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Choosing to Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master
Of all animals, the cat alone attains to the contemplative life. He regards the wheel of existence from without, like the Buddha. Andrew Lang, 1844-1912One rainy morning, Kat Tansey was trying to make a very important decision-should she stay and fight her debilitating depression, or should she choose to end her life? Hamlet-like, she kept turning the matter around in her mind.The problem, as her Buddha master Maine Coon cat Poohbear Degoonacoon, explained, was that the mind she was using was her ordinary mind, not a good place to be when making a decision of irreversible magnitude."Before you make a choice you cannot undo, you need to understand the nature of your own mind," he said. "Whether you are a human or a cat, the same technique applies. You must learn to sit and meditate. And I happen to know more than a little bit about this," he observed, making a point of sitting down and tucking both paws under his chest in his best Buddha pose.And thus begins Kat's journey back to herself, a journey into her own consciousness-where she learns to unlock the secrets of Buddhist meditation and find inner peace.
- GenresBuddhism
164 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 6, 2018
I love cats, that's a fact, but it hasn't always been like that. I used to be a dog - lover, until my cat came on my path and changed my heart. He's now almost 15 years old and he's my personal Buddha. There are a lot of things that we can learn from cats: f.e. dogs have owners, cats have slaves.
The book gives us 12 lessons in 3 main categories: ordinary mind, hindrances and Buddha mind. Each lesson has a series of dialogues between Kat and her cat Poohbear, who is her feline Buddha teacher. There's also Catzenbear, who is the 'sidekick' (little apprentice) of Poohbear. In fact, I've learned the most from Catzenbear, because he was so pure, so himself.
It's not a book on how to practice meditation or on how to become a Buddhist. It's a story about a personal life experience and how to deal with it. On how to find the answers when you ask the right questions.
I always talk to my cat, it's normal, but I feel releaved after that. Kat Tansey uses also cats to personify her dialogues and that it's an interesting way of telling her story.
As to end this review: this personal story helped me a lot in discovering myself and how to face my problems.
The book gives us 12 lessons in 3 main categories: ordinary mind, hindrances and Buddha mind. Each lesson has a series of dialogues between Kat and her cat Poohbear, who is her feline Buddha teacher. There's also Catzenbear, who is the 'sidekick' (little apprentice) of Poohbear. In fact, I've learned the most from Catzenbear, because he was so pure, so himself.
It's not a book on how to practice meditation or on how to become a Buddhist. It's a story about a personal life experience and how to deal with it. On how to find the answers when you ask the right questions.
I always talk to my cat, it's normal, but I feel releaved after that. Kat Tansey uses also cats to personify her dialogues and that it's an interesting way of telling her story.
As to end this review: this personal story helped me a lot in discovering myself and how to face my problems.
December 20, 2008
Choosing to be:
Lessons in Living From a
Feline Zen Master
By Kat Tansey
IUniverse Star
164 Pages
What a Beautiful Book! Patricia Heller, in the Foreword, notes that she thought it was odd that the book was classified as fiction. I wholeheartedly agree! Choosing to be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master by Kat Tansey just may be the self-help book you are looking for!
It is clear that the book was written based upon the personal experience of the author. That she chose to use her cats as characters in telling her story does not detract, but rather enhances its effect, in my opinion. Admittedly, most people know that I love cats; however, the storyline itself is what I related to and learned from most. The cat tales, dialogue, and pictures were fun additions! And cat lovers will enjoy it just for the joy of reading about these two Maine Coons!
Let me first point out that, while the author is presenting information regarding Buddhism, she in no way is suggesting that readers must follow these principles to benefit from her story. What I found interesting was that I personally can attest to much she writes about. Her diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Depression...my own diagnosis was Job Burnout/Depression. Both of us faced exhaustion on the job; both of us found it necessary to give up our former professional careers. While I never reached the point where I considered suicide, I did sit, many days, thinking that it would be all right if I just died... Given the high numbers of individuals in the United States now taking medications for clinical depression, as the author says in her free tape...now must be the time for this book to be published!
Believe me, there is much to learn from her book, with or without the meditation activity being a part of your process. She does use the philosophical teachings she learned from her trainers; what readers will see is that there are few new words and the words used are important words to be considered “in living.”
