One Memory, Two Perspectives: Reflections from Both Ends of the Leash
Una memoria, dos perspectivas: reflexiones desde ambos extremos de la correa
đž Welcome to the third Pomodogo practice session! đď¸ In this episode, weâre taking mindfulness to the next level by reflecting on a single memory through two perspectives: yours and your dogâs. Using the techniques from our first two sessions, weâll explore how being present can help you better understand your pupâs experience and strengthen your bond.
Whether youâre new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, this session offers something uniqueâintegrating your dogâs perspective for the first time. So, grab your leash (and an open mind), and letâs dive into this meaningful exercise together! đ
đ§ Tune in now and discover the magic of seeing the world through your dogâs eyes!
Transcript S0 I E4: One Memory, Two Perspectives: Reflections from Both Ends of the Leash
Welcome to the third practice session of the Pomodogo Experience. Today we will apply the basic mindfulness techniques we practiced in our first two sessions to become present and be able to reconstruct and reflect on a single memory from two perspectives, a human and a canine one. If you are new to mindfulness, and this session remains a bit difficult, donât worry, we guarantee youâll feel more comfortable in time. If you are not new to mindfulness, this session will probably not be what you are used to and hopefully, a happy surprise. So, regardless of your level of experience, we hope you enjoy the session. As a heads up, because this is the first time we are integrating our dogsâ perspective into the session, youâll hear me a bit more providing guidance. Ok, letâs dive in!
Begin by finding a comfortable position, whether seated in a chair, on the floor, or using a cushion. Ensure that your back is upright but not stiff, and if you're seated on a chair, place your feet flat on the ground. If you're on the floor or a cushion, allow your hips to be slightly elevated. You're welcome to invite your dog to sit by your side, or let them explore until they naturally settle. I'll give you a few moments to settle in.
20 second silence
For today's session, we will close our eyes to direct our focus inward, so gently close your eyes and allow yourself to relax and slow down. Let's begin by taking our customary 3 deep breaths, slowly counting to 5 as you inhale and 5 as you exhale. As before, if the time given to complete your three deep breaths is too long or too short donât worry. What we are hoping to do is to use longer, deeper breaths to calm ourselves and to create a transition between the before and the now. So if you donât get to or go over the 5 breaths, itâs totally OK.
30 second silence
Become aware of your breathing and the sensations you feel. For example, notice how you transition from inhaling to exhaling, how the current of air at the tip of your nose changes from one to the other, or how your chest or belly rise and fall. Iâll give you a few seconds to do this.
30 seconds silence
Focusing on your breath should have helped you to become calmer and more present, if this is not the case feel free to pause the recording and take extra time to do this. Once you feel relaxed and ready, just hit play again.
The practice today uses a recent memory of you and your dog, specifically trying to think about the last time you were out with him or her and they, for some reason or another pulled, on the leash wanting to go in a different direction . If this does not happen with your dog, then think of a time when you witnessed this interaction between someone else and their dog.
I am going to give you a few prompts followed by a few seconds of silence to help you build the scene in your mind. As I ask them visualize the details that result from answering the questions.
Where was it?
4 second silence
What was the time of day?
4 second silence
What was the weather like?
4 second silence
Who there soemone with you?
4 second silence
Were there a few or a lot of people nearby?
4 second silence
Were there any other dogs or animals nearby?
4 second silence
How were you feeling?
4 second silence
How do you think your dog was feeling?
4 second silence
How were you feeling towards your dog?
4 second silence
What sounds and noises were happening?
4 second silence
How did it smell?
4 second silence
How did you react when your dog pulled on the leash?
4 second silence
If Iâve missed a detail you feel is important to complete your memory of the incident please go ahead and add it to the mental picture we created. Now let's take a moment to observe the scene as an outsider. Imagine viewing the memory from a vantage point in the air, allowing us to see not only ourselves and our dog, but the entire context and interactions within the environment. Iâll give you a few seconds to soar over the memory and really take it in.
20 second silence
Now that we have had a chance to see the incident from our human perspective, albeit from a birdâs eye view I would like to invite you to recreate it from your dogâs perspective. Because we are just getting started in becoming more aware of our dogsâ experience this might feel a bit weird, but it is one of tools we will use to help you unleash a deeper bond with your dog. We will revisit the prompts we used earlier, along with a new set of prompts that would matter to your dog so as to help you recreate the memory from their point of view. As before every prompt will be followed by a few seconds of silence.
Where was it? Was your dog comfortable in this environment? Was it a place you usually visit? What was the surface you were walking on?
