Cats

I like cats for a lot of reasons, although my love is definitely tested on a regular basis by the many irritating and destructive things that they do. But one of the things that I love most about cats is their inspiring physical abilities. They don’t train and yet they perform amazing physical feats effortlessly and gracefully – for the most part. Like lifting a leg over the ear (albeit often to lick butt – gross), or scampering up a flight of stairs in seconds flat from a dead stop. My male cat can also leap from the kitchen counters to the top of the cabinets. He has never missed. He performs with such confidence and ease.

Also, cats are masters of “going limp.” If you try to pick a cat up when he or she does not want to be moved, the cat will become limp in a way that seems to double or even triple the animal’s weight. (This is similar to what non-violent protesters are trained to do when arrested.) In Tai Chi, there is an emphasis on relaxation in order to cultivate rootedness. Cats just seem to do this naturally. It is like they turn on a magnet which draws their bodies to the earth.

And, of course, they are excellent nappers.