I found my Catzenbear about a month ago. She was one of two litters that had arrived at my niece’s home when I was there for Thanksgiving. I picked up a little kitten about eight weeks old; she was shivering and I pulled her close to me, holding her in one arm, while I covered her with my hand. She immediately began to purr...and she never stopped, even while she was in the car with me, coming home. I could tell she was different (I have 15 outside cats and 3 inside cats) and even commented on it to my niece. I called her Cali, but you can read about her in this book, with the unique Catzenbear name!
“The Mind is much like a flea, hopping to and fro from one thought to the next, rarely pausing to reflect and learn from its wanderings.” (quoted by author on p. 1) Kat Tansey knew exactly what this meant—her mind was constantly moving from one subject to another. Some things caused her pain, others anger, others fear—but they always resulted in exhaustion. Kat’s choice was to start to study and practice meditation. Meditation is not easy; you can tell that by the frustration that Kat went through! But in each case, she explains the problem she was having and then how the problem was solved. The very first thing that will hit home for many people was that Kat “was brought up to feel a lull in the conversation embarrassing and silence unproductive.” As with the flea, Americans are extremely busy people and they jump from activity to activity...finding it also embarrassing not to. In her confusion, she was now told—“Good, confusion is an excellent place to begin...”
Consider the words: clinging, anger, sleepiness, restlessness, and doubt. Recognize them? I’m sure you do because we all share them to one extent or another. Five Hindrances is how they are discussed in this book. The exploration of each or all of these may be helpful to readers. For myself, I knew them all well!
Here’s a small example of how the author brings in her cats: Poohbear had developed an extreme liking for tuna. So Kat gave him nothing but tuna (feeding Pooh’s craving). It resulted in Pooh becoming allergic and his hair started to fall out. Moving from this illustration, Kat then proceeds to discuss how she was treating herself in the same manner!
Fortunately, for me, this book came as an affirmation for many of the things I had done to get through a similar experience. If you are there, then you will enjoy the book and may use it as closure to some extent. If you are not there, then this book may be your first step. I highly recommend this book to those who will know they need to begin living again.... As soon as I finished reading the book, I ordered a copy to be sent to my best friend!
And no, Virginia, this is NOT fiction...
G. A. Bixler
IP Book Reviews
Lessons in Living From a
Feline Zen Master
By Kat Tansey
IUniverse Star
164 Pages
What a Beautiful Book! Patricia Heller, in the Foreword, notes that she thought it was odd that the book was classified as fiction. I wholeheartedly agree! Choosing to be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master by Kat Tansey just may be the self-help book you are looking for!
It is clear that the book was written based upon the personal experience of the author. That she chose to use her cats as characters in telling her story does not detract, but rather enhances its effect, in my opinion. Admittedly, most people know that I love cats; however, the storyline itself is what I related to and learned from most. The cat tales, dialogue, and pictures were fun additions! And cat lovers will enjoy it just for the joy of reading about these two Maine Coons!
Let me first point out that, while the author is presenting information regarding Buddhism, she in no way is suggesting that readers must follow these principles to benefit from her story. What I found interesting was that I personally can attest to much she writes about. Her diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Depression...my own diagnosis was Job Burnout/Depression. Both of us faced exhaustion on the job; both of us found it necessary to give up our former professional careers. While I never reached the point where I considered suicide, I did sit, many days, thinking that it would be all right if I just died... Given the high numbers of individuals in the United States now taking medications for clinical depression, as the author says in her free tape...now must be the time for this book to be published!
Believe me, there is much to learn from her book, with or without the meditation activity being a part of your process. She does use the philosophical teachings she learned from her trainers; what readers will see is that there are few new words and the words used are important words to be considered “in living.”
I found my Catzenbear about a month ago. She was one of two litters that had arrived at my niece’s home when I was there for Thanksgiving. I picked up a little kitten about eight weeks old; she was shivering and I pulled her close to me, holding her in one arm, while I covered her with my hand. She immediately began to purr...and she never stopped, even while she was in the car with me, coming home. I could tell she was different (I have 15 outside cats and 3 inside cats) and even commented on it to my niece. I called her Cali, but you can read about her in this book, with the unique Catzenbear name!
