Heightened Awareness: Toward a Higher Consciousness (excerpt)

A companion went with me to the animal farm. He was a rather gruff man and one, I was to find, that the animals didn’t trust or readily take to. Perhaps he had hidden violence in his makeup. As we entered the grounds we passed a fence with chicken wire over it, making an enlarged cage within. There rested a pet puma (mountain lion) that the trainer had raised almost from birth (the mother had eaten its twin, and the trainer had sneaked the day-old baby out of the cage before it had a similiar fate). He had seen the man I was with before and evidently had a violent aversion to him. As we walked by, he sprang at the chicken wire, coming directly at us. The experience was exactly like that of a large wild animal pouncing on us in the wilderness, and it all seemed to happen in slow motion. I was amazed at the beauty and grace of the pouncing animal, and also noticed my own reaction in detail; my breath remained calm and natural and there was no fear (obviously we were safe), only admiration for the magnificent spectacle, though I was totally unprepared for such a happening.

Later the trainer brought the mountain lion inside, without any restraint, and sat him down in the kitchen with his dinner, two dead chickens. I was sitting on a couch in the living room and, before eating, the animal looked squarely at me for about half a minute. Then, having determined that I was no threat to him, he looked down and began to eat. He never paid any attention to me again.

After he had finished eating, the trainer, whom he loved as a mother, directed him into the bedroom. As he walked thru the living room, this 190 pound lion, who could kill a horse, brushed against my leg but never looked up. After many years of spiritual practice I watched my own reactions with interest, my breath and state of mind particularly. Physically and mentally the animal did not inspire fear in me; it was obvious he was sensitive to vibration and mine gave him no trouble. This was a mini-Satipatthana exercise.

— Heightened Awareness / Toward a Higher Consciousness, by Justin F. Stone