First, I wanted to write a blog about ‘Walking the Walk’ in regards to mindfulness and meditation. We can sit all we want. We can talk about it all we want. But, can we bring it into our lives? How do we even do it? Or more specifically and personally, how do I do it?
Second, I adopted a dog! His name is BEEFY!… BEEFY THE BEEFMAN JONES! I love him. And I wanted to find a way to include him too. I’ve had him for 6-7 weeks and I’ve probably walked him hundreds of times already. Most often solo. Each walk is special in its own way. Sometimes because of a small moment - when he bursts into a little dog-skip for a second out of nowhere to revel in the excitement of being outside, sniffing, listening, observing, or when he looks up at me with what appears to be a wide-mouthed grin as he trots beside me. Most of the time he sits at each and every corner unprompted and I scratch his squishy cheek, and sometimes he leans his cheek against my leg as I do it which makes me feel appreciated. But there are other less pleasant times too, like when he zigs and zags, crossing the walking path in front of me, behind me, and around me nearly knocking me off my feet, or curling around street signs, catching the leash on the pole, strangling himself and nearly taking off my arm. Also, when he lunges at completely peaceful dog walking by, that can feel pretty hopeless. He’s delightful but a wild man. Anyway, I want to share with you all the goof and joy that is being with Beefy on a walk and how I see my relationship to him resembling my relationship to my own mind, inner life, self whatever you want to call it. Hence the name, WALKING THE BLOG.
Many of my entries will likely arise out of my solo walks with Beefy. When it’s just us, I have a greater ability to be present with him and my own mind. The times I’ve walked him with friends his behavior is markedly different for many reasons I’m sure. And, truth be told, most people don’t see the same joy in walking Beefy as I do when I’m solo with him. It requires silence and attention to him and his senses. So, here, in the blog, my hope is that you will enjoy me enjoying my dog. Also, I hope equally, you will enjoy me enjoying mindfulness practice - cultivating wonder, openness, curiosity, and a deep honesty with myself and others. My aim is to keep these brief, wise, and heart opening. I will fall short of that almost certainly. And the work will be for us both to be okay with that…
