Every lover knows that cats rarely care about others, always live in the moment, and never do too much. Some Zen masters take years to master these life lessons - which cats naturally apply. Reason enough to crown these fluffy friends as examples of mindfulness. In his book Catfulness, Paolo Valentino describes what we humans can learn from cats when it comes to mindful living.
Lesson 1: Observe life from a distance
From the highest bookshelf or the kitchen counter: cats study everything from a distance. Sometimes it's good to contemplate yourself as an outsider, and that's exactly what we can learn from cats.
Lesson 2: Make everything a game
For cats, the world is one big playground. Outside among the tall grass, where they rely on their razor-sharp senses, or inside during a game with a toy mouse; everywhere they go they see opportunities to have fun and discover something new.
Lesson 3: Keep your patience
Cats can easily sit for minutes, if not hours, in front of a mouse hole until they can strike. For a cat, there is no clock or end time, and that is what makes them absolute masters of meditation.
Lesson 4: Observe
Have you ever seen a cat looking at a fishbowl? Like hypnotized, they stare at the water and the swimming fish as if they have never seen anything more beautiful. By shifting your attention, all thoughts no longer matter and slowly fade into the background.
Lesson 5: Rest is sacred
Perhaps the most important lesson for us humans: it's okay to take a rest! Stop running and settle down on the couch. Look around or read a good book. Because if cats are good at anything, it's doing nothing.