Forget the breathing.
Well, no, don’t forget it, just adopt the following protocols for deep relaxation
First, find a cat.
Admittedly, this is not always easy, even if you live with a cat.
If you know cats at all, you will understand that cats do what they want, when they want, for as long as they want, and no longer.
We should all be so certain of the rightness of our own thoughts and actions!
But once you have found a cat willing to sit with you, get as comfortable in your seat as you can. Preferably your back should be straight but not ramrod straight.
Your feet should be resting on the floor. Your shoulders relaxed. Your chin slightly tucked in.
Your facial muscles…but wait! None of this is important if your cat is not comfortable.
So do nothing until you can say with some certainty that your cat is comfortable, relaxed, and contented, at least for the moment.
To return to the task at hand, the so often frustrating task of finding the sweet spot where you can actually relax, begin to pet your cat.
“Begin” is the operative word here.
One’s cat-petting technique is a skill that may, and sometimes does, take a lifetime…
