With all the talk lately about the benefits of meditation and other ancient Ayurvedic practices, have you ever thought about how your dog might benefit from such alternative practices?
I was curious about meditation and decided to visit the Deepak Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California, a few years ago. I thought Dr. Deepak Chopra (author of Perfect Health and other educational books) could help me learn to meditate and introduce me to a more natural approach to health.
Of course, my service dog, Whistle, accompanied me to the Chopra Center. On the first day, Whistle and I were actually meditating with 400+ workshop participants. I was amazed at how he and I sat so quietly as this large group of people meditated together. It was powerful. We both felt it. Whistle didn’t make a sound. He seemed to connect to the meditative practice and enjoy it as much as I did.
Since my first visit to the Chopra Center, I have explored meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, massage, nutrition and other forms of Ayurvedic practices. I, in no way, claim to be an expert. However, it does provide me with additional ways to manage my health and wellness.
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Ringnalda on the Working Like Dogs radio show. Amanda is a Master Educator with the Chopra Center and the founder of Soul Play Mates, an organization that focuses on education, dog rescue and advocacy. Amanda has studied Ayurveda closely under Dr. Chopra and Dr. David Simon. After discovering her passion for the practices of Ayurveda, she began exploring ways in which these practices could support vibrant health, balance, and well-being for dogs.
Amanda has developed classes on “Doshas for Dogs”. If you don’t know what a dosha is, tune in to the show to hear Amanda talk about it. She’s even developed a Dog Dosha Quiz through the Chopra Center which you can download as a .pdf file. This free quiz will help you determine your dog’s dosha by completing a short mind-body questionnaire about your dog’s characteristics and basic nature.
Mind-body health is a new concept for me but I am intrigued by the impact some of these practices have made in my life. And, because Whistle does so much to selflessly assist me, why wouldn’t I explore some of these alternative treatments to improve his quality of life and longevity?
I would love to hear about any alternative practices you may be learning about and practicing with your assistance dog!
Related Links
For more information about Ayurveda for Dogs, you can listen to Amanda Ringnalda’s interview with Marcie and Whistle at www.petliferadio.com/workingdogsep107.html and visit the Chopra Center’s website www.chopra.com. You can also join the SoulPlayMates Facebook community at www.facebook.com/SoulPlayMates. Download the Dog Dosha quiz at www.workinglikedogs.com/wp-content/uploads/Amanda-DoshaQuiz-Dog-FINAL.pdf.
