STEP 5: THE SECOND TRIP OUTSIDE

The second trip should be much like the first one. After harnessing your cat up and checking the fit, take your cat to the same place you went to on your first trip outside, unless you had a bad experience there and are worried it will happen again. If it was a fluke, take your cat to the same location, as you’ll need to detoxify it by replacing the bad memory with a better one. If there is a chance of a repeat, take your cat to a more secure location for its second outing.

The second trip may be rougher than the first. Even if nothing bad happened the first time out, there is so much new information to take in that your cat may be focusing on totally different stimuli. That said, follow the steps of his first trip out and set him down in the same spot. Remember, your cat’s senses are much greater than yours, and there’s no way you can take in the totality of your cat’s experience. Everything is new. Everything is a potential danger. Everything is exciting. And your cat is unable to habituate on anything. It’s overwhelming, but even if your cat doesn’t appear to make any progress, or appears more fearful than the first day, your cat is collecting experiential information. Information, over time, that will allow it to separate the fearful from the routine.

You’re on your way.

CAT WALKER: JESSE NYLAND

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE, POET, ANIMAL LOVER, GROUP FACILITATOR/SPEAKER FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, PARENT OF ONE HUMAN AND TWO FELINE CHILDREN, AND CAT WALKER

Jesse Nyland and his 16-year-old Bengal, Xena, began their walking practice in earnest after Nyland decided to enlist the services of Xena as a therapy cat for an assisted-living facility. Xena, he explained, is a people person. The prospect of going to see her friends at the assisted-living facility was the catalyst for a major change in her walking practice; suddenly, she looked forward to her constitutionals more than ever and what had been an off-again/on-again walking adventure became a regular part of their lives.

While many cats shy away from strangers, Xena loves to meet people and enjoys it when they stop to admire her. And dogs? While not exactly a fan, they don’t bother her as they pass on their walks. “She has a personality all her own,” Nyland said lovingly.

EARLY DAYS

Nyland first began working with Xena when she was about one and a half. He began using a collar rather than a harness, which he deems a mistake. “She would stop and lay down when I tried to walk her, and she would try to back out of the collar.”

Nyland says that switching to a harness made a huge difference for Xena. “Because it wasn’t around her neck, like the collar had been, she was much more comfortable.”

Their first walks took place in his apartment as he got her used to the reality of the leash and the harness. After he got her used to walking on a leash indoors, they braved the world beyond the big door.

“I let her lead first, but then I give her a gentle tug and redirect her. I take control of the remainder of the walk; she goes where I want to take her.”

—Jesse Nyland

TRAINING DAYS

During her training, Nyland would seek out places that Xena would be interested in going. She was afraid of traffic so he steered clear of it. “Once we were out,” Nyland said, “the distraction of the place was enough to make her forget all about the harness. Each time we went out, she became more comfortable with the harness.”

Nyland feels the key to their success was that when he took her out, they did what she wanted to do. “She really has approval over the time we spend outdoors. She likes to see people, so I take her out where she will likely encounter people on our walks.”

FOLLOWING THE LEADER

When they begin their walk, Nyland lets Xena lead. They live next to a park, so when he sets her down he lets her pick the initial direction, but he keeps her on the path. “The more I took her out, and the more often she got to go where she wanted, the more eager she became about her walks. I let her lead first, but then I give her a gentle tug and redirect her. I take control of the remainder of the walk; she goes where I want to take her.”

That said, when they walk, Xena often tries to take over the lead. If she stops or tries to go in a different direction, Nyland will give a little tug and redirect her. She ignores rabbits and birds; when she’s out in the park she doesn’t get distracted. She’s too busy making progress. If she gets tired, Nyland picks her up and carries her for a while.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Nyland’s cat-walking equipment includes a padded harness with clips and a standard leash. He prefers a standard leash so that Xena’s distance from him is always the same.

CAT-WALKING TIPS

When asked for tips on training your cat to walk on a leash, Nyland had a few:

•   Make sure you have a comfortable harness for your cat. Nyland prefers padded harnesses and walking jackets to the plain straps.

•   Figure out what your cat likes and take it to places it will enjoy.

•   Stay away from things/places that scare your cat.