6 second silence
What was the time of day? Was it during a time you routinely walked your dog, or was it at an unusual hour?
6 second silence
What was the weather like? Was it sunny or cloudy? Windy or still? Humid or dry? Hot, mild, or cold?
6 second silence
Who else was there? Was there someone you knew nearby or just fellow pedestrians? Was there a particular segment of people, for example a group of kids or teenagers? Was it crowded?
6 second silence
Were there any other dogs or animals nearby for example birds or squirrels? If there were dogs, how far away or close were they? Were they approaching you and your dog in a straight line or more from an angle?
6 second silence
How were you feeling? Were you mad, stressed, nervous or content? Were you on the phone or listening to something?
6 second silence
How do you think your dog was feeling? Were they calm or excited? In what position were their ears in? Did they have their hackles raised? What was their tail doing?
6 second silence
How were you feeling towards your dog? Were you in a hurry to finish the walk or just taking a leisurely stroll?
6 second silence
What sounds and noises were happening? How loud were they? Were there sounds like construction work or sirens?
6 second silence
Do you remember any specific smells? Had the grass just been cut? Was there a nearby dumpster or garbage can? Was there a nearby flower bed?
6 second silence
How did you react when your dog pulled on the leash? Were you surprised? Did you pull back? Did you see it coming?
6 second silence
Now I will give you a bit of commentary on some of the canine-centric questions we added to help you understand why they mattered for your dog, and maybe even allow you to identify the reason your dog pulled on the leash.
When you think of where it was, what matters to your dog is how familiar they might be not only with the place itself but with the conditions. For example, even though the place is part of your daily walk, there might have been an event going on that is not usually there. This can make it feel a little strange for your dog which they are not totally familiar with and which they will approach with a bit more caution.
The time of day matters to your dog because they are creatures that thrive on routine. A different hour can change the conditions of the place your dog is used to, or it could be confusing as to why you are on a walk now when it is not routinely the case.
Weather matters to your dog because sounds and smells travel differently in different air pressure or humidity levels. Temperature changes might affect your dog more than yourself, because although dogs' body temperatures are only 2-3 degrees higher than humans, the presence of fur and limited cooling mechanisms can make them feel much hotter in warm conditions, so if it was a hot sunny day for you it would for sure have been a very hot day for them.
Who else was there matters for your dog because they might have picked up on someoneâs familiar smell that might not even be around anymore. They might also be reacting to a group of people that might be noisy or fast moving such as kids or teenagers.
Other nearby animals might have caused your dog to want to change direction and follow or chase the animals themselves or their scents.
Your feelings matter because how you feel travels down the leash. Dogs pick up on your feelings and react to them.
Your dogâs state matters because it dictates their behavior. Knowing what cues to look for in your dogâs body language will help you understand how they are feeling.
Sounds and smells are very important for dogs, both in a positive and a negative sense. They can cause them to change direction suddenly.
Now, letâs take a few seconds to consider all of these conditions. We will dive into each of them in future sessions, expanding a bit more on the differences between how we experience the world and how they do. So, letâs slowly come back to our breath, breathing regularly and calmly, taking the next 90 seconds to zoom out on the two memories we recreated, playing them back from both a human and a canine perspective and reflecting on the similarities and differences between them.
90 second silence
Now, letâs close with our customary three deep breaths.
30 second silence
When you're ready, open your eyes slowly and take a moment to reorient yourself and notice how you feel. If your dog is next to you and they like to be touched, go ahead and give them a cuddle.
How did you feel during the practice session? We hope the added level of guidance wasnât too distracting. We know it adds a layer of difficulty in trying to remain in uninterrupted focus, but we hope you were able to quickly move through our prompts, your thoughts and your emotions to return to the breath. As we move forward, youâll be able to remain focused in the present and be able to quickly shift your attention towards your dog and their experience. All you need to do is be a bit patient and continue on this journey with us.
Finally, if you want to listen to this practice a few times before moving forward please do so. We are sure that you might be able to remember new details or you can even try it using a different memory altogether. Alternatively you can return to it at any time.. And as always, thank you for taking the time to listen to Pomodogo. You will notice that as we move forward, these sessions will become a sort of wise companion, a guide to deepen your understanding of your own mind and who your dog is, influencing not only your relationship with your dog but with everyone and everything in your life.
In our next episode, our first knowledge share, we will expand on the logic behind combining mindfulness and canine science to improve pet partnerships. See you next week!
