elvis to drape himself across my chest for at least 10 minutes (if it was up to Mona and Elvis, I’d never move!). Our goal is to be quietly present, so we can share our hearts together.

I also enjoy experiencing my daily walking meditation with my puppy, Yogi Bear. We enjoy being quietly present together as we feel our heart connection while mindful of our natural surroundings.

7. Meditating with Your Pet Shows Them That You Love and Value Them
When you meditate with your pet, it supports and improves your relationship. Our pets give us unconditional love daily and deserve nothing less than our loving presence in return. It also tells your pet that you cherish them.

The more you take the time to meditate with your pet, the more connected you will feel. Doing so will foster spiritual growth, health, wellness, and transformation, which will benefit you and your animal family!

Want to learn more about and experience how you can affect the wellness and happiness of your pet through meditation?

You’re invited to my upcoming PETtalk on Meditation with Pets sponsored by the Connecticut Humane Society on Thursday, September 30. 

The post Meditating with Your Pets Promotes Health and Well-being appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

Animals are teachers, healers, and guides.  The more I meditate with animals and listen to their musings with an open heart, the more conscious I become of my spiritual essence and interconnections with all species in the web of life.

Here are five lessons I’ve learned from meditating with animals:

1. Animals mirror our strengths and challenges on the path of self-awareness. They also reflect our energetic state of being. 
2. Meditating with animals creates peaceful and balanced energy, which brings about healing in all aspects of our lives. The more we meditate, the more this compassionate healing energy ripples outward. 
3. Animals instinctively know that meditation includes all aspects of our being– body, mind, and spirit. 
4. Meditating with animals opens our hearts at a deep spiritual level to feel our oneness with life. 
5. Animals live in the present moment, which is a state of enlightenment. 

Being on a spiritual path of self-discovery takes courage. Animals support us on our journey with their unconditional love, wisdom, and nonjudgement. 

Meditating with animals is enlightening and transformative. When we meditate with them, we become more conscious of our true authentic selves at a spiritual level. They teach us how to listen with an open heart as they guide us home. 

It’s also more fun to meditate with animals because they naturally put us in our heart centers which is a win-win.

The post 5 Lessons that Meditating With Animals Has Taught Me appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

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. 

The post Tune Into The Powerful Wisdom And Magic Of Animals and Nature appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.

One of my life’s purposes is to help animals in whatever way I can, whether it’s empowering them using animal communication, sharing Reiki, or meditating with them. I also gain tremendous joy raising money for different animal rescue and welfare organizations since they usually run entirely on donations. These life-saving organizations need ongoing financial support to feed, house, rehabilitate, give medical care and re-home animals in need.

Service work is an integral part of who I am, and that’s why I’m offering a couple of different fundraisers this month to help animals that I hope you will support. 

On April 19th, I’m offering Meditating with Horses Fundraiser. This webinar will benefit Rising Starr Horse Rescue in Wilton, Connecticut, which saves, rehabilitates, retrains, and re-homes abandoned, neglected, or abused horses.

On April, 30. I’m excited to team up with the Shelter Animal Reiki Association’s Director, Kelly McDermott-Burns, for Meditating with Farm Animals. This webinar will benefit the animals at The Little Red Barn Farm Sanctuary in Turnbridge, Vermont. 

We will create a powerful meditation circle during each fundraiser to offer peace and compassion to horses and farm animals. You experience a heart-opening meditation using the Reiki-based Let Animals Lead® Method that you can share with the animals in your life.

During each webinar, you will learn how meditating with horses and farm animals can

• Calm your mind and body
• Enhance your heart connection with animals
• Strengthen your relationship with animals 
• Create a peaceful and compassionate space
• Heal and transform the lives of animals and you!

I believe it’s essential to give our loving and positive energy to the circle of life. I feel honored to share the potent tool of meditating with different types of animals with you. And I’m excited for the animals to receive the healing benefits of having you meditate with them.

You don’t need to own a horse or farm animals to enjoy meditating with them during these special fundraisers. Just bring your desire to have an open-hearted connection and willingness to connect with these amazing animals for healing and transformation.

I hope you will join us and invite your friends to support horses and farm animals. When we meditate collectively with animals, it can shift humans’ hearts and minds compassionately.

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Why does meditating with animals have such a profound effect?

Here are 5 fabulous reasons to share a meditation practice with your animal family.

Reason #2: Meditating with animals creates a powerful space of healing and compassion, which enhances your heart connection and relationship with them. 

Reason #3: It reduces stress and promotes overall wellness. Daily meditation allows animals to receive a variety of healing benefits like: 

• Pain relief
• Strengthens the immune system
• Supports the healing process
• Reduces emotional and behavioral issues
• Promotes overall wellness

Reason #4: Meditation with animals teaches us to open our hearts and connect through our heart-center. This enables a sense of oneness, which leads to a deeper bond and mutual understanding with animals and Nature.

Reason #5: Animals are masterful meditation teachers and enjoy it when we share calm and loving energy with them. 

One of the great things about meditating with animals is you can do it sitting, standing, walking, or even lying down. My cats, Mona and Elvis, prefer it when I do sitting meditations with them.

When my dog, Bodhi, was alive, we loved taking our morning Reiki walks where we connected with wildlife and communed with Nature. It brought us tremendous joy to share this sacred space together.

A daily meditation practice helps you to connect and share relaxed and calm energy. This practice can help animals feel calmer, balanced, and less anxious. 

Plus, your animal will thank you in ways you could never imagine when you spend time meditating with them.

The post 5 Fabulous Reasons to Meditate with Animals appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.