“The Mind is much like a flea, hopping to and fro from one thought to the next, rarely pausing to reflect and learn from its wanderings.” (quoted by author on p. 1) Kat Tansey knew exactly what this meant—her mind was constantly moving from one subject to another. Some things caused her pain, others anger, others fear—but they always resulted in exhaustion. Kat’s choice was to start to study and practice meditation. Meditation is not easy; you can tell that by the frustration that Kat went through! But in each case, she explains the problem she was having and then how the problem was solved. The very first thing that will hit home for many people was that Kat “was brought up to feel a lull in the conversation embarrassing and silence unproductive.” As with the flea, Americans are extremely busy people and they jump from activity to activity...finding it also embarrassing not to. In her confusion, she was now told—“Good, confusion is an excellent place to begin...”
Consider the words: clinging, anger, sleepiness, restlessness, and doubt. Recognize them? I’m sure you do because we all share them to one extent or another. Five Hindrances is how they are discussed in this book. The exploration of each or all of these may be helpful to readers. For myself, I knew them all well!
Here’s a small example of how the author brings in her cats: Poohbear had developed an extreme liking for tuna. So Kat gave him nothing but tuna (feeding Pooh’s craving). It resulted in Pooh becoming allergic and his hair started to fall out. Moving from this illustration, Kat then proceeds to discuss how she was treating herself in the same manner!
Fortunately, for me, this book came as an affirmation for many of the things I had done to get through a similar experience. If you are there, then you will enjoy the book and may use it as closure to some extent. If you are not there, then this book may be your first step. I highly recommend this book to those who will know they need to begin living again.... As soon as I finished reading the book, I ordered a copy to be sent to my best friend!
And no, Virginia, this is NOT fiction...
G. A. Bixler
IP Book Reviews
January 7, 2018
This is a gem of a book, and I am grateful that a friend gifted it to me. As a cat lover and a long time practicing Buddhist, I loved the gentle reminders from the wise feline master Pooh and his vibrant kitten sidekick Katzenbear. I've observed that cats are natural meditators, and am not surprised that the author could learn so much from her Maine Coon feline friend, who imparts classic wisdom about the importance of meditation, mindfulness, and non-attachment at a time in the author's life when these lessons were literally life-saving and sanity-saving. It will come at a good time in any reader's life with its truly perennial wisdom.
March 12, 2021
A clever way to talk about her journey of discovery about her mental health issues. I learned a lot about myself and others.
November 25, 2020
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Choosing To Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master by Kat Tansey
February 15, 2009 by Kathleen · (Edit)
Spread the love
Stars: ****1/2
Summary: Choosing to Be is a magical story about becoming fully present and achieving the true freedom of enjoying life just as it is. Guided by her inscrutably wise and perceptive Buddha master who just happens to be a Maine Coon cat, and inspired by his comical little brother who is the essence of pure Buddha nature, Kat overcomes seemingly impenetrable obstacles to achieve inner peace. She breaks out of the prison of her ordinary mind and arrives at a place that was there all along, the sky-like freedom of her own Buddha mind. – from website, read rest here.
I’ve always been a little interested in Buddhism and I love animals so I thought I’d give this a try. I really liked it. It’s fun to read and gives some great meditation tips.
It’s a little weird in that Kat Tansey was taught by her cat. You wonder if she learned on her own and attributed it to her cat or if her cat really talked or if she’s just lost it. In the foreword by Patricia Heller, it says:
“Oddly enough, this book is classified as a work of fiction. It shouldn’t be, and I’ll tell you why I say this. I have met the real life Maine Coon cat, Poohbear, the wise and benevolent Buddha Master in Tansey’s story, and know him to be quite a talker.”
I don’t know what to believe. I do believe you can get insight from animals but I don’t know about months of teachings on meditation and Buddhism. Whether it’s fiction or not, the information is helpful and has renewed my interest in learning meditation.
Also Kat Tansey experienced Depression at the beginning of this book which I can identify with and I found the teachings at the beginning very interesting and helpful. I’m sure I’ll be rereading this book a few times and I almost never reread books.
The book is peppered with black and white photographs of the two cats which are absolutely delightful, as most cat pictures are.
I think this book is a good book for those interested in cats, meditation, depression or Buddhism or any combination of those.
Choosing To Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master by Kat Tansey
February 15, 2009 by Kathleen · (Edit)
Spread the love
Stars: ****1/2
Summary: Choosing to Be is a magical story about becoming fully present and achieving the true freedom of enjoying life just as it is. Guided by her inscrutably wise and perceptive Buddha master who just happens to be a Maine Coon cat, and inspired by his comical little brother who is the essence of pure Buddha nature, Kat overcomes seemingly impenetrable obstacles to achieve inner peace. She breaks out of the prison of her ordinary mind and arrives at a place that was there all along, the sky-like freedom of her own Buddha mind. – from website, read rest here.
