Let's do this.

Blue and I have a lot to share, so here we go…

The pattern begins.

During my 4th year of dental school, I applied to an orthodontic residency. I thought I had a really good chance for acceptance. My class rank and GPA were strong, my test scores were good, and I was already working part time in an orthodontic office. In addition, the admissions committee loved previous research experience…and I even had that. I had everything covered.

The only thing left was an interview…

When it was time for the interview I felt like everything I had to offer was already noted in my application. And to speak of my experience and qualifications any further just felt uncomfortable and egotistical. I didn’t want to sell myself. And, it turns out I didn’t.

They accepted seven residents, and unfortunately I was not one of them. The reason I was given…“you refused to talk about yourself”.

I was completely crushed.

Fast forward to the summer of 2022.

I had received multiple emails for the two year, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. These two incredible leaders and teachers would be joined by an amazing teaching collective.

Mindfulness meditation was always part of my yoga practice and training…but I was very interested in pursuing a mindfulness meditation specific program. I wanted to deepen my own practice and understanding.

So after a lot of consideration…I finally thought…ok I am a “yes” for this.

There was an application process…

When I filled out the application I did not share any of my past yoga and meditation training and certifications. I didn’t share that I had visited and practiced at some amazing spiritual centers. I didn’t share how I had incorporated yoga and meditation into my personal and professional life. And, I didn’t share that yoga and meditation helped resource me enough to carry some pretty hard things in my life.

Nope…I didn’t share any of that. I filled in the basics and made myself small.

I was denied admission for this program too. And, I was advised that I could reapply in another two years for the next cohort.

Hmmm…this felt familiar. Once again, I had refused to talk about myself.

I thought about it for a week or so…and I just couldn’t let it go. So, I wrote back to the admissions committee and asked if I could be reconsidered.

After a phone conversation, I was given an opportunity to redo my application to offer a more accurate representation of who I was and what my experience had been.

They took another look at my application, and I was granted admission.

The program was incredible.

Here we are in June 2025.

One of my mentors posed the question to me: “Why should somebody subscribe to Dogs & Mindfulness?” And, I realized…I’ve never asked anyone to subscribe.

When I tell people about our newsletter…I usually say something like:

Blue and I started this creation and were wondering if we could send you a link…

No pressure at all to look…

Substack will ask you if you want to subscribe, but no pressure to do that either…

Blah! Why do I say it like that when Blue and I TRULY believe in the connection between dogs and mindfulness??? We love our newsletter, and we want to share our stories and teachings with everyone we can!

The truth is…I STILL feel vulnerable and shy about sharing who I am and what I have to offer.

A shift.

I think it’s time that I take some ownership in passing on teachings that have so generously been passed on to me.

–So, Blue and I want to start talking more about mindfulness. What it is, different aspects, how to practice…

–And, it’s likely we might throw some yoga in there sometimes as well.

So, what is mindfulness?

Let’s start with a story that Jack Kornfield told in a course that he and Tara Brach teach called “The Power of Awareness”...

There was a young man in the military who had a problem with his temper. He got angry easily and lost control quickly.

So his superior officer insisted he take an 8 week course on mindfulness.

After about 6 weeks of mindfulness training, he was on his way home one evening and stopped at the supermarket.

It was crowded with long lines, and there was a woman in front of him who was in the wrong line.

She only had one item and should have been in the express line.

And the man was annoyed.

She was carrying a baby. And when she got up to the clerk, they both started to ooh and ahh over the baby. And, then she even handed the baby over to the clerk to hold.

The man became really upset. He thought ‘how unthoughtful ...there is a long line and people are in a hurry’. And he felt the anger rise in his body.

But, because he had also been training himself in mindfulness he began to notice the pain of that anger and realized that there was nothing that it would help with.

After the anger had settled down, he took a few deep breaths…and he looked up and realized the baby was really kind of cute.

When he got up to the clerk to check out, he said ‘that was a cute little boy that you were holding’....

And she said…‘Oh, did you like him? He’s my boy. You see, my husband was in the military like you, but he was killed in Afghanistan last year. So, now I have to work full -time. And my mom takes care of my boy. And, she tries to bring him in once a day so I can see him.’

—Jack Kornfield

I invite you to PAUSE for just a moment, take a deep breath and let that story land…

---

We cannot possibly know what is going on in the lives of others. What battles someone might be facing…

We can be so quick to judge others. And—ourselves.

Mindfulness invites us to step out of our conditioned reactivity. It allows us to quiet our minds, and to see ourselves and others with care and compassion.

Mindfulness for Blue and me.

At Blue’s school we often do an exercise called Figure 8 or Bob and Weave.

All of the humans and dogs get into a big circle around the room. Each dog and their human stand close together and with a little distance between the dog and human pair on either side of them.

Our professor chooses which pair should lead, and that pair begins to make their way around the circle in a figure 8 pattern weaving in between all of the other humans and dogs. Once the first pair is on the move, the next pair starts following. And, so it goes around the circle…

This exercise is challenging whether you are just standing there while other dogs pass by you…or whether you are the ones walking and weaving. There are so many distractions!

The goal is to have your dog focused on you and not be interested or make contact with the other dogs or humans. Yep, super easy.

This means that when Blue is in close proximity to his friends he has to refrain from initiating play. He can’t even say “what’s up?” to anyone….IMPROBABLE.

AND, when Blue is close to his girlfriend, Gracie (aka Miss Blondie),…he has to refrain from bursting into her personal space!

—I have apologized for our infractions more times than I can count to both Gracie and her mother.

And then there is Jazz—a quite handsome, yellow Labrador Retriever. He is such a cool and confident fella…and an absolute sweetheart!

Blue has tried for a very long time to get Jazz’s attention. And Blue is just so certain that Jazz could be one of his BFFs.

Jazz seems to be more of an “eh” on the potential friendship. But he has always been super tolerant of Blue…even when Blue breaks all boundaries to enthusiastically give Jazz a “hello”!

—I have also apologized to Jazz and his dad more times than I can count.

Well, I used to dread this Bob and Weave exercise because I just felt like we were failing every single time.

Recently, Blue helped me recognize this is actually a beautiful mindfulness practice. Just as he and I weave through the circle with distractions, we move through our lives with distractions. But when we step out of the reactivity, we can see ourselves and others with care and compassion.

And Blue…he shows me more care, love and compassion than I could possibly deserve. Blue is an amazing little teacher. And, I am so grateful.

We’ve been listening to a song by Ed Sheeran…It’s called What do I know? Here are a few lyrics:

“I’ll be sitting here with a song I wrote

Saying love could change the world in a moment

But what do I know?

Love can change the world in a moment

But what do I know?”

—Ed Sheeran

Exciting things this week.

—Congratulations to Blue’s friend, Dak! We are extremely proud of you for earning your Novice and Intermediate Tricks Certificate!!!

—Happy Father’s Day! We send love to all of the fathers out there…both dog dads and human dads!!

—Blue sends a very Happy Father’s day wish to his Boss!

Thank you Boss for all of the love, comfort and fun! And, so sorry that most of your socks have holes in them! Love, Blue

A gentle ask.

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Until we write again,