Episode written and produced by Luisa Ruge Š 2024
đž ÂĄBienvenidos a la tercera sesiĂłn de prĂĄctica de Pomodogo! đď¸
En este episodio, llevaremos la atenciĂłn plena al siguiente nivel reflexionando sobre un solo recuerdo desde dos perspectivas: la tuya y la de tu perro. Utilizando las tĂŠcnicas de nuestras dos primeras sesiones, exploraremos cĂłmo estar presentes puede ayudarte a comprender mejor la experiencia de tu perro y fortalecer su vĂnculo.
Ya seas nuevo en la atenciĂłn plena o un practicante experimentado, esta sesiĂłn ofrece algo Ăşnico: integrar la perspectiva de tu perro por primera vez. AsĂ que, toma tu correa (y una mente abierta), ÂĄy vamos a sumergirnos en este ejercicio significativo juntos! đ
đ§ ÂĄEscucha ahora y descubre la magia de ver el mundo a travĂŠs de los ojos de tu perro!
TranscripciĂłn: T0 I E4: Una memoria, dos perspectivas: reflexiones desde ambos extremos de la correa
Bienvenidos al tercer episodio de Pomodogo. Hoy usaremos las tĂŠcnicas de atenciĂłn plena que aprendimos en las Ăşltimas dos sesiones para asentarnos en el presente y reconstruir un recuerdo desde una perspectiva humana y una canina. Si eres nuevo en la atenciĂłn plena y esta sesiĂłn te resulta un poco difĂcil, no te preocupes, como he venido diciendo, te garantizamos que con el tiempo te sentirĂĄs mĂĄs cĂłmodo. Si este tipo de prĂĄctica es algo que haces comĂşnmente, esta sesiĂłn podrĂĄ parecerte un poco rara, pero esperamos que se convierta en una sorpresa agradable. Dado que es la primera vez que integramos la perspectiva de nuestros perros en la sesiĂłn, estarĂŠ dĂĄndote un poco mĂĄs de orientaciĂłn. ÂĄBien, comencemos!
Comienza encontrando una posiciĂłn cĂłmoda, ya sea sentado en una silla, en el suelo o usando un cojĂn. AsegĂşrate de que tu espalda estĂŠ erguida pero no rĂgida, y si estĂĄs sentado en una silla, coloca los pies planos en el suelo. Si estĂĄs en el suelo o en un cojĂn, permite que tus caderas estĂŠn ligeramente elevadas y cruza tus piernas. Si tu perra o perro estĂĄ relajado y quieres, puedes invitarlo o invitarla a sentarse a tu lado o si prefieres, puedes dejarlo en el lugar que estaba. Si quieres ponle pausa Te darĂŠ unos momentos para que te acomodes.
20 segundos de silencio
Hoy, cerraremos los ojos para facilitar la prĂĄctica. AsĂ que adelante, cierra los ojos y permĂtete desacelerar. Comenzaremos tomando nuestras acostumbradas 3 respiraciones profundas, contando lentamente hasta 5 al inhalar y 5 al exhalar. Como siempre, si el tiempo dado para completar tus tres respiraciones profundas es demasiado largo o corto, no te preocupes. Lo que esperamos lograr es usar respiraciones mĂĄs largas y profundas para centrarnos y crear una transiciĂłn entre lo que estabas haciendo antes y el presente. AsĂ que si no llegas a las 5 respiraciones o llegas a mĂĄs de 5 no te preocupes.
30 segundos de silencio
Toma conciencia de tu respiraciĂłn y de las sensaciones que sientes en tu cuerpo. Por ejemplo, nota cĂłmo pasas de inhalar al exhalar, la corriente de aire en la punta de tu nariz cambia de direcciĂłn, o cĂłmo tu pecho o abdomen suben y bajan. Te darĂŠ unos segundos para hacer esto.
30 segundos de silencio
Concentrarte en tu respiraciĂłn deberĂa haberte ayudado a estar mĂĄs calmado y presente; si no es el caso, siĂŠntete libre poner pausa y tomarte un poco mĂĄs de tiempo para lograrlo. Una vez que te sientas relajado, simplemente vuelve a presionar "play".
La prĂĄctica de hoy usa un recuerdo reciente con tu perro, especĂficamente el recordar la Ăşltima vez que saliste con ĂŠl o ella y, por alguna razĂłn, tirĂł de la correa queriendo ir en una direcciĂłn diferente a la tuya. Si esto no sucede con tu perro, entonces piensa en un momento en el que fuiste testigo de esta interacciĂłn entre otra persona y su perro.
Voy a preguntarte algunos detalles seguidos de unos segundos de silencio para ayudarte a construir la escena en tu mente.