I’ve always been a little interested in Buddhism and I love animals so I thought I’d give this a try. I really liked it. It’s fun to read and gives some great meditation tips.
It’s a little weird in that Kat Tansey was taught by her cat. You wonder if she learned on her own and attributed it to her cat or if her cat really talked or if she’s just lost it. In the foreword by Patricia Heller, it says:
“Oddly enough, this book is classified as a work of fiction. It shouldn’t be, and I’ll tell you why I say this. I have met the real life Maine Coon cat, Poohbear, the wise and benevolent Buddha Master in Tansey’s story, and know him to be quite a talker.”
I don’t know what to believe. I do believe you can get insight from animals but I don’t know about months of teachings on meditation and Buddhism. Whether it’s fiction or not, the information is helpful and has renewed my interest in learning meditation.
Also Kat Tansey experienced Depression at the beginning of this book which I can identify with and I found the teachings at the beginning very interesting and helpful. I’m sure I’ll be rereading this book a few times and I almost never reread books.
The book is peppered with black and white photographs of the two cats which are absolutely delightful, as most cat pictures are.
I think this book is a good book for those interested in cats, meditation, depression or Buddhism or any combination of those.
April 9, 2009
Choosing to Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master by Kat Tansey is autobiographical fiction in the vein of Philip Roth if he had decided to become a Buddhist.
The book twelve lessons in three big categories: ordinary mind, hindrances and Buddha mind. Each lesson has a series of dialogues between Kat and her cat Poohbear. He teaches Buddha's lessons through observations on the younger cat, Catzenbear's antics.
The reason behind Tansey's path towards enlightenment was to help combat depression and chronic fatigue. The cats provide moments of insight and humor in what could easily have been a very monotonous memoir.
In terms of learning about meditation and Buddhism, Choosing to Be has many practical exercises with a light approach. It maybe especially approachable for cat owners. The book reminds me favorably of Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali and The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth.
The book twelve lessons in three big categories: ordinary mind, hindrances and Buddha mind. Each lesson has a series of dialogues between Kat and her cat Poohbear. He teaches Buddha's lessons through observations on the younger cat, Catzenbear's antics.
The reason behind Tansey's path towards enlightenment was to help combat depression and chronic fatigue. The cats provide moments of insight and humor in what could easily have been a very monotonous memoir.
In terms of learning about meditation and Buddhism, Choosing to Be has many practical exercises with a light approach. It maybe especially approachable for cat owners. The book reminds me favorably of Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali and The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth.
February 15, 2011
The useful thing about Kat's book is that it documents each step along the way with enormous and compassionate attention to the detail of what is happening in her own mind. This is not a how-to book, like so many that preach the virtues of meditation. There is no instruction here--although there's much to be learned. It's an "essay" in the true sense of that word--an attempt, with words, to capture and describe an intensely human experience in all its transience and subtlety. It's also the celebration of a struggle with the ego and its clinging habits, and of the discovery of joy that results from working through that struggle to attain a measure of wisdom. In this, Kat's book offers us the model of a journey from which we can all take solace and inspiration as we pursue our own.
January 1, 2009
Kat Tansey has hit a home run with her book Choosing to Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master. You don't have to live with a cat to appreciate the book but it helps!
The book really helps in discovering yourself and how to work out problems you may be having. It's a good read even if you aren't having problems.
Buy it and keep it close by. You will be pleasantly surprised on how good it really is.
The book really helps in discovering yourself and how to work out problems you may be having. It's a good read even if you aren't having problems.
Buy it and keep it close by. You will be pleasantly surprised on how good it really is.
May 27, 2012
This is such a cute book but maybe a little strange for people who are not used to talk to their cats. For me it doesn't matter if she could really communicate with her zen master cat.. it was much fun to read and there are some real nice zen lessons to learn.
February 4, 2014
Using cats as personified characters providing much of the dialogue is an interesting method for telling the story. The story and instruction contained is a gentle peaceful companion for meditation study. An enjoyable read.
March 17, 2011
I saw this at the gift store/dispensery at my doctor's office and decided to buy it on a whim. It's easy to read, very relaxing and incredibly relevant to my life right now. It's a gift.
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October 20, 2016Cute way of showing how to meditate.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews