HealingHQ.com recently caught up with best-selling author James Jacobson from his home in Hawaii

  Whether it’s a schnauzer or a shepherd, a pit bull or a poodle, dogs are natural meditators. In his best-selling book How to Meditate with Your Dog, author James Jacobson and his white Maltese named Maui unleash the simple meditation method they’ve been teaching and using for over a decade. Demystifying the process of meditation – “the non-judgmental observation of the present moment” – Jacobson reveals how meditation relieves stress and sharpens mental focus while deepening the bond between human and canine. Jacobson has been featured in dozens of publications including The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.  

Many people think they don’t have time to meditate at all, let alone with a dog! What is your advice to those who would like to do this, but think it might be too difficult?
First, I believe that meditation is the single most important thing you can do for your health and happiness. If you’re just beginning, it only has to take a few minutes a day. The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it. Secondly, dog lovers will do anything for their dogs. The gift of this book is to encourage people to spend quality bonding time with their dog, which is what they probably do anyway, and to transform that into a meditative experience.

In your book you mention “spontaneous meditation” – those moments when, before you even realize it, you’re totally immersed in the present moment with your pet.
I call it “hound lounge.” Dogs are naturals at it. They spend a lot of time in that state where their eyes are half open, half closed, just very much living in the moment. If you spend time interacting with your dog you’ll see that your dog goes into that phase. You can go into it as well. It’s sort of an hors'deurve or appetizer of meditation.

Meditating in a group is so powerful – it’s that “where two or more are gathered” principle.  Do you believe people can get a similarly powerful experience with a dog?
I do, especially if you have a strong connection with a dog. Many people think their dogs are members of the family, so it’s that idea of meditating with someone you love and who loves you. Dogs epitomize unconditional love, so the ability to connect with the dog and be in a sacred space with an animal soul that loves and is love, is powerful.

You say dogs are natural meditators. What about hyperactive dogs or aggressive canines?
I believe that every dog has the ability to meditate. Even the most hyperactive dogs spend some of their time in “hound lounge.” They’re not always running around. If you view that as the appetizer, those are things you can extend through the process mentioned in the book, turning it into natural meditation time for you and your dog.

I like how you allow for “walking meditation” as well as “seated meditation.”
In terms of experiencing the true meditation experience, most folks think of seated meditation. Interestingly, even though walking meditation seems less profound and maybe less advanced, it is actually more profound because you have to cultivate some of the practices of mediation in a seated position to derive the maximum benefits of a walking meditation.

How does meditation benefit us and our dogs?
So many ways. There’s been a ton of medical research conducted that shows in meditation, the brain slows down, good biochemicals are increased, heart rates decrease as respiration rate slows…basically, it de-stresses the body. Over the long term, the impact of that is profound. As so many people have learned, stress is the leading cause of illness today, so if you reduce stress in your body you are effectively reducing illness. There’s also been scientific research that shows meditation actually slows down the aging process.

People are going to love that!
Meditation is like the fountain of youth. And now those same benefits are available to dogs. There hasn’t been much research on the benefits of meditation for dogs, but every veterinarian that I’ve spoken with agrees that it’s certainly not harmful. It’s powerful in terms of the training because the dog can be calm and peaceful when you want it to meditate and it can certainly apply to other instances when you want the dog to do other things. Even if you spend just a few minutes a day getting in synch with your dog’s breathing pattern, the point is to try to make it a more conscious meditative act and you will reap the benefits. Just let your dog be your guru!

Interview by: Mar Yvette

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