ÂżDĂłnde fue?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżQuĂŠ horas eran?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo estaba el clima?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabia alguien mas contigo?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabia mucha o poca gente alrederor?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabĂa otros perros o animales cerca?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo te sentĂas?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo crees que se sentĂa tu perro?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo te estabas sentiendo hacia tu perro?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżQuĂŠ sonidos o ruidos habĂa?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabia algun olor en particualr?
4 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo reaccionaste cuando tu perro tirĂł de la correa?
4 segundos de silencio
Si he omitido algĂşn detalle que consideres importante para aramar el recuerdo, adelante, agrĂŠgalo a tu imagen mental. Ahora tomemos un momento para observar la escena como un espectador externo. Imagina que estĂĄs viendo el recuerdo desde el aire, visualizandote a ti, a tu perro y al entorno en general. Te darĂŠ unos segundos para hacer esto.
20 segundos de silencio
Ahora que hemos tenido la oportunidad de ver el incidente desde una perspectiva humana, aunque acabamos de ver la escena como pajaros, me gustarĂa invitarte a recrearlo desde la perspectiva de tu perro. Como estamos comenzando a ser mĂĄs conscientes de la experiencia de nuestros perros, esto podrĂa parecer un poco raro, pero es una de las herramientas que utilizaremos para ayudarte a construir un vĂnculo mĂĄs profundo con tu perro. Vamos a volver a hacernos las preguntas anteriores, junto con unas nuevas que habĂan sido importantes para tu perra, y asĂ ayudarte a recrear el recuerdo desde su punto de vista. Como antes, habĂan unos segundos de silencio despuĂŠs de cada pregunta.
ÂżDĂłnde fue? ÂżSe sentĂa cĂłmodo o cĂłmoda tu perro en este entorno? ÂżEstaban en un lugar que suelen visitar? ÂżCĂłmo era la superficie por la que caminaban?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżQuĂŠ hora era? ÂżEra una hora en la que suelen pasear?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo estaba el clima? ÂżEstaba soleado o nublado? ÂżHabĂa viento o estaba tranquilo? ÂżEstaba hĂşmedo o seco el ambiente? ÂżHacĂa calor, estaba templado o hacĂa frĂo?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabĂa alguien mĂĄs contigo? ÂżHabĂa mucha o poca gente? ÂżHabĂa algĂşn grupo particular de personas, por ejemplo, niĂąos o adolescentes?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżHabĂa otros perros o animales cerca como pĂĄjaros o ardillas? Si habĂa perros, ÂżquĂŠ tan lejos o cerca estaban? ÂżSe acercaban hacia ustedes en lĂnea recta o mĂĄs desde un ĂĄngulo?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo te estabas sintiendo? ÂżEstabas enojado, estresado, nervioso o tranquilo? ÂżEstabas hablando por telĂŠfono, o oyendo algo?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo crees que se sentĂa tu perro? ÂżEstaba calmado o emocionado? ÂżEn quĂŠ posiciĂłn estaban sus orejas? ÂżTenĂa el lomo erizado? ÂżQuĂŠ hacĂa su cola?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo te sentĂas hacia tu perro? ÂżTenĂas prisa por terminar el paseo o simplemente estabas disfrutando de un paseo tranquilo?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżQuĂŠ sonidos o ruidos habĂa? ÂżQuĂŠ tan fuertes eran? ÂżHabĂa ruido de alguna obra, construcciĂłn o alarmas?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżRecuerdas algĂşn olor especĂfico? ÂżHabĂan cortado el pasto recientemente? ÂżHabĂa un contenedor de basura cerca? ÂżHabĂa un jardĂn de flores cerca?
6 segundos de silencio
ÂżCĂłmo reaccionaste cuando tu perro tirĂł de la correa? ÂżTe sorprendiĂł? ÂżTiraste hacia atrĂĄs? ÂżLo viste venir?
6 segundos de silencio
Ahora te explicarĂŠ un poco el porquĂŠ de las preguntas adicionales para ayudarte a entender por quĂŠ eran importantes, y tal vez incluso permitirte identificar la razĂłn por la cual tu perro tirĂł de la correa.
Cuando piensas en dĂłnde fue, lo que importa para tu perro es cuĂĄn familiar le resulta o no, no solo el lugar en sĂ, sino tambiĂŠn las condiciones. Por ejemplo, aunque el lugar sea parte de su paseo diario, podrĂa haber habido un evento o un grupo de personas no suelen estar ahĂ. Esto puede hacer que tu perro desconozca un poco el lugar y lo visite con un poco mĂĄs de cautela.