He also feels it helps to start when your cat is still a kitten. Growing up, he had a Siamese cat that loved going places in the car and riding in his bicycle basket. He loved spending time with his people.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Nyland told me that he felt that providing the extra stimulation of a walk is important in exercising your cat’s intelligence and providing exercise. He feels that taking them out of their environment and exposing them to other things and places is important. He believes that you should provide your cat, both inside and outside the home, with things to jump on and a variety of things to stimulate them mentally and physically.

Before the interview ended, Nyland shared a painfully funny joke: “I named my cat Cigarette because every night I put her on a leash and take her out for a drag.”

Ouch!

ZAZEN: SITTING

“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

—old Zen saying

TIME OF DAY

You’re probably familiar with the full lotus position. Most of you have probably attempted it at one time or another and either failed miserably, screamed in pain, or reveled at your flexibility as you easily (look, Ma, no hands!) slid into position. Fortunately, there are a number of acceptable positions that will allow everyone to find a position that’s comfortable.

But why the positions anyway? What if you’re not interested in the ritual aspect of zazen, or any type of meditation for that matter? Can you still practice zazen sans trappings? Good questions. First, the goal of the various positions is to adjust the body to clear the breathing path so that the breath comes effortlessly. There’s also an emphasis on comfort, so the positions have been designed to remain comfortable for long periods of time. Even the full lotus, which for those of us without the flexibility seems harsh, was designed to be stable, balanced, and allow you to sit for long periods without discomfort. So while you don’t necessarily have to select one of the positions outlined in this section, you should be able to find a comfortable one.

EQUIPMENT

Fortunately, you don’t need to go out and purchase much to begin meditating, but you’ll find that using a couple meditation pillows will aid in aligning your spine and increasing the amount of time you can sit comfortably.

A zabuton is a rectangular pillow designed to cushion the meditator’s legs and knees while sitting. Think of it as your meditation mat.

To assist in maintaining a straight spine, many people use a zafu. A zafu is a round meditation pillow. The meditator sits on the edge of it, elevating the pelvis above the knees, which helps to align the spine and distribute the meditators weight. You can use a zafu with or without a zabuton, but they are often used in conjunction. Use of a zafu also helps in positioning the knees so they are touching the zabuton or the floor.

CLOTHING

Choose something loose fitting and comfortable. Often, people meditate in pajamas, sweat suits, and yoga wear.

THE POSITIONS

BURMESE POSITION

In this position, your legs are crossed and the feet lay flat, the upper surface of the foot is flat against the zabuton or floor. The knees should also contact the floor. If you’re having trouble positioning your knees, a zafu may help. Sit on the first third of the cushion and adjust your weight until your knees are flat on the zabuton. At first, this may cause a bit of strain, but over time your muscles will relax and it will come much more easily.

HALF LOTUS POSITION

In this position, the legs are crossed and either the right foot or the left foot is on the opposite thigh. The foot should rest back near the crotch; the other foot should be laid flat against the zabuton. This position can cause an unbalanced feeling in some and you should switch which leg you place on the thigh from time to time.

FULL LOTUS POSITION

In this position, the legs are crossed and the feet are placed on the opposite upper thigh. This is the most stable position of all, as it assists in aligning the spine while creating a stable platform for meditating. While this may be the most stable position, it’s no better than the other positions as for as the actual meditation goes. If you find this position uncomfortable or it requires your attention while meditating, use a different position.

SEIZA OR KNEELING POSITION

This position doesn’t require a zafu. In this position, you sit back on your heels with your knees on the zabuton. If you don’t want to place your weight on your heels, you can also purchase a seiza bench which will allow you to maintain the same position without having to sit on your heels.

SITTING IN A CHAIR

Finally, you can sit in a chair. The best chairs are straight-back so that your spine is kept straight. Your feet should be flat on the floor.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

MEDITATION MUDRA

The meditation mudra is a hand gesture used during meditation. When seated in any of the traditional meditation positions, your hands should form a mudra. The mudra used in Zen forms an oval. The right hand rests on top of the left with the fingers of the right hand cradled by the fingers of the left. The thumb tips come together and touch, forming an oval.

EYES

No matter which position you choose, you will want to rest your hands in a mudra, eyes softly downcast, with your spinal column straight.

If you follow these instructions, you should be in the perfect position to breathe and remain comfortable for the duration of your practice session.