--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have lived with several Zen masters…" description: "\"“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual lessons. Just watching them is a meditation.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg" --- # I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats… ![“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual lessons. Just watching them is a meditation.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg) > ““I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual lessons. Just watching them is a meditation.”” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Observing animals can be a form of meditation, offering spiritual lessons without words. **In simple terms:** Animals teach us meditation. Key Takeaway Learn from observing nature. Themes mindfulness nature spirituality learning Mood calm inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily walks - birdwatching - pet care - mindful observation Key Concepts Zen animal symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What simple animal behavior can you meditate on? - How does this change your daily mindfulness? A Different Perspective Relying solely on animals may lack depth of practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ducks Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ducks-taught-5528876/) [Lived Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-zen-5036657/) [Masters Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters-cats-3967474/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Watching Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching-meditation-1828825/) [Zen Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-masters-893556/) ## Related quotes > [I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Don’t do anything—no repetition of mantra, no repetition of the name of God—just watch whatever the mind is doing. Don’t disturb it, don’t prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/don-t-do-anything-no-repetition-of-mantra-no-repetition-of-the-name/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [“8. Zen is not Nihilistic. Zen judged from ancient Zen masters' aphorisms may seem, at the first sight, to be idealistic in an extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/8-zen-is-not-nihilistic-zen-judged-from-ancient-zen-masters-aphorisms/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [People who don't like cats haven't been around them. There's the old joke: dogs have masters, cats have staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/people-who-don-t-like-cats-haven-t-been-around-them-there-s-the-old/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) > [Dogs are very loyal to their masters but with cats you're the servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/dogs-are-very-loyal-to-their-masters-but-with-cats-you-re-the-servant/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [Dogs have masters. Cats have staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/dogs-have-masters-cats-have-staff/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [“the Zen masters always say that you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-zen-masters-always-say-that-you-cannot-see-your-reflection-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“1. The Method of Instruction Adopted by Zen Masters. Thus far we have described the doctrine of Zen inculcated by both Chinese and Japanese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/1-the-method-of-instruction-adopted-by-zen-masters-thus-far-we-have/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [You have to begin to develop a repertory of jokes, multi-plane spiritual jokes, the sort of things the Zen masters tell each other when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-have-to-begin-to-develop-a-repertory-of-jokes-multi-plane/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When I go visit my brother monks in Japan and sit down with other Zen Masters, they look at my crazy clothes and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-i-go-visit-my-brother-monks-in-japan-and-sit-down-with-other-zen/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The samurais were very interested in Zen because they admired the tremendous precision that the Zen Masters had, their lack of fear and pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-samurais-were-very-interested-in-zen-because-they-admired-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As the Japanese Zen masters say, “Don't seek the truth; just drop your opinions”. Drop your theories; don't seek the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-japanese-zen-masters-say-don-t-seek-the-truth-just-drop-your/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Zen masters say you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/zen-masters-say-you-cannot-see-your-reflection-in-running-water-only/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“2. The First Step in the Mental Training. Some of the old Zen masters are said to have attained to supreme Enlightenment after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/2-the-first-step-in-the-mental-training-some-of-the-old-zen-masters/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [How many Zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb? The plum tree in the garden!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/how-many-zen-masters-does-it-take-to-screw-in-a-light-bulb-the-plum/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Meditation quotes > [“Inside every pause lived a contemplation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/inside-every-pause-lived-a-contemplation/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [If you have time to be mindful, you have time to meditate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-you-have-time-to-be-mindful-you-have-time-to-meditate/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Unless and until you introspect you cannot even respect yourself. You cannot even love yourself. If you love yourself you will introspect and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/unless-and-until-you-introspect-you-cannot-even-respect-yourself-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ “...even though \[my psychiatrist\] understood mor than anyone how much I felt I was losing--in energy, vivacity, and originality--by taking medication, he never was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/even-though-my-psychiatrist-understood-mor-than-anyone-how-much-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [“Mindfulness is an invitation to change that pattern and to become aware of where we are and how we got here. Mindfulness gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-duerr/mindfulness-is-an-invitation-to-change-that-pattern-and-to-become/) [Maia Duerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-duerr/) > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Now the stage today is to know that Self Realization gives you experiences and then your faith is established. Not blind but open enlightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-the-stage-today-is-to-know-that-self-realization-gives-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/) [Harold McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-mcgee/) [Browse all 7,091 Meditation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual lessons. Just watching them is a meditation.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eckhart Tolle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats-even-ducks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Meditation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats-even-ducks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/eckhart-tolle-81_meditation_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_1505220.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual…” — Eckhart Tolle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eckhart Tolle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I have lived with several Zen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats-even-ducks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats-even-ducks/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```