La hora del dĂa le importa a tu perro porque son seres que les gusta la rutina. Salir a un mismo lugar a una hora no acostumbrada puede cambiar sus condiciones como por ejemplo,. a lo que huele o quienes estĂĄn presentes, o podrĂa ser confuso entender por quĂŠ estĂĄn de paseo a una hora no habitual.
Para tu perro o perra, el clima y sus condiciones, temperatura, humedad, presiĂłn del aire puede cambiar la forma en que se dispersan los olores o suenan los sonidos. Adicionalmente, la temperatura puede afectar mĂĄs a tu perro porque aunque la temperatura corporal de los perros es sĂłlo 2-3 grados mĂĄs alta que la de los humanos, la presencia de su pelaje y los mecanismos limitados de enfriamiento pueden hacer que se sientan mucho mĂĄs calientes en condiciones de calor, asĂ que si para ti estaba haciendo calor, para ellos seguro estaba calientisimo!
QuiĂŠn mĂĄs estaba allĂ importa porque tu perro podrĂa haber captado el olor familiar de alguien que o ni siquiera estaba cerca, o se habĂa ido hace un rato. TambiĂŠn podrĂa haber estado reaccionando a la presencia de un grupo de personas ruidosas o que se movĂan rĂĄpidamente, como niĂąos o adolescentes.
La presencia cercana de otros animales podrĂan haber hecho que tu perro quisiera cambiar de direcciĂłn para seguirlos o perseguirlos, o seguir sus olores.
Tus sentimientos importan porque cĂłmo te sientes viaja a travĂŠs de la correa. Los perros perciben tus emociones y reaccionan ante ellas.
El estado de tu perro o perra es importante porque dicta su comportamiento. Saber quĂŠ seĂąales buscar en el lenguaje corporal de tu perro te ayudarĂĄ a entender cĂłmo se siente.
Los sonidos y olores son muy importantes para los perros, tanto de manera positiva como negativa. Pueden hacer que cambien de direcciĂłn de repente.
Ahora, tomemos unos segundos para considerar todos estos detalles. En episodios futuros profundizaremos en cada uno de ellos, entendiendo un poco mĂĄs cĂłmo afectan nuestra experiencia como humanos y la de ellos o ellas como perros. Volvamos lentamente a nuestra respiraciĂłn, respirando de manera regular y calmada, tomĂĄndonos los prĂłximos 90 segundos para reflexionar sobre las dos perspectivas que recreamos, la humana y la canina, sus similitudes y diferencias.
90 segundos de silencio
Ahora, cerremos la prĂĄctica con nuestras tres respiraciones profundas.
30 segundos de silencio
Cuando estĂŠs listo o lista, abre tus ojos lentamente y tomate unos segundos para reorientarte y toma conciencia de cĂłmo te sientes. Si tu perro estĂĄ a tu lado y le gusta, adelante, consiĂŠntelo.
ÂżCĂłmo te sentiste durante esta prĂĄctica? Esperamos que el nivel adicional de guĂa no te haya distraĂdo demasiado. Sabemos que aĂąade una capa de dificultad al intentar mantener tu enfoque, pero esperamos que hayas podido seguir mis indicaciones, y tomar conciencia de tus pensamientos y emociones para volver a la respiraciĂłn. A medida que avancemos, serĂĄs capaz de mantenerte enfocado en el presente y cambiar tu atenciĂłn hacia tu perro y su experiencia. Todo lo que necesitas hacer es ser un poco paciente y continuar en este viaje con nosotros.
Finalmente, si deseas escuchar esta prĂĄctica varias veces antes de avanzar, no dudes en hacerlo. Estamos seguros de que podrĂas recordar nuevos detalles o incluso intentar la prĂĄctica utilizando un recuerdo diferente. Alternativamente, puedes volver a ella en cualquier momento. Y como siempre, gracias por tomarte el tiempo para oir Pomodogo. A medida que avancemos, estos episodios se convertirĂĄn en una especie de sabio compaĂąero, una guĂa para profundizar en tu comprensiĂłn de tu propia mente y de quiĂŠn es tu perro o perra, influyendo no solo en tu relaciĂłn con ellos, sino tambiĂŠn con las personas y todo lo que te rodea.
En nuestro prĂłximo episodio, nuestro primer episodio de conocimiento, ampliaremos un poco sobre la lĂłgica detrĂĄs de combinar la atenciĂłn plena y la ciencia canina para mejorar la relaciĂłn con tu mascota. ÂĄNos vemos la prĂłxima semana!
Episodio escrito y producido por Luisa Ruge Š 2024