On learning from animals
Christine Fieldhouse asked body language expert Becki Houlston how we can learn more from our furry friends
According to experts, we humans can learn a lot from the animal population, whether we’re just observing our cat stalking a blackbird in the garden, spying on a vixen and her cubs on a retreat in the English countryside or watching a herd of zebra in the African bush. Just the act of focusing on an animal for a few minutes brings us back into the present moment, and away from the chatter in our minds. So how can we learn more from our furry friends? I asked UK-based body language expert Becky Houlston for some useful advice.
Create size to appear more dominant
In the animal world, it’s clear who the leader of any pack is. For example, the alpha male wolf is usually the largest. He eats first, has his pick of mates and leads the others. Male deer gather vegetation in their antlers to make themselves look more formidable during rutting season.
‘If you want to be a leader or to be taken more seriously, copy animals and make yourself bigger,’ suggests Becki. ‘Hold yourself up straight, lift your head up and keep your shoulders back to move yourself up the pecking order.’
Use breath to stay calm
Our pets think nothing of looking us in the eye and sighing, and who hasn’t giggled at horses snorting and chimpanzees yawning?
‘Animals are very good at using their breath to change states,” explains Becki. ‘They can be in a state of threat, and the next minute they’re eating or lying down. They use long exhales to calm themselves down. To copy them, we can take long, deep breaths, focusing on the exhales to aid our parasympathetic nervous system.’
Be present
You don’t see animals multi-tasking. If a sow is feeding her piglets, she isn’t walking round a sty looking for food. Animals do one thing at a time, whether that’s a kitten playing with a ball of string or a pride of lions who sleep and rest for up to 20 hours a day.
‘Animals go beyond mindfulness,” says Becki. “They live completely in the moment. If animals are hungry, they eat immediately. They don’t dither. They don’t overthink. They act on instinct.’
Shake it up
Animals have great coping mechanisms. Some will run from danger, while others play dead or hide. A dog, for example, will shake stress out of its system.
‘If you’re suffering from stress or anxiety, copy the dog and use movement to make you feel better,’ advises Becki. ‘Put some music on and dance. The movement could clear some energy blocks and it will boost your feelgood hormones.’
