Meditiation, Mindfulness and Cats
Sometimes it can be difficult to switch off and relax after a stressful day, and often we spend most of our time in front of screens, processing lots of different information, moving on to the next thing after a few seconds. It can be beneficial to slow down and make time to relax – even if it’s just for ten minutes. If you’re thinking that you could do with a little down time right now, then you might want to have a look at the rescue cat mindfulness video from The Blue Cross. Curious to find out more? Then read on.
It’s well known that meditation can work wonders for our health. What’s more, thanks to science we now know that cat videos can reduce stress and make us happy. But could the two be combined to create the definitive wellbeing routine that could also benefit homeless cats? ‘Yes’ is the short answer as pet charity Blue Cross has proven today by releasing the first ever guided meditation cat video.
Working with mindfulness experts at the Mindfulness Project, the six-minute video class, called ‘Karma Kitties’, marries the essential principles of mindfulness classes with cute rescue cat video clips and the soothing sounds of cats.
The meditation video features an adorable cast of homeless cats and kittens cared for by Blue Cross, all showcasing their innate therapeutic powers.
Through specific imagery and sounds of cats purring, playing, sleeping and snoozing, the guided class allows the viewer to focus on, and pay attention to, the sensations, thoughts and emotions evoked by the pets. A voiceover from the Mindfulness Project guides the viewer through the class, making it suitable for beginners as well as seasoned meditators.
The guided cat meditation class has been created by Blue Cross to help highlight the plight of rescue cats and show how connected our own wellbeing is with that of our pets. And with almost 5,000 cats and kittens taken into the care of Blue Cross last year - the charity’s highest number ever - there are a huge number of homeless felines waiting for new lives in happy homes.
Laura Boyle, Rehoming Centre Manager at Torbay Blue Cross, says “Mindfulness is becoming so popular and by pairing this trend with the potential therapeutic benefits of cat videos, there’s a good chance that Karma Kitties could be the ultimate stress-busting routine. This year, we have seen so many kittens and cats come to our centres in need of a new home. Owning a rescue cat can bring enjoyment, happiness and fulfilment to both owner and pet so we hope this video will have benefits to both pets and people.
Alexa Frey, Co-Founder and Director of the Mindfulness Project and author of ‘I Am Here Now’ comments “This is a really unique venture for us, and when we were approached by Blue Cross we couldn’t wait to get involved. There’s so much research showing the calming influence of cats on humans and so it marries really well to the principles of mindfulness. We hope the class brings calm and tranquillity to people all across the country and encourages people to bring a rescue cat into their lives”.
Karma Kitties was trialled by the Mindfulness Project at a one-off event in the capital where cat lovers reported that the video was definitely calming and relaxing
Christina Moore, 30 commented:
“I felt incredibly happy after watching the at-home Karma Kitties cat mindfulness video. It’s definitely something I would like to incorporate into my everyday life – it’s the perfect length! Everyone loves cat videos, me included and as this combines the cuteness of cats and helps with my wellbeing, it’s definitely something I want to get involved with.”
If you’re sitting comfortably at home and want an excuse to watch some beautiful cats, why not take a look at the video?
We trialled this in the office for a quick break and found it quite relaxing – although I did feel a little strange sitting at my desk with my eyes closed! It was very relaxing once i’d settled in and began to watch the cats, and I can imagine it would be much more effective to watch at home, where I could really switch off and not worry about getting back to work!
The video does a great job of making you relax, and showcasing some of the beautiful cats and kittens the Blue Cross look after. If you want any information about rehoming a Blue Cross cat, their website has all the information you need. The Blue Cross have been looking after sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897, and they’ve helped thousands of animals every year since. Their video with the Mindfulness Project is a great idea which will hopefully help lots of humans find a bit of peace and tranquility, and help lots of cats find their forever homes.
Find out more about the project here
