Do animals meditate?
 

Often, animals are highly aware of their surroundings, so they're on alert and very much in this world. However, they don't have a mind like us and unlikely a concept of past and future, so when they're peaceful and resting could they possibly be experiencing meditation? Sometimes when I see birds or dogs all restful (though not sleeping) I wonder if they're meditating or capable of it..

What do you think? :hug3:

Who knows? The outer is deceptive ...

Motionless, sluggish, inert, jejune ... or
Motionless, poised, alert & in tune?
One is a sluggish Koala half asleep ...
The other, a crouching tiger, ready to leap!
Each may be what they want to be!
See! Or be at sea!

I personally think that the state that animals are in is a natural meditative state by default, only because they are not run by the state of self-consciousness humans have. So when a dog is eating he is doing only that, eating. When a bird is taking a bath, they are doing only that. When a squirrel is rummaging in the grass he is only occupied with what he is doing.

And yes I believe the same with any animal as they rest. There is no self-conscious insecurity, guilt, constant or uncontrollable thought or emotion for them because they are simple beings. Their brains do not choose what to focus on nor do their brains choose what type of emotion they want running in their system. They are at one with their environment peaceful or chaotic and they simply are how they are.

Okay, just watched animals in videos. I am convinced animals are meditating when they're in a state of neither fear nor excitement. I mean, if a dog relaxes (s)he's just there, not in thought like us, not in fear and not excited, but in that moment just in the moment. Not consumed with chatter. How more obvious can it be? They ARE in meditation.

I wouldn't call it meditating in the sense us humans meditate. Animals don't have egos so they live in the present moment.