THE MINDFUL PANDA (And the Anxious Poodle)
Picture Credit: https://unsplash.com/@chesterho
What Animals Really Teach Us
It has been noted that animals live in the moment, that they do not overthink or worry like we do. That they simply are.
And for the most part, I believe that to be true.
Just watch a panda - one of my favourite animals as they just make me smile.
They tumble and roll without a care in the world, climb trees with clumsy joy, fall, flop and do it all again. There is no shame, no internal chatter (we assume) about how it looked or who was watching. A baby panda falls hundreds of times while learning to walk and each fall becomes part of the fun. They embody ease, presence and gentle curiosity. It is no wonder they have become a symbol of peace and slow living.
And yet, it seems that not all animals live this way.
Let us take my Toy Poodle - Louis, for example. He is just shy of 14 years old, well loved (like my second child) and incredibly bonded to me. He has always been my shadow and when I am near, he relaxes into his space, his little body softened with happiness, his world complete. Yet, when I leave, even just for a short time, it is a different story. He waits. Tense, alert, often shaking. Eyes fixed on the front door. He does not seem to settle. It is as if the world stops making sense without me there to regulate it, even when someone else is in the house.
And I understand that. I do.
I know I have not trained him like someone else might have as my ADHD brain did not always follow a routine, but what I have come to see is this: he has been teaching me something all this time.
He is teaching me about the nervous system, about what happens when we do not feel safe enough to rest, about the difference between stillness and bracing. Between mindfulness and vigilance and how, like us, animals can carry their own patterns, their own responses, their own sensitivities.
But Do Animals Really Live in the Moment?
In many ways, yes, but not always and not all of them.
While most animals do not have a human-style thinking mind that gets caught up in stories or mental chatter, research shows that some animals can anticipate events, remember patterns and even display signs of attachment or anxiety.
Wild animals, like pandas, deer, or birds are often beautifully present because their survival depends on being tuned in to their senses. They are not ruminating on yesterday’s climb or worrying about tomorrow’s rainfall. They are in their bodies, alert and alive to now.
But domesticated animals, like dogs or parrots, can behave differently.
They have adapted to our rhythms. They respond to our absence. They can even show signs of emotional conditioning, shaped by love, neglect, or inconsistency.
Not because they think about it the way we do, but because their nervous systems remember.
So while animals may not “overthink,” they still react to stress and like us, they return to presence more easily when they feel safe.
So while the panda reminds me to play, to fall and get back up with joy…
My poodle reminds me of the human heart.
He shows me how deep our bonds can go. How hard it is to soothe ourselves when we are wired for connection. And how, sometimes, presence is not about focus or discipline, it is about safety. And love.
A Gentle Practice: Calming the Nervous System - For You and Your Inner Poodle
If you ever find yourself feeling a little like my Louis, unsettled, waiting, tense without knowing why, here is a simple grounding practice you can do anytime.
The Hand-to-Heart Pause
I invite you to;
Gently place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Take a slow breath in through your nose. Feel your chest and belly rise.
Exhale softly through your mouth, like a quiet sigh.
As you breathe, silently say:
“I am safe in this moment. I can come home to myself.”Stay here for a minute or two. Let the rhythm of your breath remind your body that it does not need to brace.
You can even try this while sitting with a pet, stroking their fur as you settle your own system. Presence shared is presence deepened.
We often expect ourselves to be like pandas, playful, peaceful, present but some days, we are more like a Louis my poodle at the door and both are part of the mindful path.
The truth is, mindfulness is not just about staying in the moment, it is about meeting the moment with kindness, whatever it brings.
So whether you are tumbling through the grass or waiting for someone you love to return, may you find your own way back to calm, one breath at a time.
